Jason Hartschuh, Dairy Management and Precision Livestock, Field Specialist

During the winter lambing and kidding seasons, ensuring that lambs and kids get up and dry as fast as possible is critical for survivability and thus operation success. As producers, we can assist with this process by providing a warm area by offering supplemental heat and reducing barn draft while the young are still wet. For many operations, a heating system is part of their lamb and kid survival strategy with the lower critical temperature for lambs and kids being 50°F. Below this temperature lambs and kids are chilled and either need additional energy or supplemental heat. Unfortunately, heating systems add risk to our livestock barns. Any system has at least a minimal increase in fire risk. Especially the most common way of adding heat with heat lamps over deep bedded straw.

When using heat lamps there are some best management practices to keep in mind. Continue reading →

Sarah McNaughton, Editor, Dakota Farmer
(Previously published online with Ohio Farmer: September 29, 2022)

When considering building or renovating housing for sheep or goats, producers should first examine their current level of production and management styles, while keeping future plans for potential growth or management changes in mind.

“We want to consider where we’re at,” said University of Minnesota Extension engineer Erin Cortus, during a recent webinar by University of Minnesota and North Dakota State University. “Where are we in terms of existing space or existing facilities?”

Cortus encourages producers to think about the number of head, a barn’s function, and how much time they have to commit to management, as well as future plans.

“We don’t want our current structures or plans to Continue reading →