Month: May 2025

Notes on Goats: Feeding Management of A Meat Goat Herd

Dr. Sandra G. Solaiman, Professor, Tuskegee University
(Previously published online with Tuskegee University: November, 2006)

The single most significant variable cost in any livestock operation is feed cost. It averages 45% of the variable cost of an operation including labor costs or is about 64% of the variable cost of an operation excluding labor. Any management practice that can reduce feed cost will significantly improve profit. In this technical paper the major points in the nutrition of goats are discussed to help you understand the digestive system, feeds, and feeding of goats.

The Digestive System of Ruminants
The goat belongs to a group of animals called ruminants that have a 4 compartment stomach (Fig. 1) and a unique ability to digest roughages containing relatively large amounts of cellulose. Cellulose is the chief part of the cell walls of plants and a potential source of energy for ruminant animals. The digestive system of ruminants contains millions of bacteria and protozoa that can digest and manufacture a variety of nutrients. Continue reading…

Hold the Date! Small Ruminant 509 (June 13-14, 2025)

Kayla Scott, Graduate Research Associate, Department of Animal Sciences

Hosted by the departments of Animal Sciences and Extension at The Ohio State University, we are pleased to announce the offering of the Small Ruminant 509 program held in the Animal Sciences Building on the Columbus campus on June 13-14, 2025. Programs such as Beef and Pork 509 have shown success with bridging gaps in producer understandings of live animal production as it relates to carcass outcomes and overall meat quality. Up to this point, small ruminant producers in the state have had limited opportunities to participate in a program as such. The overall aim of this Extension program is to provide statewide education to sheep and goat producers looking to further their knowledge of live animal evaluation and selection, meat processing, meat quality, and the economics of marketing small ruminants, in a real-world, hands-on learning environment. Continue reading Hold the Date! Small Ruminant 509 (June 13-14, 2025) →

May Weed Report

Christine Gelley, OSU Extension Educator ANR, Noble County

(Cressleaf Groundsel)

(Poison Hemlock)

Warm temperatures and steady rainfall have accelerated the maturity of grass, legume, and weedy species in the landscape and on-farm so far this spring. Two main species of concern that have been actively growing quickly around the county include poison hemlock and cressleaf groundsel.

Poison hemlock is a biennial weed that does not flower in the first year of growth but flowers in the second year. It blooms on stalks 6-10 feet tall. All parts of the plant are toxic to all classes of livestock if consumed and it is prevalent along roadsides, ditches, and crop field borders. 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 Continue reading May Weed Report →

Spring Pasture Management; Plan Now to Optimize the Entire Grazing Season

Victor Shelton, NRCS State Agronomist/Grazing Specialist

I’m glad that May has finally arrived.  For me, it’s been a wet and somewhat stormy spring so far. If you haven’t done it already, it’s a really good idea to walk your pastures before grazing them for the first time. You can use your ATV if you prefer, but I’d rather see you walking and observing closely rather than taking quick glances and a joyride. It wouldn’t hurt to take some pictures to compare current conditions to other time periods.

First, assess how much new growth is actually present in each paddock or field. The amount can be deceiving unless you actually step into it. Ideally, take a yardstick with you and measure the average height of the new forage. For most cool-season forages, I like to see at least 8-10 inches of growth prior to grazing. I don’t want to sound like a broken record, but it’s important to rebuild green vegetative “solar panel” and ensure energy is returning to the roots, as much of the initial spring growth has already used it.

You’ll typically notice Continue reading Spring Pasture Management; Plan Now to Optimize the Entire Grazing Season →

There’s Something in the Water

Amber Friedrichsen, Managing Editor, Hay and Forage Grower
(Previously published in Hay & Forage Grower: May 6, 2025)

Natural water sources in pastures are only as valuable to a grazing system as the quality of water they contain. In other words, the health and performance of livestock will suffer if animals are subject to contaminated water, especially if that water is fraught with blue-green algae.

In a recent Beef Tips newsletter from Kansas State University Extension, AJ Tarpoff says the combination of sunny, hot, and dry conditions create an ideal environment for blue-green algal blooms to thrive in pasture ponds; however, the sporadic occurrence of these blooms makes it hard to prevent contamination. To be sure, the extension veterinarian adds that blue-green algal blooms are not even made up of algae — they are accumulations of cyanobacteria.

Tarpoff explains that some species of cyanobacteria can produce and release neurotoxins and hepatotoxins. Neurotoxins can Continue reading There’s Something in the Water →