Extension Animal Husbandry

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Juniper Davis
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sc Extensin Animal Husbandry FACTS PUBLICATION NUMBER ANS

FACTS Jean-Marie Luginbuhl Extensin Meat Gat Specialist

Estrus cycle -Length -Duratin -Signs Ovulatin Gestatin

estrus 7-1 mnths 6-75% f adult weight 18-22 days 12-36

f standing heat 146-155 days August-January February-July

Breeding rati 4-8 mnths 8-1 mnths All year 1 buck: 2 t 3

5/minute Distributed in furtherance f the Acts f Cngress

Emplyment and prgram pprtunities are ffered t all peple

Rules fr Gat Health Prvide prper husing Practice gd

Observe hw much feed (hay, minerals, cncentrate) is left

1 sc Extensin Animal Husbandry FACTS PUBLICATION NUMBER ANS OO-6O6MG Department f Animal Science BASIC MEAT GOAT FACTS Jean-Marie Luginbuhl Extensin Meat Gat Specialist Reprductive Aspects Female Age f puberty Breeding weight Estrus cycle -Length -Duratin -Signs Ovulatin Gestatin Breeding Seasnal length seasn anestrus Buck effect n estrus 7-1 mnths 6-75% f adult weight days hurs Tail wagging, munting, bleating 12 t 36 hrs frm nset f standing heat days August-January February-July Psitive Male O Age f puberty Breeding age Breeding seasn Breeding rati 4-8 mnths 8-1 mnths All year 1 buck: 2 t 3 des Physilgical Data Temperature Heart rate Respiratin rate Rumina! mvements F 7-8/minute 12-15/minute 1-1.5/minute Distributed in furtherance f the Acts f Cngress f May 8 and June 3, Emplyment and prgram pprtunities are ffered t all peple regardless f race, clr, natinal rigin, sex, age, r handicap. Nrth Carlina State University, Nrth Carlina A&T State University, U.S. Department f Agriculture, and lcal gvernments cperating. Rules fr Gat Health Prvide prper husing Practice gd sanitatin Prvide adequate nutritin Prvide clean water Observe hw much feed (hay, minerals, cncentrate) is left ver Observe yur animals daily Observe the feces f yur animals Reviewed by: Michael J. Yder and Rger L. McCraw, Department f Animal Science, Nrth Carlina State University Nrth Carlina Cperative Extensin Service NORTH CAROLINA STATE UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE & LIFE SCIENCES

Clean pastures and exercise lts Becme familiar with the cmmn diseases Investigate the surce f strange smells Use yur veterinarian fr diagnsis A Healthy Gat Eats well Chews its cud Has a shiny cat Has

Diarrhea Runny eyes Limping Hair falling ut Swelling Pale mucsa n any part f bdy f eyes and muth Purchased Animals Upn arrival n farm Islate animals fr a mnth Vaccinate Dewrm Test fr certain diseases

2 Clean pastures and exercise lts Becme familiar with the cmmn diseases Investigate the surce f strange smells Use yur veterinarian fr diagnsis A Healthy Gat Eats well Chews its cud Has a shiny cat Has strng legs and feet Is sciable Has bright and clear eyes Signs f Illness Off feed, ff water N sign f cud chewing Standing apart frm grup Rugh hair cat Abnrmal temperature Heavy mucus in nse and muth Diarrhea Runny eyes Limping Hair falling ut Swelling Pale mucsa n any part f bdy f eyes and muth Purchased Animals Upn arrival n farm Islate animals fr a mnth Vaccinate Dewrm Test fr certain diseases (check with yur veterinarian) Cccidisis cntrl prgram Identificatin tag Other Herd Health Practices Vaccinatin prgram If pssible always weigh animals prir t vaccinatin t 1) calculate and inject the crrect dsage f the vaccine and 2) assess bdy cnditin Entertxemia and tetanus -Clstridium perfringens types C, D + Tetanus Txid in ne vaccine Adult males -Once a year Breeding females -Once a year (4 t 6 weeks befre kidding) r twice a year: -4 t 6 wk befre breeding, then 4 t 6 wk befre kidding Kids -Week 8, then bster n week 12 Dewrming prgram If pssible, always weigh animals prir t dewrming t 1) calculate and inject r drench the crrect dsage f the dewrmer and 2) assess bdy cnditin. Underdsing f gats because f failure t weigh the animals r because f underestimating their live weight is a very cmmn but cstly mistake because this may lead t faster parasite resistance t dewrmers. Therefre, determine the dse accrding t the heaviest animal in the grup. On the ther hand, verdsing f certain dewrmers can cause health prblems. If dewrming animals befre kidding, make sure that the dewrmer used is safe fr pregnant des. 2

Adults -2 t 3 weeks prir t breeding -Avid early pregnancy (first 2 t 6 days) -2 t 3 weeks prir t kidding r at kidding -Accrding t climate and wrm lads -Strategic dewrming: aimed at wrms that are

Winter dewrming prir t the spring grass flush has prven effective in cntrlling wrm burdens during the warm weather transmissin seasn. Oxfendazle shuld NOT be used in pregnant gats.

3 Adults -2 t 3 weeks prir t breeding -Avid early pregnancy (first 2 t 6 days) -2 t 3 weeks prir t kidding r at kidding -Accrding t climate and wrm lads -Strategic dewrming: aimed at wrms that are drmant in the gat during the winter. Dewrm with fenbendazle (Panacur r Safeguard), albendazle (Valbazen), xfendazle (Synanthic) r ivermectin (Ivmec). Winter dewrming prir t the spring grass flush has prven effective in cntrlling wrm burdens during the warm weather transmissin seasn. Oxfendazle shuld NOT be used in pregnant gats. Kids -Day 3 -Day 6 -Accrding t climate and wrm lads -Strategic dewrming During perids f warm and wet weather, it is advisable t take fecal samples immediately prir t dewrming, and again 1 days after dewrming, t determine fecal egg cunts and the effectiveness f the dewrmer Cccidisis cntrl Cccidisis usually strikes yung animals during perids f stress such as weaning. Level f cntrl depends n the level f infestatin At weaning -Cccidistat drench and/r -Cccidistat in water tank (4 unces in 25 gallns f water) At ther times (if necessary) -Mineral -Decquinate with Bvatec in feed Kid Health Practice At birth Dip navel in idine Kids shuld ingest 1% f their live weight in clstrum during first 12 t 24 hurs f life. Clstrum shuld be ingested r bttle-fed (in case f weak kids) as sn as kids have a suckling reflex. In cases f extremely weak kids, they shuld be tube-fed. It is very imprtant t make sure that the tube is inserted int the esphagus (yu shuld be able t see the tube g dwn as it is inserted). The prducer must be certain that all newbrn kids get clstrum sn after birth (within the first hur after birth, and certainly within the first 6 hurs) because the percentage f antibdies fund in clstrum decreases rapidly after parturitin. Castratin Elastratr (methd f chice: bldless, less pain) The questin is: why castrate if yu will sell yur buck kids fr meat at 4 t 5 mnths f age? Hwever, if nt castrated, buck kids shuld be separated frm de kids at weaning, therwise sme unplanned breeding may ccur. Flushin~ Feeding strategy t increase vulatin rate Starting 3-4 weeks befre the breeding seasn, and thrughut the breeding seasn, increase the plane f nutritin f des t be bred. Overly cnditined and fat des will nt respnd t flushing. -Switch des t high quality pasture r 3

-Supplement des with1/2 Ib cracked crn r 1/2 Ib whle cttnseed/head/day After Breeding T insure prper embry develpment During the first mnth f pregnancy -Keep the plane f nutritin similar t that f

prlificacy rate -Nn-seasnality Grwth rate -Pre-weaning -Pst-weaning gain gain Carcass characteristics -Dressing percent -Lean:fat:bne -Muscle distributin Bd~ Cnditin Scre T mnitr and fine tune

Scale -Thin -Mderate -Fat 1 t 3 4 t 6 7 t 9 Recmmendatins -End f pregnancy 5 t 6 -Start f breeding seasn 5 t 6 -Animals shuld never have a bdy cnditin scre f 1 t 3 -Pregnant des shuld nt have a bdy

4 -Supplement des with1/2 Ib cracked crn r 1/2 Ib whle cttnseed/head/day After Breeding T insure prper embry develpment During the first mnth f pregnancy -Keep the plane f nutritin similar t that f flushing perid ImDrtant Prductin Traits Adaptability -Ability t survive in given envirnment -Ability t reprduce in given envirnment -Is a lwly heritable trait Reprductin -Cnceptin rate -Kidding r prlificacy rate -Nn-seasnality Grwth rate -Pre-weaning -Pst-weaning gain gain Carcass characteristics -Dressing percent -Lean:fat:bne -Muscle distributin Bd~ Cnditin Scre T mnitr and fine tune nutritin prgram T "head ff' parasite prblem Visual evaluatin is nt adequate, has t tuch and feel animal Areas t be mnitred -Tail head -Ribs -Pins -Hcks -Edge f lin -Shulder -Back bne -Lngissimus drsi Scale -Thin -Mderate -Fat 1 t 3 4 t 6 7 t 9 Recmmendatins -End f pregnancy 5 t 6 -Start f breeding seasn 5 t 6 -Animals shuld never have a bdy cnditin scre f 1 t 3 -Pregnant des shuld nt have a bdy cnditin scre f 7 r abve tward the end f pregnancy because f the risk f pregnancy txemia -A bdy cnditin scre f 5 t 6 at kidding shuld nt drp ff t quickly during early lactatin Fencina Perimeter Fence a Smth electrified wire a At least 42 inches tall -6 t 8 inches near the grund -8 t 12 inches at the tp strands -Example (inches frm the grund): (52) Perimeter Fence Wven wire (6" X 6") 4

-Effective -Csts at least twice as much as 5 strands f smth electrified wire -Hrned gats can get caught -Place an electric wire ffset abut 9 inches frm the wven wire fence and abut 12 t 15 inches frm

5 -Effective -Csts at least twice as much as 5 strands f smth electrified wire -Hrned gats can get caught -Place an electric wire ffset abut 9 inches frm the wven wire fence and abut 12 t 15 inches frm the grund -Reduces cntrl f frage grwth at fence line Wven wire (6" X 12") -Effective -Cheaper -Hrned gats usually d nt get caught Interir Fences Tw t three strands f wires (braided r tape) with tread-in psts Electrnet Grazina Manaaement In a pasture situatin, gats are "tp dwn" grazers. They start t eat seed heads r the tp f the canpy and prgressively take the frage dwn. This behavir results in unifrm grazing. Gats d nt like t graze clse t the grund. Grazing gats have been bserved t 1) select grass ver clver, 2) prefer brwse ver herbaceus plants, 3) graze alng fence lines befre grazing the center f a pasture, 4) refuse t graze frage that has been trampled and siled. These bservatins have been put t use in the grazing management f gats: it is preferable t give them a daily allwance f frage and t mve the fence accrdingly rather than t let them ram freely in a large pasture. This type f management, called cntrl grazing, was develped in Eurpe and is implemented very successfully in New Zealand and numerus ther parts f the wrld. Cntrl grazing results in better animal perfrmance, higher stcking rates, and increased pasture prductivity. S. Yu Want t Get in The Gat Business Are yu really, really ready? Are yur fences, pens, chutes gat prf Is yur grazing land adequate D yu have sufficient supplemental feed n hand Is yur predatr cntrller in place In yur medicine cabinet, d yu have -Dewrmers -Vaccines -Idine -Antibitic intment -Insecticidal pwder -Thermmeter -Stmach tube -Hf trimmers D yu knw the address and phne number f yur cunty extensin ffice? D yu the names f yur cunty extensin livestck, frage, and 4-H agents? Have yu discussed yur new venture with yur lcal veterinarian? Have yu alerted yur next dr neighbrs t the pssibility f excessive nises, extic drs, sexual activity during the breeding seasn, animals getting ut, and allayed their fears f the spreading f diseases? 5

The Beef Herd Health Management Calendar

The Beef Herd Health Management Calendar, a cmputerized publicatin authred by Flrn C. Faries, Jr., DVM and Wayne H. Thmpsn, is available fr purchase n cmpact disk (CD-ROM) by cattlemen thrugh the AgriLife