Month: February 2020

Small Ruminant Vaccine Program Considerations

Kevin Pelzer DVM MPVM, Diplomate of ACVPM, Virginia/Maryland Regional College Of Veterinary Medicine
(Previously published online: Pelzer Proceedings)

Small Ruminant Vaccine Programs
Prepartum vaccines
Does and ewes should be vaccinated 3-4 weeks prior to the time of parturition in order to provide colostral immunity to the neonates

  1. Clostridium perfringens type C and D
    • Vaccine will cross protect against Cl. perfringens type B
    • Vaccine prevents hemorrhagic enteritis and overeating disease
  2. Clostridium tetani
    • Protects neonates from tetanus
    • Especially important if horses have been/are on the premise
    • Neonates at risk because of tail docking, castration, and dehorning
      • Note: The Cl. perfringens C and D and tetanus come in a combination vaccine
  3. Parainfluenza 3
    • Protects against parainfluenza 3, a viral disease that predisposes neonate to pneumonia
    • The product contains both PI3 and Infectious Bovine Rhinotracheitis Virus
    • The product is given intranasally, 1/2 of the cattle dose – 1 ml in one nostril
    • Reduces the shedding of PI3 by dams and provides good colostral immunity to neonates

Optional vaccine

Continue reading Small Ruminant Vaccine Program Considerations →

Making and Maintaining Quality Baleage

Brady Campbell, Program Coordinator, OSU Sheep Team

It almost seems like a broken record. We have continually talked about the excessive amount of poor quality hay made last year and the issues surrounding how to incorporate it as a viable feed source in livestock diets. Here in Ohio, we have yet to have had an actual winter and the rain continues to fall. This weather pattern may be the new norm, thus we must learn how to adapt to these challenges. So, the question becomes, how will producers make quality first cutting hay that maintains a high feed value in the future?

The greatest challenge with making dry hay is Continue reading Making and Maintaining Quality Baleage →

Parasite Management Starts with Genetics

Gail Keck
(Previously published in Ohio Farmer: February 24, 2020)

Ohio producer uses data to increase his sheep flock’s resistance to internal parasites.

For sheep producers with flocks on pasture, controlling internal parasites can be expensive and time-consuming, but the cost of not controlling the parasites can be even greater, in reduced performance and death losses. While it won’t eliminate the need to monitor and deworm entirely, building a flock with greater genetic resistance can help reduce losses and treatment expenses.

John Anderson, who raises Polypay sheep seedstock near Shreve,in Wayne County, Ohio, has been selectively breeding for parasite resistance for 10 years, and he’s seeing the benefits in his own flock and in the breeding stock he sells.

Continue reading Parasite Management Starts with Genetics →

Larval Survival of Barber’s Pole Worm

Wormboss
(Previously published on Wormboss, Tests and Tools, Management Tools, Grazing Management)

(Image Source: Deb Maxwell)

Problem:
Many producers are unaware how long is required to prepare low worm-risk paddocks, although surveys show most are in favor of using them.

Solution:
Understanding the few conditions under which worm larvae will die is vital in creating low worm-risk paddocks.

Benefit:
Knowing the ‘required time’ for your property to create low worm-risk paddocks.

Under what conditions do worm larvae die?
A common misconception, based on having fewer worm issues in winter, is that frosts kill worm larvae on the paddock. This is a myth.

Continue reading Larval Survival of Barber’s Pole Worm →

Is Creep Feeding Lambs a Profitable Undertaking?

Donald G. Ely and Endre Fink, Animal and Food Sciences, University of Kentucky
(Previously published online as a University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service white paper)

(Image Source: Premier1Supplies)

Creep feeding is a technique of providing feed to nursing lambs to supplement the milk they consume. Creep-fed lambs grow faster than noncreep-feds and are more aggressive in nursing ewes. This aggression stimulates greater ewe milk production which, in turn, increases creep feed intake because these lambs will be bigger at a given age.

Typically, the creep diet is a grain protein supplement mixture and is made available in an area constructed so lambs can enter, but ewes cannot. Some situations when it may be economical to creep feed are described below. Continue reading Is Creep Feeding Lambs a Profitable Undertaking? →

Proposed Coyote Trapping Changes Put on Hold

Matt Reese, Ohio’s Country Journal editor
(Previously published in Ohio’s Country Journal: Febuary 19, 2020)

When coyote predation becomes a problem for a livestock operation, it can be a major issue that requires extensive measures to address. For this reason, an Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife proposal to designated coyotes as furbearers generated concerns from Ohio’s agriculture and hunters and trappers.

“There are a fair amount of hunters that don’t agree with it,” said Mike Rex, who sits on the Ohio Wildlife Council. “They see coyotes as vermin and not a furbearing animal like a fox, and they don’t think there should be any additional regulation.”

With the furbearer designation, coyote trapping by any person (including landowners) would be limited Continue reading Proposed Coyote Trapping Changes Put on Hold →

How to Frost Seed to Add Legumes to your Pastures

Genevieve Slocum, Kings Agriseeds
(Previously published in On Pasture: February 10, 2020)

(Image Source: On Pasture)

Folks have been asking about this recently. From January 2017, Genevieve’s tips can help you adjust your winter grazing now for frost-seeding for a better pasture this summer.

Frost-seeding is one form of over-seeding, in which you can use legumes to economically and quickly thicken a pasture or a perennial hayfield in late winter. Though no-till drilling has more guarantee of success, frost seeding is an easy operation while you have time in the off season, and if managed correctly and timed properly, has good likelihood of success. Spraying, tillage, and lost grazing time does not factor into the costs as it typically does with a pasture reseeding. Clover eventually Continue reading How to Frost Seed to Add Legumes to your Pastures →

Closed Coyote Trapping Season is Proposed, Nuisance Removal is Unchanged

Tommy Springer, Wildlife Specialist, Fairfield County Soil and Water Conservation District

When the Ohio Division of Wildlife released its proposed changes to the 2020-2021 hunting and trapping regulations, probably no proposal received more attention than the one to clarify the classification of coyotes as a furbearer and include them in the regulated trapping season along with other furbearers such as raccoon and fox (OAC 1501:31-15-09). Under current regulations, coyotes can be hunted and trapped year-round. This new proposal would only affect the trapping portion. Hunting will remain open all year with no bag limit.

As this proposal clears up the legal language that coyotes are considered furbearers, in addition to having an annual hunting license, this proposal requires hunters and trappers to also purchase the fur taker permit that is required to hunt or trap furbearers. Currently, hunters and trappers targeting coyotes are Continue reading Closed Coyote Trapping Season is Proposed, Nuisance Removal is Unchanged →

Ag-note: Use of Guard Llamas in an Integrated Predator Control System

Natassaja Boham, Makenzie Doherty, and Jordan Johnson, OSU Animal Science Undergraduate Students
Brady Campbell, Program Coordinator, OSU Sheep Team

Use of Guard Llamas in an Integrated Predator Control System
** Follow the link above to view the Ag-note.

In our latest Ag-note, Animal Sciences students Natassaja Boham, Makenzie Doherty, and Jordan Johnson highlight a unique ruminants species (pseudo ruminant that is) that can be used in any livestock operation as a means to control for predators. As Ohio legislation begins to reassess the status of the coyote in terms of being a fur-bearing animal and as a result producers may be limited in how they may be able to trap these predators, producers may be forced to find alternative means to manage this controversial wildlife livestock interaction. Continue reading Ag-note: Use of Guard Llamas in an Integrated Predator Control System →

Grafting Lambs: An Opportunity to Increase Flock Productivity

Richard Ehrhardt, Michigan State University Extension Specialist, Small Ruminants
(Previously published on MSU Extension, Sheep & Goat: January 28, 2020)

This article discusses how to successfully graft lambs unto another ewe.

(Image Source: Michigan State University)

Introduction
Grafting is the process of assessing milk/colostrum production in ewes and matching lambs to supply. Grafting lambs is an effective means of efficiently raising “extra” or “bonus” lambs and maximizing flock productivity. It is also a vastly underutilized technique for many reasons. One is simply lack of know-how. Another is lack of milk/colostrum in ewes due to chronic disease such as ovine progressive pneumonia (OPP) and/or because of undernutrition. In addition, the opportunities for matching graftee lambs to surrogate ewes can be Continue reading Grafting Lambs: An Opportunity to Increase Flock Productivity →

Weaning Primer

Susan Schoenian, Sheep & Goat Specialist, University of Maryland Small Ruminant Extension Program
(Previously published on the Maryland Small Ruminant Page)

Weaning is when the milk is removed from the diet of a young mammal. Usually – but not always – it coincides with separation of the young from their dam. Weaning age varies greatly in sheep and goats, from as early as 14 days to natural weaning, at more than four months of age. Lambs have been successfully weaned as early as 14 days; kids as early as 28 days. Early weaning is usually defined as weaning prior to 90 days of age; 60 days is most common. Late weaning is anything after that.

Wean by weight
It is generally better to wean based on weight rather than age. A general recommendation is Continue reading Weaning Primer →

Critical Control Points for Lamb Survival

Richard Ehrhardt, Michigan State University Extension Specialist, Small Ruminants
(Previously published on MSU Extension, Sheep & Goat: January 27, 2020)

This article talks about when newborn mortality occurs and how to prevent it.

Introduction
“What is a reasonable mortality rate for lambs?” This is a question frequently asked by many producers. However, the answer is not straightforward, as it depends on many factors including lambing rate, management practices and production system. Producers commonly ask this question to determine if they have a problem, but looking at overall lamb mortality without considering the farm’s production figures and its specific patterns of loss is not very useful. A better approach would be to begin by identifying the pattern of loss and their magnitude. These patterns may show some variation from year to year, but it is common that farm-specific patterns emerge.  Some losses can be greatly reduced with Continue reading Critical Control Points for Lamb Survival →