Author: Sabrina

Respiratory Disease in Sheep

Dr. G.F. Kennedy, Pipestone Veterinary Services
(Previously published online with Ask a Vet – Sheep: January 13, 2018)

I posted a short article about Raspy Lambs and added a tag, pneumonia, and that tag has been constantly viewed so we decided we should broaden the scope. Respiratory disease is probably the most important disease in sheep and it can range from the insignificant such as OPP or the widely used term “barn cough”. It affects all ages and breeds and all differently. The OPP zealots would say its all OPP and guys like me would say its all Pasteurella. The Pasteurella, that doesn’t exist anymore, its now Mannheimia. Basically with respiratory disease in sheep we are working with gram negative bacteria that respond to drugs like Nuflor, Oxytetracycline, Draxxin and others. Penicillin doesn’t help. My method of administration is always subcutaneous and I would not recommend the neck area. Early diagnosis and prompt and extended treatment are essential for successful treatment of individual animals. In valuable animals, I am inclined to use Nuflor and Draxxin simultaneously. The Nuflor causes an immediate effect and the Draxxin causes a prolonged effect.

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Blankets of Yellow Flowers

– Christine Gelley, Agriculture and Natural Resources Educator, Noble County OSU Extension

Fields of yellow flowers are abundant this year across the state as many annual crop farmers faced planting delays. Some pasture fields are covered in blankets of yellow too. The scenes are deceptively beautiful with their sunny appearance but may actually pose a deadly threat to livestock if the plant happens to be cressleaf groundsel, which is also known as butterweed. Cressleaf groundsel is another weed known to cause livestock poisonings in harvested or grazed forages.

Cressleaf groundsel is known to cause livestock poisonings.

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Striped Cucumber Beetles Already Active

Originally posted on the May 16, 2022 OSU VegNet Newsletter – posted By Jim Jasinski

My Extension colleague in Pickaway County sent me a quick note and picture over the weekend that the Striped Cucumber Beetle is actively searching and feeding on transplanted or emerged cucurbit crops. Given how cool the temperatures have been the past few weeks I thought it was a bit early but these past few days of 80+F have certainly activated them out of their overwintering locations and into nearby fields. Like the canary in the coal mine, this pest alert from southern growers should help growers in central and northern Ohio prepare to scout and manage transplants or emerged seedlings of cucumber, squash, zucchini, pumpkin or melon.

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Kill Poison Hemlock Now

 

– Christine Gelley, Agriculture and Natural Resources Educator, Noble County OSU Extension

Poison hemlock is a concern in public right of ways, on the farm, and in the landscape!

Poison hemlock has already emerged in a vegetative state around Noble County and beyond. Soon it will be bolting and blooming on stalks 6-10 feet tall. All parts of the plant are toxic to all classes of livestock if consumed and is prevalent along roadsides, ditches, and crop field borders. It is a biennial weed that does not flower in the first year of growth but flowers in the second year. The earlier you can address poison hemlock with mowing and/or herbicide application, the better your control methods will be.

Poison hemlock is related to Queen Anne’s lace, but is much larger and taller, emerges earlier, and has purple spots on the stems. Another relative that is poisonous is wild parsnip, which looks similar to poison hemlock, but has yellow flowers. Giant hogweed is another relative of poison hemlock that is also toxic. All of these plants have umbel shaped clusters of flowers.

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The Core Vaccines every Ohio beef cow should be receiving

Many health challenges on the farm can be avoided with a proper herd health management program. During the third session of the 2022 Virtual Beef School held on Monday, March 21st Dr. Justin Kieffer, Clinical Veterinarian for the Department of Animal Sciences at OSU, offered a beef herd health management update.

More specifically, Dr. Kieffer spent a few minutes that evening sharing the core vaccines he believes every Ohio beef cow should receive. Embedded below Dr. Kieffer shares that list of five vaccines.

To view Dr. Kieffer’s herd health presentation from the 21st in its entirety, visit this YouTube link: https://youtu.be/rrxabT5ksiI

Maple Bootcamp: Ohio

Maple Bootcamp: Ohio is for woodland owners looking for an annual income from their woodland or current producers looking to sharpen their skills.  This multi-day workshop will cover everything from tree identification and tree health through tapping and marketing an end product (syrup, candy etc).  There will be tours of a sugarbush that has been in operation for more than 50 years and one that takes advantage of today’s technology.  We will also tour the sugarbush that was installed on the Ohio State University Mansfield campus in 2019 and is a hub for maple research

Registration is $150 and can be accessed here along with the agenda for the 3 days.