Management

Sheep and Solar: A Sensible Pairing

Allison Lund, Staff Writer, Indiana Prairie Farmer
(Previously published online with FarmProgress Indiana Prairie Farmer: February 26, 2024)

(Image Source: American Lamb Board)

Agrivoltaics make the most of land set aside for solar panels.

There will be an unlikely resident flocking to solar fields in northwestern Indiana: sheep. Landowners are collaborating with solar companies to get the most out of these solar projects through agrivoltaics — the use of land for both agriculture and solar energy generation.

Scott Fritz, Pulaski County, Ind., sees this as an avenue to continue tending to the land that he’s already cared for over the years.

“It’s our land,” Fritz says. “We still own the land. We might as well participate in taking care of it.”

Why sheep?
The grass seeded under solar panels needs to be maintained so it doesn’t compete with the panels for sunlight. This can be done with a mower or, as many are discovering, with livestock. The latter is better for the environment, Fritz says. Continue reading Sheep and Solar: A Sensible Pairing →

Where Do the Sharps Go?

Dr. Russ Daly, Professor, South Dakota State University Extension Veterinarian, State Public Health Veterinarian
(Previously published online with South Dakota State University Extension: October 3, 2023)

(Image Source: FDA)

I Gave My Animal A Shot. Now What?
Animals receive shots for various reasons throughout their life, just like people. Sometimes they are used to prevent diseases, in the case of vaccinations; and sometimes they are used to help an animal recover from a bacterial illness, as with antibiotics. Regardless of why the animal received a shot, it is important to dispose of the needle in a safe way. Other sharp items such as scalpel blades used to perform various medical procedures on animals should be disposed of safely as well. Needles, scalpel blades, and other sharp items are sometimes referred to as “sharps.” They can inadvertently injure people and/or expose them to potentially harmful substances (e.g. blood, medicines, etc.) if they are not disposed of carefully.

Remember, disposal methods can vary by state, county, and city so please check with your local landfill or waste disposal service to verify approved methods of household disposal.

Are Sharps Considered Medical Waste?
Sharps used in livestock husbandry practices are considered medical or infectious waste. The Administrative Rules of South Dakota (ARSD) 74:27:07:01(41A) use the definition in the Code of Federal Regulations 40 CFR §60.51c to define medical/infectious waste as: Continue reading Where Do the Sharps Go? →

Top Tips for Healthy Lambs

Sarah McNaughton, Editor, Dakota Farmer
(Previously published online with Dakota Farmer: January 19, 2024)

Montana State Extension shares management practices for lambing and kidding.

With lambing and kidding season arriving to ranches, now is the time to evaluate management and facilities for a successful spring crop. Brent Roeder, sheep and wool Extension specialist at Montana State University, shared health management tips for lambs and kids during a recent producer-focused webinar.

Sheep and goats are management-responsive, with nutritional, environmental, or predatory stressors opening the door to disease.

“A lot of livestock management with Continue reading Top Tips for Healthy Lambs →

Bedding Options for Livestock and Equine

Stephen Herbert, Masoud Hashemi, Carrie Chickering‐Sears, and Sarah Weis, University of Massachusetts, Amherst
(Previously published online with the Center for Agriculture, Food, and Environment: UMass Extension Crops, Dairy, Livestock and Equine Program: CDLE Pub. 08-5)

Introduction
In general, bedding for an animal must be comfortable, clean, and absorbent. There are several materials, both organic and inert, that may be used for bedding, and most may be used for all types of livestock. When organic materials are used, ammonia volatilization is reduced, improving the air in the housing facility. Bedding, as with other aspects of livestock management, can be manageable through proper care and attention. In the case of milking, pregnant, nursing, or very young livestock, specific attention to bedding is required. These four categories of animals are the most susceptible to disease. With milking animals, because the udders are in such close contact with the bedding, environmental pathogens, mainly ones that cause mastitis are of major concern. Comfort is another crucial aspect of bedding because discomfort of an animal leads to sores and other ailments. The breed and age of animal, housing, flooring, and population density will dictate the type and amount of bedding needed. For example the foaling season is especially important with equine.

Considerations in choosing bedding
Labor‐ How time consuming is the overall management (obtaining the material, dispersing it into areas of use, cleaning, and disposal). Availability‐ How feasible is it to obtain material? Are there other uses for the bedding material and will that play a factor into the economics of that specific material? Evaluate source of material to ensure cleanliness. Continue reading Bedding Options for Livestock and Equine →

Manage Feed Costs by Evaluating Hay Waste

PennState Extension
(Previously published online with PennState Extension: May 26, 2023)
Sheep and goat operations all experience some amount of hay waste during winter feeding. Now is a good time to look back and evaluate how much hay was wasted.

The largest input cost for any livestock enterprise is feed costs. In forage dependent operations, most of these feed costs occur during the winter when feeding hay. Spring is a great time to assess hay feeding areas and consider how much hay the sheep or goats wasted over the winter.

Is there a large amount of wasted hay lying next to the hay feeders? Did pens inside the barn require minimal bedding last year due to the amount of hay waste? A “yes” answer to either of these questions should inspire producers to look more closely at feed quality and feeder design. Using feeders should be an obvious means to help reduce waste. Less obvious perhaps is the concept that feeders can also help to promote animal health. This occurs by preventing fecal or soil contamination that can lead to problems such as internal parasites, coccidia, or listeriosis. Hay losses can range from Continue reading Manage Feed Costs by Evaluating Hay Waste →

Provide Sheep with Adequate Care in Winter

North Dakota State University Agriculture Communication
(Previously published online with North Dakota State University Extension and Ag Research News: December 16, 2014)

(Image Source: Farm Advisory Service)

Sheep are tolerant to cold weather with proper care.

Production systems in upper Midwest sheep operations often revolve around winter. Sheep producers need to make sure their flock is prepared for the cold weather, according to North Dakota State University Extension Service sheep and livestock stewardship experts.

“Well-adapted sheep are quite tolerant to cold weather, given a few management factors are adequately addressed,” sheep specialist Reid Redden says.

Due to wool’s insulative properties, the lower critical temperature for a sheep with Continue reading Provide Sheep with Adequate Care in Winter →

Sheep Shed Layout and Design. Lambing Time Approaches…

It’s never too late, or early, to begin thinking about your next lamb crop. Even if your resources are limited or if your sheep production system does not support intensive indoor management, I believe that many will benefit from this quick tour and layout of an Irish lambing shed. The basics of feed management, animal housing requirements, and quick tips are just a few bits of important information to consider. I encourage you to take a look for yourself, I know that I was able to to a few tips away myself. Enjoy!