Dr. Brady Campbell, Program Coordinator, OSU Sheep Team
Christine Gelley, OSU Extension Educator ANR, Noble County
Small 
ruminant growth and health losses associated with parasitic infection continues to be of great concern in many intensively grazed management systems such as those in the Eastern United States. Diagnostic techniques used to monitor parasitic infection on-farm include the FAMACHA© eye scoring system and Fecal Egg Counts. implementing these tools within your operation will not only allow for producers to detect the early onset of parasitism within their flocks and herds, but can also be used as a guide to determine which animals need to be treated. These workshops will provide training for producers to conduct FAMACHA© eye scores and fecal egg counts from the comfort of their home.
Two separate sessions will be held in Caldwell, Ohio for those interested in learning how to better monitor their flocks and herds through selective anthelmintic treatment. Continue reading 2021 FAMACHA© and Fecal Egg Count Workshop Opportunities
first day of summer in the rearview mirror, temperatures are only expected to accelerate. Forage production, on the other hand, will likely slow down. This is when summer annuals can take the wheel and keep forage production on track for the remainder of the season.
is a continuing trend among animal product consumers – they want sustainably and humanely raised meat, milk, and eggs. Generation Z is the driving force behind consumers wanting to know exactly where their food comes from and the values behind the farming operation. With this trend, many cattle, hog, and sheep producers are selling animals to customers and sending the purchased animals off for custom processing. Other producers may be choosing to sell retail cuts in a roadside shop or farmers markets. If selling lamb directly off the farm is something your operation is currently doing or has discussed as a future enterprise, turning a profit on sales should be somewhere in the back of your mind.
one day back when I was in private practice when a client brought in their dog for their examination and vaccinations and when he set his pup up on the examination table I noticed that the dog’s entire top half of his fur was slicked back. When I asked about this the client stated that he noticed ticks on the dog, so he covered him with motor oil to drown them out. I have also had clients tell me they put cigarettes out on ticks to burn them off or use kerosene to drown them off. Hopefully, they never use both of those “treatments” at the same time!
