What to Watch for with Asian Longhorned Ticks and Theileria in Ohio in 2024

Dr. Tim McDermott, OSU Extension Educator ANR, Franklin County

(Image Source: Tadhgh Rainey, Hunterdon County Health Services, New Jersey)

One of the worrisome things about ticks in Ohio has been the increasing numbers of ticks of medical importance to humans, companion animals, and livestock as we have gone from one tick of medical importance twenty years ago to five now, including two new ticks in the past few years. While ticks have always been a problem in cattle, the invasive Asian longhorned (ALHT) tick that was first discovered in Ohio in 2020 has demonstrated the ability to not only vector, or transmit disease to cattle, but to cause mortality in cattle through high numbers of ticks feeding upon the animals. I first wrote about ALHT  in All About Grazing in July of 2020 with the article “The Threat of Asian longhorned tick continues” and then followed up with a March 2nd, 2023 article “Managing Asian longhorned ticks on pasture” so I want to provide an update on where we are in the state of Ohio with ALHT right now.

Where are we seeing ALHT in Ohio right now?
As of the end of 2023, we had positively identified ALHT in Continue reading

Dairy Goat Management: Seasonal Tips and Tricks

Dr. Mary Blankevoort, DVM
American Dairy Goat Association (ADGA) Publicity/Promotional/Educational Committee
(Previously published online with ADGA: January 13, 2024)

(Image Source: American Dairy Goat Association – Dairy Goat Management Calendar)

This dairy goat management calendar is offered as a guide to assist you in preparing for each season. Some breeds and breeders may have unique needs or practice out-of-season breeding. Always seek the advice of your small ruminant veterinarian and never disregard professional advice or delay seeking professional veterinarian assistance because of something you read on this website. (Printable Version of this Dairy Goat Management Calendar).

Spring

Prepare for Kidding Continue reading

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

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

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

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

Four Steps to Prepare for Small Ruminant Kidding and Lambing

Michael Metzger, Michigan State University Extension Educator
(Previously published on MSU Extension, Sheep & Goat: December 13, 2023)

(Image Source: Michael Metzger: MSU Extension)

With kidding and lambing season right around the corner, owners should prepare their animals to get the best outcome.

Kidding and lambing season is here again and there are steps that owners should take to make sure their herd or flock is prepared. By taking the time to prepare, owners will mitigate issues that could arise, and they will be set-up for the best possible outcome. With proper care and planning, problems can be kept to a minimum as animals give birth.

Step one: Implement a vaccination program for your herd or flock
Four to six weeks before the animals are due to deliver, they should receive a booster with Clostridium perfringens type C and D and tetanus (CDT) vaccine and selenium and vitamin E (BoSe) if not providing selenium through feed or mineral mix. Continue reading

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