One man’s friend is another man’s farm hand

Submitted by Emily Herring, Extension Livestock Agent, Pender County
   “It’s me again, Hank the Cowdog, Head of Ranch Security.” 
 

  That’s how each book of the classic Hank the Cowdog series starts. The famous children’s book about a scrawny, bumbling cowdog who interrupts his thoughts more than he thinks them, and always seems to get into more trouble on the texas ranch than he does solving problems of missing cattle, chicken thieves, and coyotes. While this dog is the above average dumbbell, he is like any dog. He is loyal, helpful, honest, and willing to please anybody even if it means going up and beyond the call of duty.

  Though we protect our livestock with the best fences, keeping them in good health, and making sure they are comfortable; we cannot always be with them 24/7. With predators like coyotes, bobcats, wild dogs and other carnivorous animals are on the rise of invasion on account of drought, lack of food, or loss of territory.  Farmers are starting to look for guard animals that can not only defend itself but can fight off wild animals if the need arises. That is where “Man’s Best Friend” comes in handy. Dogs have always been a considered a “working animal” for humans for hundreds of years. Though it takes tons of training and plenty of time; guard dogs have started to make a comeback for farmers who want to stop worrying about their livestock when they are not presently with them.

  Their jobs are quite simple really. The main focus of a guard dog’s job is protection of property and livestock from intruders. Depending on the severity of training on the dog, depends on the number of fatal or near-fatal attacks on livestock. Most farmers train their own dogs to guard while others purchase a dog that has already been trained by professional trainers. Some farmers keep their dogs in the pastures with the livestock so as they will be close-by at all times when there is no one else around. Other owners simply train their dogs to watch and protect along the perimeter of the farm property so not only can they watch livestock, but also let farmers know when cars approach and even protect young children from danger.

  Size is another factor in the livestock protection business. Small dogs like Jack Russell terriers, are mostly used to keep small animals like possums, raccoons, foxes, and rats that are susceptible to diseases away from the livestock; and larger dogs like Rottweiler’s or Great Pyrenees’ are perfect for fighting off larger animals like coyotes or bobcats.

  Though the number of working dog breeds is miles wide, the number of breeders who specifically raise dogs for guarding purposes is very rare in the area. The best way for finding the right dog for your farm is by looking through online websites, magazines, newspapers, and even at your local feed stores where people have posted flyers of certain working dog breeds. If you have a specific breed you are looking for; it is best to do some research on the breed of dog to see if that breed is perfect for your lifestyle and family.

  Guard dogs are not a guarantee that predator invasion will diminish; but they will give you the satisfaction and peace of mind knowing that your livestock, whether cattle, sheep, or goats, will have someone there to help them if any trouble comes. Yes, when it comes to having a guard dog for “Ranch Security”, we can be sit back, relax, and be worry-free. And as Hank would say after a good day’s work,

  “Case Closed.”  

Getting your Goats Ready for the Breeding Season

Submitted by Margaret Bell, Livestock Agent-Jones & Craven County

Written by: Jean-Marie Luginbuhl, NCSU

Extension Sheep and Goat Specialist

Breeding is a very important aspect of any meat goat operation. But, preparing the breeding does and buck(s) for the breeding season could have a large influence on the outcome and the profitability of the operation. 

Will body condition influence breeding success?

As the breeding season approaches, producers should be concerned with the body condition of their breeding does. Goat should not be allowed to become too thin or too fat. Failure in reproduction, low twinning rates and low weaning rates will result if does are too thin. Overly fat does can suffer from pregnancy toxemia, but fat does are rarely a problem.

The term body condition refers to the fleshing of an animal. Simply looking at an animal can easily be misleading. Rather, animals should be touched. The easiest area to feel and touch to determine the body condition of an animal are the rib areas, on either side of the spine, by running a hand over those areas and pressing down with a few fingers. In doing so, one is able to determine the amount of fat covering the ribs. In general, does in good condition will have a fat thickness of not more than 0.03 to 0.05 inches over the backbone. Other areas to monitor are the shoulders, the tail heads, the pins, the hooks, the edge of the loins and the backbone. Practice makes perfect, thus use your animals to get a feel for it. An easy way to start is to select a few animals that are over conditioned and some others that are thin to get a feel for extreme body condition. Then introduce a small group of animals and compare their body to the animals having extreme body condition. Producers should develop an eye and a touch for the condition of their animals and strive to maintain a moderate amount of condition on their goats.

One should also be concerned with the body condition of the breeding bucks. If bucks are overfed and become too fat, they may have no desire to breed does. Because of the increased activity and decreased feed intake during the breeding season, breeding bucks will most probably lose weight. Therefore, they need to be in good body condition and physical shape before the season starts.

Body condition is also used to determine whether flushing will be of benefit to breeding does. Flushing means increasing the level of feed offered to breeding does, mostly energy, starting about one month prior to the introduction of the bucks. By increasing the amount of feed offered, does will put on weight. This in turn will signal to the body that the doe can afford to raise several kids and ovulation rate and litter size will increase. Increasing the level of energy offered to does should continue throughout the breeding season and for approximately 30 to 40 days after removing the bucks for adequate implantation of the fetuses in the uterus. Does in extremely good body condition will tend not to respond to flushing. On the other hand, does that are in relatively poor condition, that is on the thin side, as a result of summer pastures of poor quality, high worm loads, late kidding of twins or triplets, will respond favorably to flushing by improving their body condition.

Flushing can be accomplished by moving breeding does to a lush nutritious pasture 3 to 4 weeks prior to the introduction of the bucks. This cost-effective flushing method or “feed flush” or “green flush” is underutilized in the Southeast where forage is abundant. Another method is feeding ½ lb/day of a high energy supplement. Corn is the grain of choice for flushing; whole cottonseed is another low cost, high energy supplement. The goal being to increase the intake and body weight, breeding does should be grouped according to their body condition and fed accordingly to first improve their body condition, then to maintain it.

What other measures will increase reproductive performance?

Several other important measures will affect breeding indirectly, such as trimming feet, the grouping of animals, deworming, using the “buck effect” to synchronize does, and vaccination.

1. Trimming feet. Feet and legs should be examined closely for sores, overgrown hooves and sources of strange smells that could be associated with infections or foot rot. Start trimming the feet of your animals several weeks before the breeding season to make sure that they will be in top shape during that period of increased activity. The buck in particular will cover a lot of territory. A lame buck will cover does only sporadically, or might give up altogether. Similarly, limping does may not let bucks breed them.

2. Grouping of animals. Goats are very social animals and should be grouped together several weeks before the breeding season so that the pecking order of the animals is established. Forming groups just prior the breeding season will disrupt the pecking order of the animals. The fighting that will ensue to establish a new pecking order within the newly-formed groups will be a source of stress and will influence reproductive performance.

Young does should have reached approximately 70 to 75% of their estimated mature body weight to be bred successfully without adversely affecting their mature size.

3. Deworming the breeding does and the buck(s) before the start of the breeding season is an important management tool. If flushing is planned, it is advisable to deworm prior to flushing. Wormy does will not increase their body condition during the flushing period and therefore flushing may not increase ovulation rate. In addition, wormy does will not breed well or may not breed at all, or may conceive and abort later.

4. The “buck effect”.

Keeping the does away from bucks is important in the development of sound breeding programs that should be paralleled with feed resources and market demands. The best approach to separate does from bucks is to develop a secure buck pasture. The buck pasture should be far enough from the breeding doe herd, otherwise scent emitted by glands located behind the base of the bucks' horns will induce estrous in does. Due to this "buck effect" does will come into heat approximately 7 to 10 days after the introduction of the buck. It is a good strategy to use to naturally synchronize breeding does at the start of the breeding season.

5. Vaccination. Although some producers have had no problems so far without implementing a vaccination program, it is recommended that goats be vaccinated against overeating disease (enterotoxemia) and tetanus prior to the start of the breeding season.

Is the buck ready for breeding?

Bucks may be easily overlooked but one cannot assume that they are reproductively sound.  A buck that was sound one year may not be the next. The results of using a reproductively unsound buck will be reduced kidding rates and profits. It is a good idea to watch bucks for normal urination and also for signs of sexual behavior as the breeding season approaches. For a more thorough breeding evaluation, immobilize the buck and examine the testes. They should be roughly the same size, fairly firm to the touch and devoid of lumps. The presence of testicular abnormalities could indicate that the buck is unsound for breeding. Next, examine the sheath (also called the prepuce) and the penis if you can protrude it. It requires some experience to push the prepuce down to reveal the penis. The penis should be checked for sores and the pizzle (the thin worm-like process at the end of the penis) should not be hard anywhere. The presence of hard, small lumps could be an indication of urinary stones (a condition also called urinary calculi). A buck suspected of reproductive problems, whether in its testes or any part of the penis, should be examined by a veterinarian before allowing it to breed does.

Fecal Egg Counting Service Available

by Eve Honeycutt, Lenoir & Greene Counties

For those producers who are battling drug resistant parasites on their farm, or if you just want to know whether or not you need to de-worm your animals, I will now offer fecal egg counting as a free service at the Extension office. 

 All you have to do is collect a fresh sample of manure- less than 30 minutes old.  Use a plastic zip-top bag to collect the sample and bring it to the Extension office.  If you can't get to the office right away, refrigerate the sample and bring it to the office as cool as possible without freezing.  I can perform the fecal egg counts at your convenience, in less than 30 minutes.  Knowing your worm load before you use a chemical de-wormer can help you determine if you need to de-worm at all, or help you choose the best product. 

If you are planning to bring a sample, please call me at least one day in advance to check my schedule and make sure I will be in the office that is most convenient for you.

Weaning Lambs and Kids

submitted by 

Emily Herring- Livestock Agent, Pender County ,Adapted from Susan Schoenian, Weaning Primer http://www.sheepandgoat.com/articles/weaning.html

           

     Weaning is the act of taking milk away from an animal’s diet and is replaced by another form of feed that will become its main source of nutrition.  A producer decides on whether to wean early which is less than 90 days or late which is longer than 90 days.  Early or late weaning, either way, weaning is an important part of any farmer’s management plan.  There is no magic time to wean, therefore weaning needs to be based on the circumstances and production system that is in place on the farm.  The factors to consider  when weaning is age, breeding season, parasite problems, the market, facilities, labor, and forage ability on the farm.   It is better to wean kids when they are 2 to 2.5 times their birth weight, and lambs when they are 2.5 to 3 times their birth weight. 

Late weaning is also referred to as the doe or ewe weaning the young naturally.    An operation that is only kidding once a year with the lack of labor being a major problem then late weaning maybe the best option to employ for that farm.  The lambs and kids will continue to keep nursing until the doe or ewe’s body slows down production of milk and then that forces the young to go elsewhere to find food to forage on.  When the lambs/kids stop nursing then the doe/ewe will stop producing milk. The longer the kid/lamb is on the doe/ewe then in general the poorer the body condition of that mother will become over time due to the extra work she has to do maintain herself and a large, growing lamb/kid.   The risk of mastitis is much less.  Late weaning usually allows producers to take advantage of their forage to finish their lambs and kids. Pasture is the cheapest form of feed much more economical than hay and grain diets.  Management is simpler, as females and offspring can be maintained in a single group for a longer period of time.  But there is an increased risk of infection of parasites to the kids/lambs and more of an increased competition for forages between the older mothers and their young.

Early weaning is a desired management practice for producers who are in the sheep and/or goats as a business with breeds who have a high genetic potential for growth.  It takes the burden off of high-producing females making them less stressed and helps them return to a more ideal body condition for breeding sooner.  It has been noted there is less risk of parasites when lambs/kids are weaned early and fed in a dry lot.  When considering your pocket book, it is less expensive to feed lambs/kids than the dams with their offspring if you have to feed grain and hay. There is a greater risk of mastitis in the dams because they may still be in peak milking production time.  Early weaning causes a higher stress level in both the young as well as he dams and requires a higher level of management from the farmer.  Lambs and kids weaned early are usually finished on hay and or grain diets and are normally creep fed. 

  Weaning is a stressful time for the animals; therefore, take special care to make the process easier for them.  Creep feeding is a suggested practice to help reduce the stress level in the kids/lambs when they are weaned early.  When weaning, keep the young within their groups in familiar surroundings to reduce their stress and remove the dams.  Be sure not to change the diets of the young two weeks before or after weaning, this would upset their system and allow the incidence of disease to set in quicker when weaning.  Cocciodiostats should be given to the kids/lambs in their feed, mineral, or water before and after weaning because coccidoiosis is a serious concern for the young during this stressful time.  If the lambs are weaned early, their first vaccination for overeating disease and tetanus  (CD-T) should be given two weeks before weaning and then again four weeks after the first initial vaccine.  Early weaned does/ewes should be fed lower quality feeds and forages to help decrease her milking production before weaning time.  This helps her prevent mastitis and it is a huge no-no to allow newly weaned mothers to graze or have access to a beautiful lush pasture, this increases their risk of getting mastitis in their udder.

Nutrient Requirements for Goats

Submitted by Eve H. Honeycutt

Extension Livestock Agent, Lenoir and Greene Counties

Compiled from the publication, ““Forage Needs and Grazing Management

for Meat Goats in the Humid Southeast” by Luginbuhl, Poore, Mueller, and Green.

The goat is not able to digest the cell walls of plants as well as the cow

because feed stays in their gastrointestinal tract for a shorter time period. A distinction as to what is meant by "poor quality roughage" is necessary in order to make decisions concerning which animal can best utilize a particular forage. Trees and shrubs, which represent poor quality roughage sources for cattle, because of their highly lignified stems and bitter taste, may be adequate in quality for goats. Goats will avoid eating the stems, but don't mind the taste and will benefit from the relatively high levels of protein and cell solubles in the leaves of these plants. On the other hand, straw, which is of poor quality due to high cell wall and low protein, can be used by cattle but will not provide maintenance needs for goats because goats utilize the cell wall even less than cattle.

Goats must consume a more concentrated diet than cattle because their digestive tract size is smaller relative to their maintenance energy needs. When the density of high quality forage is low and the stocking rate is low, goats will still perform well because of their grazing behavior, even though their nutrient requirements exceed those of most domesticated ruminant species. 

High quality forage and/or browse should be available to does during the last month of gestation and to lactating does, to developing/breeding bucks, and to weanlings and yearlings. Female kids needed for reproduction should be grazed with their mothers during as much of the milk feeding period as possible and not weaned early. When the quantity of available forage and/or browse is limited or is of low quality, a concentrate supplement may be considered to maintain desired body condition, depending on cost: benefit. Whole cottonseed makes an excellent supplement for goats when fed at no more than 0.5 lb/head/day. Dry does and non-breeding mature bucks will meet their nutritional requirements on low to medium quality forage (10-12% protein and 50-60% TDN).

Providing free choice a complete goat mineral or a 50:50 mix of trace mineralized salt and dicalcium phosphate is advisable under most situations. Selenium is marginal to deficient in all areas of North Carolina. Therefore, trace mineralized salt or a complete mineral mix containing selenium should always be provided to the goat herd year around. It is sometimes advisable to provide a mineral mix that contains 20-25% magnesium oxide to reduce the risk of grass tetany when heavy milking goats are grazing lush small grain or grass/legume pastures in early lactation. Copper requirements for goats have not been definitively established. Growing and adult goats are less susceptible to copper toxicity than sheep, however, but their tolerance level is not well known. Young, nursing kids are generally more sensitive to copper toxicity than mature goats, and cattle milk replacers should not be fed to nursing kids. Mineral mixes and sweet feed should contain copper carbonate or copper sulfate because these forms of copper are better utilized by the goat than copper oxide.

Suggested Supplemental Feeding Program For Goats

When goats are raised on browse, abundant forage should be made available to allow goats to be very selective and to ingest a high quality diet that will meet their nutritional requirements. When forage or browse is limited or low in protein« 10%), lactating does (and does in the last 30 days of gestation) and developing/breeding bucks should be fed 1.0 Ib/day of a 16% protein mixture (77:20:2.5:0.5 ground corn : soybean meal :goat mineral: limestone). Alternatively, ground corn and soybean meal can be substituted by whole cottonseed for lactating does. Low to medium concentration of protein (> 10%) will meet requirements of dry does and non-breeding bucks. When forage or browse is limited or low in protein ( < 10%), weanlings and yearlings should be fed .5 to 1.0 lb/day of the 16% protein mixture. Goats can be forced to eat very low quality feed including twigs, tree bark, etc., but producers should be aware that this practice will hurt the productivity of superior meat and fiber goats.

 

Are Ewe Kidding?

By: Margaret A. Bell, Extension Agent – Livestock

Complied from: Managing Kidding and Lambing. Mary C. Smith, DVM. 2005. Cornell Sheep & Goat Symposium.

When your does and ewes go into labor, you want to make sure you are prepared to help them kid or lamb, if the need arises. As a livestock owner, you should familiarize yourself with symptoms of dystocia (difficulty during parturition) and know what to do in the event of an emergency.

Typically, most does and ewes are going to successfully complete parturition without human assistance. The doe or ewe is likely going to wait until she is by herself or the surrounding areas are quiet before she begins to kid or lamb. Sometimes it is just best to step aside and let mother nature take over. However, sometimes, it is best to aid a doe or ewe in distress.

When in doubt, a good rule to use is the 30-30-30 rule. Allow 30 minutes for delivery to be completed after a doe or ewe goes into labor. As an exception to this rule, do not wait 30 minutes for the kid or lamb to be born if it is yellow with meconium. This is an indication it is already not receiving enough oxygen and should be delivered immediately. If things appear to be normal and the mother has not had any problems so far, you may allow an additional 30 minutes before you step in. Lastly, if the doe or ewe has already had one or more fetuses without human assistance but you believe there to be another fetus, you may allow another 30 minutes to pass before you help deliver that fetus.

After becoming comfortable with the above rule, there are several other helpful tips you should consider before you assist a doe or ewe during parturition. You want to keep the area as sterile as possible. This includes wearing sterile gloves and washing the vulva of the doe or ewe using a mild dish detergent or betadine. Also, you need to use lubricant when you examine the doe or ewe.

You may want to invest in a “lamb puller,” also known as a head snare. This tool can be very helpful in trying to correct a lamb or kid with its head back. Most kids or lambs can be delivered head first, known as anterior position or hind feet first, known as posterior position. Immediately after pulling a lamb or kid, you should clear its nose, and place it with the mother. Make sure to check for more fetuses. You will want to follow up with antibiotics if they are necessary. Always consult your veterinarian about vaccination protocol and dosage directions.

After the kid or lamb is born, proper care must be given to ensure a healthy start for the animal. Once the animal is born, you should shorten the umbilical cord with scissors and dip it into a 7% tincture of iodine. Strip the plugs out of the dam’s teats to ensure the kid or lamb does not have to suck hard to get its first drink. Watch closely to make sure the kid or lamb is actually sucking, but leave the dam and young alone. Lambs and kids need time to find the udder and begin to recognize their mother.

Also, make sure the kid or lamb is as dry as possible, especially if temperatures are low. You may need to use a knitted sweater, sock, or sweatshirt as a coat for the young, if temperatures are especially low. This may help to save the life of the kid or lamb. Overall, monitor your dams that are in labor. If you have any questions, you should consult your veterinarian

Preventing Enterotoxemia and Tetanus in Goats

Preventing Enterotoxemia and Tetanus in Goats

Guest Post:

Eileen A. Coite, Wayne County

Compiled from Vaccinating Goats Against Enterotoxemia and Tetanus: Is it Necessary? (ANS 09-614MG) by Drs. Jean-Marie Luginbuhl and Kevin L. Anderson, 2010.

Are your goats protected from enterotoxemia, otherwise known as overeating disease? What about tetanus? If you are in the goat business but aren’t familiar with these diseases, or if you haven’t had a chance to vaccinate for them you might want to consider. Enterotoxemia and tetanus are similar diseases because they both are caused by clostridial bacteria that can be found in the environment or in animals. Because of these similarities, the vaccines for both are often combined in one dose and make it easier to administer and lower the cost from having to give two vaccinations. Let’s take a look at each of these diseases and why they are a concern.

Enterotoxemia, or overeating disease as it commonly is called can affect goats of all ages, and can often be fatal. It usually is a bigger concern for young goat kids and often those that grow the fastest or those that over-consume feed after becoming excessively hungry, hence the term “overeating disease”. What happens is that normal bacteria found in the intestines of goats (and also found in the soil) reproduce rapidly and release high amounts of toxins in the gut. How can we prevent overeating disease? If you add grain to a goat’s diet, or change their diet in any way, make all changes gradual. This might mean taking a couple of weeks to introduce the new diet to allow the goat’s system to acclimate to the diet. Vaccinating for Clostridium perfringens types C and D will also protect against enterotoxemia.

Tetanus is caused by the bacterium Clostridium tetani. It is a neurological disease caused by this toxin, which is found in manure and also in the soil. It is very similar to the tetanus we are vaccinated for every ten years or if an injury occurs. Tetanus bacteria can enter the body of goats through wounds due to castration, disbudding, ear tagging, etc. The disease symptoms might not show up for several days after the wound takes place, but if affected, neurological problems will arise, such as muscle spasms, stiffness, and the common “lockjaw” symptom when they have difficulty opening their mouth. If not treated an animal will eventually go down permanently and die.

Make sure your goat herd is protected against these deadly bacterial diseases. Vaccines such as the 3-way “C-D-T” vaccine are available to prevent from both. Check the label for administration instructions and withdrawal times. These vaccines can be given through subcutaneous or intramuscular injection. Withdrawal times (the amount of time from treatment to marketing the animal) is usually 21 days for vaccines. Again, follow the label for vaccine handling, administering, and withdrawal instructions. For more information on vaccinating or preventing diseases in your goats or other livestock, contact your Cooperative Extension office for animal husbandry publications, or contact your veterinarian.

Drenching for Sheep and Goats

Drenching, Do It and Do It Right!

guest post:

Emily Herring, Livestock Agent

Pender County

Drenching in sheep and goats can be the oral application of medications into the throat of the animal. This is the recommended way to administer dewormers to sheep and goats. There are other methods of administering dewormers such as injectables and pour-ons, but I will only focus on the oral method in this article. Intestinal parasites are the biggest threat to sheep and goats causing numerous health problems like weight loss, low birth weight, un-thriftiness, and even death. The best medications will not work properly if they are not given to the animal correctly. In Australia resistance to drenches is becoming a noted steadfast problem as well as other parts of the world, due to the incorrect methods of drenching. Parasite resistance is not a welcome problem among any farmer. For a refresher on oral drenching I have included some key steps a producer needs to remember to do before and after drenching a sheep or goat.

Before drenching an animal make sure the drench gun is calibrated and is not leaking. Check the nozzle for rough edges that may cause discomfort when medicating. Then think about how you are going to medicate the animals, as in how much you will administer to each of them. If the animals are various in sizes, group them into smaller groups according to their size. Then physically weigh the heaviest animal in the group and treat all animals in that group to that weight to make sure enough dewormer is given. Remember underestimating the weight of the animal promotes parasite resistance and has been one of the main contributing factors in parasite resistance, so don’t guess. Be sure to read and follow the specific labeled directions on the medication given.

When giving medications make sure the sheep/goats are properly restrained and can’t leap around when you are orally drenching. Hold the animals head horizontal by placing your hand under his chin. This encourages that the animal will swallow the whole amount given. Sheep and goats can suffer serious injury, or even death, if they are not restrained properly if the gun strikes the tissues at the back of the mouth. So be patient and don’t rush. Place the nozzle in the gap between molar and incisor teeth and then over the back of the tongue. Be sure the animal swallows the medication before letting the head go. If drenching is not done properly the animal will not receive the medication within the stomach and it can possibly go into the lungs, which can be fatal to the animal.

After giving the drench, be sure to record what and how much you gave to your animals and then place all unused drench back into original container. Be sure to clean your equipment by following the manufacture’s cleaning instructions. If you have any questions or need help with drenching contact your local County Livestock Agent.