3 Small Livestock Preparedness Tips Raising small livestock is a good way to feed your family quality protein. Rabbits, chickens, ducks, and turkeys are some common additions to homestead operations. Meat goats might be another addition or possibly sheep. All of these animals require a small amount of routine maintenance and care daily but the labor and land required is still less than beef cattle, pigs or dairy cows. Although day to day life might not be a problem, there may be some occasions where you cannot care for your animals. These emergencies can occur out of the blue, or you may have some notice in order to get ready. Even though we can t always foresee natural disasters coming, there are some steps that we can take to make the transition from
daily routine, to emergency actions easier. Illness is an emergency that we don t see coming. When a primary caretaker for the farm animals is taken ill, does anyone else know how to care for the animals? What if a family member needs your help and you have to ask a friend or neighbor to care for your farm during your absence. Can the substitute farmer step in and do the job? In recent summers, the wild fires out in the north west section of the United States and Canada have taken the worst toll ever, as far as loss of property, equipment, livestock, and hay to feed the livestock through the winter. Many people had to evacuate and leave their livestock behind, stopping to open pens to let the animals run for their own lives. Others were able to load up trailers, vans, and crates with their barnyard animals and take refuge on a farm in another area. I live on the East coast and have never experienced forest fires like this. In our area, flash flooding is a more likely natural disaster. What ever possible disaster might occur in your region, your livestock should be considered in the emergency preparedness plan that is in place for your family. I have come up with three focal points for a plan concerning your small livestock. 3 Small Livestock Preparedness Tips 1. Update vaccines,routine health care and have transportation ready.
Let s say it is possible for you to pack up your barnyard animals and take them to safety with you. Don t let your small livestock infect some other flock or herd if they open up barns or grazing land to you. Keep up with the health of your flocks and herds so that in an emergency, you can take them with you. Have a crate ready for all small animals. Try some fire drills so you know how you would gather everyone up. Remember, the animals will pick up on your panic and react. Knowing where all the crates are stored ahead of time, making sure they are in good repair will save precious time. Make sure your animals are used to being herded, handled or led by a lead rope. If the emergency event is the first time you try to get your sheep loaded into a trailer, it could be a disaster. All it takes is one animal to freak out and the
whole flock is running for cover. 2. Have a set routine and write it down You most likely have a fairly set routine that you go through everyday when caring for the animals. Your small livestock are used to this and changing it abruptly can lead to stress. If you are suddenly called away for a health emergency, make it easier on the caretaker and your animals. Write down the routine and leave it somewhere in the barn or feed room. Having the written instructions will make your friend or family member more confident, during feeding time. If you have a goat that busts through the gate, at feeding time,but will return for food, write this down. It will save a lot of headache and turmoil. 3. Have storage of food and water
Loss of power is another consequence of natural disaster that we have endured for days on end as a result of a hurricane or powerful storm. We only have well water in our area so when there is no electricity, we have no running water. We have learned to store water at all times. Simply filling the water troughs when they reach half full, or filling our bathtub with clean water will get us through. Some times we also store bottled water for the humans and store jugs of extra water for the livestock. The same is true for grain. When the feed container gets half empty, buy more. We would be able to feed our flocks and herds for a while with the grass and weeds. The change in diet, to only forage, after feeding grain and hay would be an adjustment for their digestive tract. Optimally, any changes should be done gradually. If a friend or family member had to
step in to care for our barnyard, I would hate to have no feed in the bins. In the event of a natural disaster you may not be able to travel to the feed store to buy more feed right away. If you always have a few days feed on hand, this will not be a worry for you. Know What Type of Disaster Common for Your Area is Each area of the world is different in what type of disasters might occur. None of us are immune to the possibility of a health crisis. I believe homesteading or farming is a healthy pursuit, full of many rewards and also many challenges. Keeping ahead of disasters by being as prepared as possible is a way to increase the odds of survival.
Are you new to my website? Please take a minute and see if my book is something you would like to have in your homestead library. Chickens From Scratch 9 Truths About Raising Goats
Raising goats teaches valuable lessons. Goats are popular additions to small farms and homesteading family s back yards. Goats are a versatile animals that can provide, milk, meat, and weed control. Some breeds of goat are raised for fiber, that is spun into yarn. They are mostly easy to keep, friendly and comical additions to the family farm. And, goats can be a handful! After raising goats, breeding, and caring for goats for fifteen years, I have compiled a list of 9 truths about raising goats. I felt you should know some behind the scenes, real life experience from the goat barn.
There is No Such Thing as a Dumb Goat 1. Goats will be directly in the path of where you want to walk, will stand in the feed bowl you wish to fill, and generally be jumping in your face when you are in the pen. Except for the time that you need to catch one for a health check or to treat an illness or injury. The goats can smell a lead rope coming from 500 feet away. The Herd Boss will tense and the herd will pick up on this body language. They will work as a team to scatter the herd so you can not catch any of them. It will look like the goats are just frantically running from you, but believe me, t they have a well orchestrated plan that will end with you sprawled in the mud with no goat at the end of the lead rope.
Raising Goats will be Easy They Said Raising goats can be fairly easy but you need to remember that they have a mischief streak a mile wide! You will learn to watch for potential danger to the goat and your belongings and learn to not leave things to chance. 2. A goat with horns will be able to shove her head through a small fence opening. She will not be able to remove her head however and will be stuck standing there until you rescue her. This is particularly important to be aware of when anything is low hanging like a hay feeder. Goats can become stuck and hang themselves. 3. Goats are herd animals and even if you have two goats, they may attempt to escape to locate a herd. If the fencing is not strong and tall enough to keep them in, they will repeatedly escape. The height of the fencing will depend on the size and breed of goat you choose. I have had a pygmy goat jump over a
four foot fence as if it was nothing. 4. Goats prefer to let the goats out find them eating neighbors flower forage rather than graze on grass. If you to graze in your yard, you will probably the bushes, vegetable garden or your bed. You Will Wonder at Times Why You Decided to Start Raising Goats 5. Stopping by the barn, for a quick moment while wearing clean clothes will require time set aside to go back to the house and change your clothes before heading to the appointment or meeting. During the fall mating season, the
buck will try everything imaginable to rub his smelly body against your pants, no matter how hard you try to avoid him touching you. The goat who never jumps up will jump on you if you are wearing clean clothes. 6. Trying to pull a reluctant goat out of the stall using a lead rope and collar will get you nowhere, with a strained back. Learn to work with the animal and its natural tendencies and not against. Goats are unusually strong animals. 7. Goats will go on a hunger strike if they have to walk across wet ground to get to the hay. Raising Goats and Having Babies! 8. While waiting for a pregnant doe to deliver, on her expected due date, nothing will happen. When you take a break to use the bathroom or eat a meal, the doe will deliver one or two perfect kids in record time and you will miss the whole thing.
The kids will be the cutest things since sliced bread. You will be totally smitten with each one. This may lead to you considering goat breeding as a side hobby, so that you can have more baby goats arrive on the farm. Raising Goats and Learning Lessons 9. If you leave the feed shed or room open while the goats are out of their pen, they will know! You will find a party going on in the feed room with containers opened, and goats trying to eat as much grain as they can before they are found. It is extremely hard to convince them that the party is over. This is a great lesson in behavior management, your behavior not theirs. You will learn to not leave the feed room open. Raising goats will show you where all of your farming weaknesses are. If you have a broken fence board, the goats will be happy to point that out to you. It will be the gaping hole where they left to visit the neighborhood across the way. You know the one. Its the neighborhood with the gate at the entrance and all the yards are full of well tended flower beds and grass. Oh and it will also be the one with the homeowner standing in the front yard waving wildly at your goats and yelling. The goats will remind you that you haven t yet given them a ride in your car. They will stand on the hood and have a head butting match. Which will remind you of why you can t have nice things.
Goats will enrich your homestead life, drive you nuts, and make you laugh. Provide your goats with plenty of sunshine, fresh air, a suitable stall or housing, and quality forage. Use grain sparingly, unless feeding lactating does and kids. Your goats will reward you with years of good farming fun and plenty of behavior lessons along the way.
For further information read Goat Care and Maintenance How Oregano Replaces Antibiotic Use in Livestock
When Oregano replaces antibiotic use in livestock and poultry, we all benefit. As more people are searching for clean, chemical and antibiotic free foods, farmers are beginning to see the possibility of leaving antibiotic use behind. If your goal is to raise healthy, clean food for your own family, this research is important to you too. How can a simple, common herb take the place of powerful antibiotics in the fight against disease causing bacteria? The answer is simple and complex. Oregano replaces antibiotic use in livestock and poultry when the animals are kept in clean, hygenic, conditions that are not favored by bacteria. This is a management choice and if handled correctly, does not need to lead to a significant amount of extra work. Lets take a look at what is natural and what is not, in a livestock animals living conditions. Cattle, sheep, and pigs are natural foragers on pasture. They seek out the healthy plants and grasses, and each species has their own way of eating and processing food. Pigs eat, root, repeat. Alternating with napping, pigs find a varied balanced diet from an omnivore standpoint. They eat animal and plant
proteins. Ruminants, such as cows, sheep and goats, alternate between grazing and processing, called rumination, throughout the day. As they wander the pastures, they eat, burn calories, and eliminate waste. When they have enough space, the animals move away from the waste manure so they are not eating near their manure where a whole different world of biology is occurring. If the animal moves away from this manure, they have little chance of ingesting the bacteria that is breaking down the manure. Compare the above scene to confined animal feeding operations, CAFO s. The animals in confined feed lot situations are tightly packed into a fenced area. They are under stressful conditions based on that fact alone. Then they are fed highly concentrated grain feed. In many cases the animals are standing in their own waste. They are fed until they are large enough to be butchered for the highest profit. Under these conditions, bacterial illness can quickly decimate a herd. The answer for many years has been to prophylacticly feed
antibiotics to the herd as a feed additive. This addition of antibiotics helped stem the incidence of bacterial disease, that is, until the bacteria became resistant. Then new, stronger antibiotics were introduced. Now, there is evidence that the meat from these animals can harbor antibiotic resistant bacteria that we are eating when we consume the meats. The theory is that this practice is leading to humans suffering from super bug illnesses that are not responding to the antibiotics available. The Homestead Connection How does this affect the way you, as a homesteader with a few animals or a small herd, raise your animals? Most small homestead owners take extremely good care of their livestock. This may be the family s main source of eggs, meat, and milk. Making sure that the animal remains in good health is very important. When livestock is able to live in a sanitary, healthy, natural environment, the animal s immunity is
stronger and their health is better. Now back to the oregano connection. Oregano contains a compound called carvacol. This substance, in conjunction with probiotic foods, leads to healthy gut enzymes and gut flora. Oregano replaces antibiotic use in livestock when fed in combination with probiotics and sanitary living conditions. Feeding both the fresh or dried oregano or the more concentrated oregano oil, consistently, has been shown to keep bacteria and parasite illness away. In addition, feeding oregano or oregano oil helps the animal s intestines recover and heal from illness. In the other scenario, animals that are already weakened or compromised, may not make a good recovery when treated with oregano or oil of oregano. Keeping the animal s immunity strong is the key.
Making Changes This past spring and summer I grew, harvested and dried as much oregano as I could. We lost a few of our older hens last winter to weakened conditions and opportunistic diseases. This year I have made some management changes in bedding, cleaning and feeding. The flocks will be receiving a daily dose of dried oregano or oregano oil in their water. I plan to sprinkle the dried herbs on the food, and in the nests.
Bigger feeding operations might want to look into some of the feeds or feed additives available commercially. Bayer Industries BY-O-Reg Plus is one option. If you didn t grow oregano or didn t preserve enough oregano, buying bulk dried herbs is another way to have enough on hand. How does the Voluntary Feed Directive Affect Oregano Use? Livestock,in the USA, accounts for over 80% of the antibiotics used. Antibiotics help the animals survive crowded, dirty, unnatural living conditions. The medications also contribute to larger, faster growth. As we near 2017, the antibiotics commonly found in livestock feed will no longer be added to the formulas. After January 1, 2017 producers will need what is called a Veterinary Feed Directive if they need to use a feed through antibiotic in livestock. This is intended to keep antibiotic use to a minimum in animals intended for slaughter and consumption.
The VFD, as it is referred to, will cause farmers and producers to keep the stock healthy in other ways. New products are being developed and released that will encourage healthy gut flora and subsequently keep the livestock healthy and less susceptible to disease. Manna Pro Feeds is releasing a new product called Opti-gut that enhances it s line of milk replacers. Oregano Replaces Antibiotic Use in Farm Animals along with other good nutrition practices When oregano replaces antibiotic use in poultry and livestock you are enhancing the gut health of the animal. This is one way to keep the immune system of your farm animals strong and healthy. Not only oregano, but thyme, rosemary, sage and mint can help keep the digestive tract healthy and functioning properly. The connection between gut health and immunity is one we all need to become more familiar with as the livestock antibiotics are made more difficult to obtain without a vet visit. I am not promoting the thought of abandoning your farm vet in favor of diagnosing and treating illness. But economically speaking, homesteaders that depend on their animals for all or part of the food they eat, often cannot afford the cost of vet visits. Keeping your animals strong and healthy keeps vet visits to a minimum.
How Can You Start to Feed Oregano to Your Livestock? If you didn t grow huge amounts of herbs this year, start by buying bulk containers of culinary herbs. Sprinkle on top of the feed occasionally and see how your animals react to the addition. If they are anything like my crew they will gobble it all up and ask for more! Animals will largely self regulate eating herbs so you don t have to worry too much about adding some herbs on a daily basis. I wouldn t leave a large bowl of oregano out for them though, because more is not always better. If you prefer to use Oregano oil in the feed or water you might be interested in this article. Bell and Evans Poultry producer abandoned the use of antibiotics in their meat chickens many years ago. They use oregano fresh, dried and in oil form to keep the poultry healthy and disease free. Please share how the VFD and the use of other products is working out on your farm. For more information on the VFD
check this article from Countryside Magazine. Let me know how oregano replaces antibiotic use works for you. Goat Care and Maintenance Goat Care and Maintenance
Goats have to be one of the most entertaining farm animal to own. Knowing how to perform the required goat care is the most important first step to take, as you begin keeping goats. All breeds of goats need some sort of hoof care, proper nutrition, treatment for preventing worms, and more. Read on, for more information on goat care and maintaining a healthy herd. Raising Goats for Fiber Two popular breeds in the fiber arena are Angora and Pygora goats. Both are registered breeds with beautiful, soft fiber, Their needs differ in some areas from other goat breeds such as the Pygmy and the Nigerian Dwarf, or Nubian, but all require certain regular health and wellness care. The Angoras and Pygoras, though, require a shearing of their fiber once or
twice a year. We bred Pygora goats for a few years, but decided to cut back on the size of our herd so that we could maintain them all in good health. Now, we own ten Pygoras and they yield quite enough soft beautiful fiber for our needs. Pygora fiber is soft and fine and we use it to blend into our sheep wool. about 6 growth. months of fiber
The Pygora goat breed, that we raise, is a cross between the Pygmy goat and the Angora. This results in a breed that has fiber but a smaller size. The fiber on fiber goats, needs to be harvested at least once a year, but we prefer to do the shearing twice a year. We found that not shearing in the fall leads to more matted fiber on the animal in the spring. Pygora fiber is very fine and lends softness and sheen to a yarn, when blended with other fleece.
Should you hire a professional shearer?.we spent many weekends each year shearing. We did get better at it but I would never
say I reached a professional speed or quality. This is time consuming and hard on your back. Please keep this in mind before purchasing fiber goat breeds. The alternative is to hire a professional shearer to do the job. We went this route a year ago, and it has freed up so much time in our spring and fall schedules. Our sheep and goat shearer can do all of our animals (14) in one afternoon! After shearing, sometimes, you can see lice living on the skin. We treat for lice twice a year after each shearing by using Pyrethrin powder rubbed into the back area, along the top line. Hoof Trimming Hoof trimming needs to be tended to every other month. Starting early in a goats life, will help make this less traumatic but don t be surprised if they still resist. The back feet, especially, seem to be an issue for our goats. Even the older goats do not like having me lift up and hold their back foot for a trimming. I think it is because they can t see me back there and it probably is a fight or flight response. It helps to have another person stand by their head and distract them with a treat while you trim the back feet.
In this picture you can see the overgrowth of the hoof
A trimmed hoof should return the hoof to a smoother natural wedged sha Using a Stanchion or Milking Stand for
Hoof Trimming Putting the goat on a stand helps by making it easier on the person trimming. I have done a number of hoof trimmings by having someone else hold the animal still, while I trim the hooves. This requires a lot more bending and reaching but can certainly get the job accomplished. I look at the stand as a great tool to have but we went many years without owning one, too. Gather all of your tools and some treats before you get started.
Some yummy treats for hoof trimming time on our farm, include honey nut cheerios type cereal, whole peanuts and apple and oat horse treats Some of the items I recommend having close by are, extra breakaway chain collars, the hoof clippers, yummy treats, an old rag to wipe mud off the hooves and a sturdy lead rope. Have a plastic container of corn starch ready, If you
accidentally trim too close and cause a mild bleeding, applying corn starch will stop the blood flow. Then I apply a dab of antibiotic ointment and it takes care of the mishap. I have never had a serious problem occur after a slight nick of the hoof. Using hoof clippers makes the job easier because they are shaped to trim hooves. I wear sturdy gloves when doing the
hoof trim because the clippers are extremely sharp and animals make sudden moves! I also have used Fisker s Garden clippers but the shape of the blade makes the job a bit more tricky. For goat hoof trims I recommend this type of clipper. Keeping up with the hoof trimming makes the job so much easier. It is possible to bring a neglected goat back to some measure of good hoof health, but it takes time and dedication. I have missed a trimming and the amount of over growth is pretty amazing. Plan to trim hooves at the minimum, every other month. Health Maintenance in Goat Care Keeping goats requires that their health needs are tended to on a regular basis. In addition to making sure that you are feeding a quality goat chow to supplement any grazing, and providing fresh water each day, there are vaccinations to be updated and occasional de-worming medication that needs to be administered. The vaccinations given and the worming schedule is something that every goat owner should read up on and make their own decision about. If you are going to take your goats to shows, county fairs and other events, your decision may be different than mine on these matters. I do not want to sway you one way or another on these issues by telling you our schedule. One site that I do recommend you check out is FiasCo Farm s website. Clicking on the link will take you to their options of schedules for vaccinations and worming. If you are interested in using herbal natural supplements, we are now using these from Biteme Goat Treats. On our farm, we have what is called a closed herd. We have not been regularly adding to the goat population, and our goats do not leave the farm unless they need an unexpected trip to the vet s clinic. Because of this, we do not have a quarantine pen.
If you do plan to bring home new goats regularly, a quarantine or holding stall, would be a good thing to have. Waiting at least 30 days before allowing direct contact with your herd will give you time to see any signs of possible illness. When the new goats first arrive, worm them and include a treatment for cocci. Knowing what parasites and worms are common in goats in your area is important. Ask your veterinarian what parasite treatments they recommend. Not treating parasite infestations can lead to anemia and death in the goat herd.
Proper Feeding in Goat Care Goats should not have full access to feed concentrates. Goats are very efficient browsers and can readily make use of many plants and growth on your property even if you don t have grass pasture. They will stand on their hind legs to reach the branches and leaves they want and have a high tolerance to plants that other species find toxic. People often utilize a goat herd to clear poison ivy as it seems to be a favorite food of goats, with no complications. If you keep your goats in a barn or a dry lot with hay feeding, you might want to supplement with a small amount of grain. The amount will vary depending on the size of your goat, but around a half a cup to a cup of grain per animal once or twice a day is a good starting point. Goats can colic easily from over eating concentrate feeds. Keep the feed in a metal trash can with a tight fitting lid somewhere that the goats do not have access to. Voracious eaters, as most goats tend to be, will eat without stopping, so make sure you secure the feed. Feeding hay should keep them happy and provide nutrition and roughage. Fresh drinking water should always be available. The last thing I want to mention concerns feeding fiber goat breeds. If you should choose to raise a fiber breed of goat, their nutritional needs are more in line with sheep. Copper is toxic to sheep and fiber producing goats. When purchasing a commercial food, make sure you read the label carefully. The best choice is to feed Sheep and Lamb concentrate or a feed specifically formulated for sheep and goats in a mixed herd situation. This will eliminate the copper toxicity issue. Supplement your fiber animals minerals using the same care. You can read more about copper toxicity in sheep and goats here.
For information on dairy goats,and lots more goat info, please visit Better Hens and Gardens. this post was shared on Mountain Woman Rendezvous, Backyard Farming Connection, From the Farm, Simple Saturdays New! I am now using this product. (not an affiliate link, I
just like to share the good stuff with you!) What is Coccidiosis? What is Coccidiosis?
How Does it Affect Small Ruminants on a Homestead? Coccidia are actually small protozoa. In a normal healthy flock, a small amount of coccidia will not make your animals sick. So what happens to change this? As is the case with many opportunistic infections, the parasite looks for an opportunity to strike. In the right conditions and a weakened physical condition, illness will occur. When we brought Joey and Ike home last spring, they both had some minor bouts of worms and parasites. Both came from reputable, caring, and well maintained farms. I say that to make the point that this is a common although often self limiting illness. If caught early, which it was, in our cases, the animal is treated and recovers quickly.
Coccidiosis in small ruminents. Young ruminants on pasture with are more susceptible to cocci than adults. Adult animals will most likely have some oocysts but they often have developed immunity. Cocci infections or
coccidiosis is an opportunistic type of parasite. Illness is more likely to occur in young animals and lambs or kids. The normal activities that often are part of the life of young ruminants can contribute to them having an episode of coccidiosis. Shipping the animals can lead to lack of feed being ingested, which can lead to a weakened animal. Also, chilling, stress, crowded conditions and new stressful surroundings will make a young animal more susceptible. Crowded conditions is a big factor in coccidia infestation. Over grazing pastures and failure to rotate grazing areas are other contributing factors. The protozoan must live for a part of its life cycle, outside of the host animal. Grazing on very short or sparse grass will cause the animal to eat more of the oocysts that have been shed in the feces of the flock. Animals that are susceptible due to the conditions mentioned above will quickly take on too many oocysts that will mature inside the muscle tissue, stomach and small intestine and cause illness. Most mature animals have developed some level of immunity to coccidia. The majority of times it will be seen in the young, newly acquired or developing lambs and kids. If you are keeping sheep or goats in a confinement set up, cleanliness if even more important. Symptoms of Coccidiosis
Goats and sheep infected with coccidia will have symptoms such as failure to thrive, mild diarehha, loss of appetite, and anemia. The condition can worsen until the animal nears death from the symptoms. SheepandGoat.com Weather and Coccidiosis Cocci need a period of time for the oocysts to live outside of a host. Sunlight and dry conditions prohibit the eggs from developing and may keep the outbreak contained. During wet,
rainy and humid weather the parasites can live a long time. Prevention and Treatment There are preventative products on the market and sold at farm supply stores. Sulmet and Albon are two such chemical products. If you prefer not to use commercial products on your animal, FiasCo Farm has had good results using an herbal preparation that is described here. Rotate Pastures Feed a nutritious ration if feeding grain is needed. Be sure it contains the necessary nutrients, vitamins, and minerals required by the animal you are feeding.
Do not put newly arrived, weakened lambs or kids in the pasture with adult animals. Build up a healthy immune system first with sufficient feed, clean water and good quality hay or separate grazing area. Allow fields and pastures to dry out between grazing. In smaller acreage or large fenced paddocks, clean up the waste often. Remove wet and soiled hay. Maintain a dry ground or add clean bedding. Forward graze the lambs or kids.* Allow them to go ahead of the adults into a new area for grazing. Homestead Pasture Management with Sheep from Restoration Acres Treatment consists of a course of antibiotics and correction of management factors. In an animal with an acute infection, antibiotics are prescribed. Coccidiostats may help prevent an infestation but not necessarily take care of an existing infection. Keep in mind that adult animals can become infected, too, it is just less likely. Circumstances such as a stressful delivery, another illness or unsanitary conditions can cause any animal to have an over load of coccidia.
Do I Need to Worry About Other Animals Becoming Infected From The Kids and Lambs? The research on this is not conclusive either way. It used to be thought that the coccidia were species specific. Some research has shown that eating an intermediate host such as a rodent can lead to infection. When there is any risk or question, taking a fecal sample to a veterinary lab for analysis can answer the question. *forward grazing is a term used to describe the practice of allowing the lambs to venture into the new pasture area first, by holding the adult sheep back by a fence. The fence allows the smaller animals to go through but prevents the larger adults from getting through to the other side.
Looking for information specific to chickens? Poultry by Rhonda from the Farmer s Lamp You may also enjoy these posts 9 Truths About Raising Goats Raising Sheep on Small Property Coccidiosis in