Nutrition

How to Meet the Mineral Needs of Livestock in Mixed Pastures

Shelby Filley, Oregon State University, Regional Livestock and Forage
(Previously published on the Oregon State University Extension page: September, 2021)

(Image Source: Julianna Ranches, Oregon State University)

Minerals are critically important for the health and well-being of livestock. Reproductive performance and growth are improved when animals consume proper amounts of minerals (and vitamins). Animals have specific requirements for these minerals and differ by species and level of production.

One problem many have is that cattle, sheep and goats are frequently pastured together. Since sheep are vulnerable to copper toxicity, a general livestock mineral mix without copper is usually fed to the group. But that leaves cattle and goats without proper copper in their diets. This article provides alternatives for supplementing different livestock.

Sheep options
Purchase or construct a small-area mineral feeding station that larger animals can’t access. One option is Continue reading How to Meet the Mineral Needs of Livestock in Mixed Pastures →

How to Sample Hay

Mindy Ward, Editor, Missouri Ruralist
(Previously published online with FarmProgress, Missouri Ruralist: July 5, 2024)

(Image Source: Hay and Forage Grower)

With the recent drought Ohio and much of the United States has experienced this year to date, analyzing and understanding forage quality will be critical for operation success. Wether you are feeding a few sheep in your back yard or have 1,ooo ewes indoors, knowing what you are providing to your stock in your pastures or in the feed bunks is important. This week, Mindy Ward outlines key steps to follow when collecting a hay sample.

As hay condition comes into question, take a closer look at your harvested bales.

Hay quality is a concern this year, Continue reading How to Sample Hay →

Ewe Flock Nutrition

Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness and Ministry of Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) Sheep Specialists
(Previously published online with OMAFRA: July 5, 2023)

Introduction
Nutritional management is one of the most important aspects of sheep production. Ewes that are fed appropriately are more fertile, milk better and wean more lambs that grow faster (Figure 1).

Not only do well-fed ewes wean more pounds of lamb per year, but they are healthier and more resistant to disease than ewes that are under nutritional stress. In fact, many production challenges for sheep producers are caused by inadequate nutrition, rather than disease.

Additionally, feed costs are the single largest expense on sheep farms in Ontario, accounting for approximately 41% of total expenses. The 2010 Ontario Sheep Enterprise Analysis Summary (26 producers, representing 10% of the provincial flock) reported average feed costs of $106.70 per lamb produced for the 10 least profitable flocks and $69.00 per lamb (35% less) for the 10 most profitable flocks.

Appropriate feed management can be the difference between a profit or a loss for each lamb sold. Therefore, it is imperative that producers evaluate the feed resources they have and manage them carefully to maintain good ewe nutrition and the profitability of the flock.

Continue Reading

How to Take Hay Samples

Allison Lund, Indiana Prairie Farmer, Senior Editor
(Previously published online with FarmProgress Indiana Prairie Farmer: June 14, 2024)

Get into the routine of sampling after every cutting. Here are tips for how to access a probe and how to take proper samples.

“I know my hay” is a common reason folks give for why they do not sample their hay. However, environmental factors can alter nutrient levels and create a scenario where what you think you have and what you do have for hay do not match.

A solid habit to form is sampling hay after each cutting, according to Nick Minton, beef systems specialist at Purdue. He echoes the sentiment that nobody can know the nutrient levels of their hay without testing.

“The most-skilled producer will look at a hayfield and say, Continue reading How to Take Hay Samples →

Forage Maturity Across Ohio

Jason Hartschuh, Dairy Management and Precision Livestock, Field Specialist

Warm weather this spring especially over the last couple of weeks has rapidly progressed forage maturity. Harvesting forages at the proper time for the livestock you are feeding is critical to farm profitability. Poor quality forages must be supplemented to maintain livestock. In the southern part of the state, many forage grasses are in head while in the northern part of the state, some varieties of Orchard grass and barnyard grass are in head but most are still in the vegetative stage but will be in head within a week.

Many growers may base harvest decisions primarily on alfalfa maturity; however, this method can be misleading due to climatic variations affecting the rate of bud and flower development.

Spring changes of alfalfa %NDF can increase about 5 percentage units each week. Therefore, it is imperative for growers to be monitoring their Continue reading Forage Maturity Across Ohio →

Use a Grazing Stick to Measure Forages

Christine Gelley, OSU Extension Educator ANR, Noble County
(Previously published on Farm Progress – Ohio Farmer: April 17, 2024)

Sticks help determine an estimate of available forage dry matter per grazing paddock.

Measuring the amount of forage available for livestock to graze is a helpful task for designing and adjusting pasture rotations for grazing livestock.

There are many potential methods for measuring the amount of forage mass growing in a pasture. All of them require time spent in the pasture and repetitious measurements to develop estimations of whole pasture forage availability.

One of the simplest methods for estimating forage availability is using a grazing stick.

What does the grazing stick do?
A grazing stick combines information about forage height, forage density, species of forages growing in the pasture and residual grazing heights into a tool that looks like a yardstick. Continue reading Use a Grazing Stick to Measure Forages →

Forage Has Greened Up – So What’s Next?

Tom Kilcer, Certified Crop Advisor, Kinderhook, New York
(Previously published online with FarmProgress – American Agriculturalist: March 19, 2024)

Commentary: Early spring growth demands sufficient nitrogen and sulfur to optimize yield and quality.

Winter is coming to an end, and much faster than in normal years.

People I talked to in New York say they had less winter than we did in Tennessee. We saw an 8-inch blizzard — we rarely get 1 inch — and minus 9 degrees! We never get that cold this far south.

In any case, winter forage and grasses are greening up. This is one of those years where you should move early to get a jump on the season. The already enormous amount of spring growth demands sufficient nitrogen and sulfur to optimize yield and quality.

There are many factors that determine the best nitrogen rate to apply in spring. Recommended rates can be anywhere from 0 to 250 pounds of N per acre. You can’t change what happened last fall, but you can use it to determine Continue reading Forage Has Greened Up – So What’s Next? →

Local Plant Toxicities of Livestock

Dr. Bom Harris, DVM, Old Dominion Veterinary Services, VA
(Previously published online with Old Dominion Veterinary Services: March 17, 2021)

Some of the most beautiful and luscious plants can have deadly consequences for our livestock. These are the plant toxicities seen most commonly in livestock in our area:

Acorns
Cattle are most susceptible to acorn toxicity, although sheep can be affected. Tannins in the acorns and oak leaves are the main toxic agent and are present in higher quantities in green acorns. Toxicity is most commonly observed in recently weaned calves. The tannins consumed in acorns can cause kidney failure. Typical signs of this include abdominal pain, excessive thirst, frequent urination and down animals off-feed. Continue reading Local Plant Toxicities of Livestock →

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 →

Listeriosis in Sheep and Goats

Michael Metzger, Michigan State University Extension Educator
(Previously published on MSU Extension, Sheep & Goat: November 17, 2023)

(Image Source: Michael Metzger, Michigan State University)

Listeriosis is a disease that can affect all ruminants as well as other animal species and humans.

Listeriosis is an important infectious disease of sheep and goats most commonly causing encephalitis, but also capable of causing a blood infection and abortion. The organism can be shed in milk from an infected carrier animal as well as sick animals which has a risk of infecting humans.

Listeriosis is caused by the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes and is commonly seen in cooler climates. These bacteria can be found in the soil, food sources, the gut, and feces of healthy animals. Most commonly, this disease of sheep and goats is observed as a result of feeding moldy or spoiled hay or silage that has not been properly fermented. It’s possible for your sheep and goats to become infected without feeding moldy or spoiled hay or silage as the organism is commonly found in the environment.

Common sources of contamination Continue reading Listeriosis in Sheep and Goats →