EXAMPLES TO STUDY DYNAMICS OF TARGETED GRAZING FOR UNWANTED VEGETATION MANAGEMENT USING GOATS

PURDUE UNIVERSITY EXTENSION

Small ruminants such as sheep and goats have an advantage over bovines in terms of size and adaptability to foraging and browsing. It is this distinctiveness which allows them to be used as an alternative to the use of herbicides or prescribed burning for tree farm planting preparation, rangeland improvement, or enhancement of recreational area landscape. In most states, significant portions of land are not used for agricultural purposes, and it is challenging to balance environmental, social and economic goals to achieve a sustainable forest management.

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AVAILABLE SHEEP ANTHELMINTICS (DEWORMERS)

J.S. ROOK, DVM

The following text is designed to provide Midwestern sheep producers with a detailed review and a “working knowledge” of deworming medications (anthelmintics) commonly employed in flock internal parasite treatment and prevention programs. Some of the medications are no longer available, but will be considered for historical understanding of product evolution and use. Furthermore, several products discussed in the text are not approved for use in sheep in this country. However, lack of available products often necessitates application

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IF YOU WANT TO RAISE GOATS FOR MEAT, YOU CAN’T GO WRONG WITH THE POPULAR BOER

AGRICULTURE.COM STAFF

If you’re looking for an economical meat animal or are interested in making a little extra money, consider raising Boer goats. Originally bred in South Africa, Boers are now one of the principal meat goat breeds in the U.S. — and for good reason. “They’re thicker and have more length from the thirteenth rib to the hip bone. They’re deeper and fuller in the leg,” says William Turnquist, a former show judge who raises Boer goats near Caneyville, Kentucky. “They’re carrying a lot of red meat.” Mature males or bucks typically weigh in at 200 to 350 pounds, while females or does level out at 120 to 200 pounds. Despite their substantial muscle, Boers tend to be gentle. “Once in awhile, you’ll have an ornery one, but you can get a halter on a 300-pound buck, and he’ll walk right along with you,” Turnquist says. As with all livestock, you want to be careful.

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WHOLE FOODS ADOPTS NEW SYSTEM THAT RATES HOW THE MEAT WAS TREATED

MARSHA TRAINER

Adopting the meat rating principles set forth by the Global Animal Partnership, Whole Foods rolled out a program this month that lets shoppers know how the animals that became their beef, chicken, and pork products were treated during their lives. The new Five-Step Animal Welfare Rating system uses certified third-party auditors to evaluate farms and meat products regarding the health, treatment, housing, transport, slaughter, and processing of the animals before they hit the Whole Foods stores.

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THE SHARPEST MIND IN THE FARMYARD

MICHAEL MARSHALL

When we look for examples of intelligent animals, certain species always leap to mind. Ourselves of course, and our close relatives the chimpanzees and other primates. Perhaps the cunning corvids – crows and scrub jays – with their prodigious memories and talent for deception. Dolphins and whales are pretty bright. Many would even agree that there is a sort of intelligence governing the behaviour of social insects like ants.

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RAISING AND TRAINING A LIVESTOCK-GUARDING DOG

J.R. LORENZ AND L COPPINGER

Guarding dogs are useful tools for reducing livestock losses to predators. Success depends on the inborn abilities of the dog and on proper training. This publication provides suggestions for bringing out the best performance in your livestock-guarding dog.

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GOAT EARLY LACTATION

PURDUE UNIVERSITY EXTENSION

The relationships between feed intake, body weight, and milk production in lactating does is illustrated in Figure 2. Generally, milk yield peaks six to nine weeks after kidding, and feed intake does not peak until later. Thus, does are usually in a state of negative energy balance in early to mid-lactation. Therefore, body reserves — fat and protein — have to be used to make up for this energy deficit. The animal’s nutrient intake will not meet her demands until milk production has decreased to 60 percent to 80 percent of the peak. During the first month of lactation goats may lose over 2 pounds of adipose or fat tissue each week to support milk production. An average weekly loss of adipose tissue in the second month is about 1 pound

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DYSTOCIA (LAMBING PROBLEMS)

NOLAN HARTWIG

Dystocia, or difficult birth, is common in sheep and causes the death of many lambs and ewes. Yearling ewes and ewe lambs are much more susceptible to lambing problems than mature ewes that have lambed previously. Obesity and lack of exercise during late pregnancy contribute to the incidence and severity of dystocia in sheep.

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SHEEP GRAZING MANAGEMENT

STEVEN H. UMBERGER

Forages constitute 75 to 90 percent of the total diet for sheep. Sheep are excellent converters of forage to meat and fiber and are capable of producing a USDA Choice carcass from forage alone. Sheep consume a wide variety of forages, and selectively graze numerous weeds and other pasture menaces such as multiflora rose and blackberry. Companion grazing of sheep with other species of livestock, such as cattle or goats, results in greater pasture utilization and higher quality pastures than when a single species is grazed alone. Sheep prefer to graze hillsides and steep slopes and provide a means for improving forage utilization and fertility on areas not accessible to farm equipment.

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CREEP FEEDING KID GOATS

DR. RICK MACHEN

Creep feeding is a means of providing supplemental feed for nursing kids. It is an essential component of an accelerated kidding and/or early weaning management program. Advantages of creep feeding include:

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