Vitamin A and E for sheep and cattle

Vitamin A is an important nutrient for cattle and sheep.

Vitamin A itself does not occur in plants, but the substance carotene in green plant material is converted by animals with an enzyme in the wall of their intestine to vitamin A. Carotene gives plants their yellowish colour and it is converted into active vitamin A.

Cattle uses 8 parts of carotene to develop 1 part vitamin A whereas sheep only need 6 parts of carotene to develop one part of vitamin A.

  In general, green pasture, hay with good green colour and yellow maize all contain sufficient carotene to allow the animal to produce enough vitamin A to top up the reserves stored in the liver.

 During winter we find a decline in carotene levels in plants with subsequent vitamin A deficiency problems in animals in late winter and spring. Vitamin A requirements increase during growth and pregnancy. It is one of the most important vitamins in the body because it is important for normal: growth, reproduction, sight and protective mucous membranes. 

Rams that are to be used for breeding ant that have not had access to any green feed for 2 – 6 months should be given vitamin A minimum of 6 – 8 weeks before mating.  

Vitamin E  

The adage that "the ewes are walking away from the lambs" may well be heard for the wrong

reason. If your ewes have not had green feed for three or four months, then lambs may be lacking vitamin E.

 Vitamin E, unlike vitamin A, is not stored in the animal body in large amounts for a length of time and consequently a regular dietary source is important. 

Green fodders are good sources of Vit E. Cereal grains are also good sources. Animal products are relatively poor sources. 

Vitamin E plays an important role in the development and function of the immune system. The most frequent form of vitamin E deficiency in farm animals is muscle degeneration. A popular descriptive name for this condition is “white muscle disease”, owing to the presence of pale patches or white streaks in the muscles. The condition is frequently referred to as “stiff lamb disease”. 

 Sheep grazing on green pasture build up some reserves in the liver. Vitamin A prevents “night blindness”. It has a particular importance in growth, reproduction and the immune system. Vitamin A is important in the resistance to disease and promotion of healing through its effect on the immune system. In breeding sheep a deficiency may lead to infertility and in pregnant animals to abortion, short gestation, retained placenta or to the production of dead, weak or blind lambs. Deficiencies will occur if the sheep have not any green forage available for a prolonged period. 

Excellent management is to give Vit A and E supplements to ewes a month before lambing and a month before mating.

Biodiversity, Stress and Food Safety

Natural Farming - Photo Keith Webber Jr

Biodiversity, Stress and Food safety

'Biodiversity' is the word that we use when we talk about the 'variety of living things'. This diversity is essential to our health, prosperity and well-being.

If we are to understand the complexity we must know its building blocks, we must understand its variety, its biodiversity. We must also understand how different species relate to each other both in their interaction as living organisms (e.g. the interaction of insects and flowering plants) and in their evolutionary histories.

The starting point of animal-welfare is the recognition that animals are sentient beings and should be treated in such a way that they do not suffer unnecessarily. It concerns the animals that are under human care {e.g. on the farm, during transport, or at the time of slaughter}.

All farm animals will experience some level of stress during their lives. Stress reduces the fitness of an animal, which can be expressed through failure to achieve production performance standards, or through disease and death. Stress in farm animals can also have detrimental effects on the quality of food products. However, although a common assumption of a potential effect of stress on food safety exists, little is actually known about how this interaction may occur.

Colonization of farm animals by enteric pathogens such as Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella, and Campylobacter, and their subsequent dissemination into the human food chain are a major public health and economic concern for the food industries. Stress can have a significant deleterious effect on food safety through a variety of potential mechanisms. However, as the impact of stress is difficult to precisely determine, it is imperative that the issue receives more research attention in the interests of optimizing animal welfare and minimizing losses in product yield and quality, as well as to food safety risks to consumers.

While there is some evidence linking stress with pathogen carriage and shedding in farm animals, the mechanisms underlying this effect have not been fully elucidated. Understanding when pathogen loads on the farm are the highest or when animals are most susceptible to infection will help identifying times when intervention strategies for pathogen control may be most effective, and consequently, increase the safety of food of animal origin.

Reducing stress on animals has been demonstrated to improve productivity and prevent physiological changes.

All livestock are herd animals, and they are likely to become highly agitated and stressed when they are separated from their herd mates. Groups of animals that have body contact remain calmer. Reducing stress also should help improve weight gain, reproductive performance and animal health.

Inspiration -The Power Within – Your Words!

"Your words have power- choose them carefully!" - Jim Donovan

Throughout the day, during every waking hour, we are carrying on a running dialogue with ourselves. We are constantly thinking, or more accurately, talking to ourselves in every waking moment.

This quote from Slavoj Žižek that I used on my Facebook profile, is profoundly true. 

 “Words are never 'only words'; they matter because they define the contours of what we can do.

Hundreds of words per minute pass through our conscious minds as we go about our day. 

Unfortunately, for one reason or another, most people's self-talk is negative. This is probably due to the number of negative messages we heard as we were growing up and continue to hear today.

 These came from other, perhaps well intentioned people or individuals who  themselves living in a negative reality. Much of it is from a steady stream of negativity bombarding us from television, radio, newspapers and magazines.

Something to think about: Words don't offend people, people offend people. 

Back to the topic. One of my friends always talk about when I was young…. Obviously, he is saying I'm not young any longer. I must be old! A phrase that would have conveyed the same message but would have been more empowering would have been to say, "When I was younger . . ."

Without even realizing it, you're programming your mind with disempowering, less than ideal, messages. Keep in mind that your subconscious believes everything that you tell it.

Let’s think about the phrases that we use regularly to describe ourselves or how you feel and make sure that you are sending a positive message to your subconscious mind. Avoid any phrase that is negative or disempowering.

As a matter of fact, by amplifying positive words like saying great or terrific instead of just "good or fine," and minimizing negative ones, you can actually improve the way you feel. When asked how are you? Respond with "Better than great." I tried that a couple of times when answering the phone and the person on the other side always respond with something positive. It’s like spreading joy!!

The way you use your words is important as expressed by this quote:  “Our expression and our words never coincide, which is why the animals don't understand us”. -Malcolm De Chazal, writer and painter (1902-1981).

On a different note I read this insert from Hazel Palache, Entrepreneurs Results Coach: “Business today is not conducted the way it was years ago, in fact not even one year ago. If you are not constantly learning, changing and allowing yourself to use conscious business strategies and conscious business marketing any kind of challenges you may have will not readily change because your mind-set is still the same”.

Spirituality is synonymous with meaning. Meaning is created from growing and giving. When you can come from a place of giving in business it will bring so much more in the way of wealth and success! 

Nutritional related sheep and goat diseases

The metabolic related diseases mostly occur during certain stages of pregnancy or with lactation, which help to differentiate them from other nutritional deficiencies.

 It is important to follow preventive management practices to minimize losses from potentially costly diseases.

Sheep and goats are exposed to diseases, but fewer would die if farmers recognized the problem, made the correct diagnosis, and treated them in the most effective manner. 

To make the correct diagnosis is very difficult as it requires experience. Consulting with a veterinarian can be most helpful. The following comments are intended to help diagnose, treat, and prevent some of the more prevalent nutritional health problems in sheep.

Pregnancy Disease

 Pregnancy disease is an upset or interference in the carbohydrate metabolism cycle and is not related in any way to the amount of exercise the ewe gets. In converting fatty acids and particularly body fat to glucose, ketones accumulate in the bloodstream and blood glucose levels decline. The ketones are very toxic to the ewe, resulting in death within two to five days.

Pregnancy disease occurs only among ewes carrying multiple fetuses and usually only during the last four to five weeks of gestation. The ewe stops eating, which reduces her source of carbohydrate. She separates from the flock, often wanders around aimlessly, and may press her head against the barn or feed bunk.

Unless a ewe is treated very soon after the first signs are noticed, little can be done. Separate her from the flock, drench her with 300 ml propylene glycol twice a day until she eats, and offer her grain and hay. Drenching with glucose, honey, or molasses or injecting 40-50 cc of 5-10 percent glucose under the skin can also be used with reasonable success. If the ewe is not treated on the first day, however, the prognosis is poor.

 

To prevent pregnancy disease, keep ewes gaining weight during the last four weeks of gestation. (Photo right)

Increase the energy intake by feeding under poor veld conditions, 250-500 g grain per ewe daily. Fat ewes may be more susceptible, because they have difficulty increasing in weight, have limited feed capacity in relation to their size, and have an abundant amount of fat to convert to energy.

Enterotoxemia (Overeating Disease)

 Enterotoxemia can kill sheep and goats of all ages but usually kills only those that consume high levels of carbohydrates. Feedlot mortality for vaccinated lambs is 0.5 %; for unvaccinated lambs it is 5 to 10%. 

Vaccination is the cornerstone to prevention of the disease.

Clostridium perfringens type D, one type of bacteria that causes Enterotoxemia, is most prevalent in feedlot or in creep-fed lambs. Symptoms are sudden death, occasional pushing, and staggering, and apparent blindness. For an outbreak, vaccinate with type D toxoid on day 1 and again 12 to 14 days later, deworm, and reduce grain until the vaccine takes effect.

C. perfringens type C causes a type of Enterotoxemia that usually is accompanied by bloody scours. Mortality may be high. It usually occurs among fast gaining lambs during the first three weeks. Ewes vaccinated three to four weeks before lambing, provide antibody protection in their milk. Normally, vaccine won’t “take” on young (3 to 10 days) lambs that are nursing.

Prevention of Enterotoxemia is far more likely to be successful than trying to treat the disease. Most commonly , the change in diet that triggers the diseases an increase in the amount of grain! Protein supplement and/or grass that the sheep or goat is ingesting.

Always make feed changes slowly.

Acidosis 

Overfeeding of highly fermentable carbohydrate diets may cause acidosis. The high grain intake lowers the rumen pH from about 6.5 + to below 5.5, at which point lactic acid production increases and causes acidosis. Ewes fattening on grain, lambs on protein-supplemented carbohydrates, rams being fed for show or any feedlot animals on a high starch diet are at risk. Affected animals discontinue eating and showing signs of severe stomach pain. Affected animals sometimes are very lame and prefer to lie down or walk on their carpi.

This is because, especially the front feet are hot and painful in the acute stage of acidosis. These symptoms are named laminitis and may lead to permanent hoof deformities. Affected animals are staggery initially and have bloated, distended rumens. Some may have acute, watery diarrhoea. Later they may become recumbent, cold and comatose with sunken eyes indicative of dehydration.

Animals experiencing acute acidosis should be treated immediately. Purging with mineral oil or a bicarbonate drench is effective. If an animal has symptoms of brain disorder an injection of thiamine (Vit. B1) should be administered. To prevent acidosis the following management tips should be followed:

·         Feed complete-mixed diets. Don’t feed

 grain and hay separately, if possible.

·         Minimise sorting of diet ingredients by the use

 of the same particle size for all feedstuffs.

·         Feed slowly fermenting grains (maize;

 grain sorghum) with rapidly fermented 

grains (barley; wheat; steam-flaked maize).

 Limit wheat to a maximum of 20 % of the diet

 if not accustomed to feeding wheat.

·         Gradually adapt animals to high-grain 

finishing diets in 21 to 28 days using three or

 four step-up diets. Suggested step-up diets may contain 45, 35, 25 and 15 % roughage.

·         Feed at least 15 to 20 % roughage (90% dry).  Roughage is similar to insurance.  The more roughage fed, the less likely acidosis will be a problem.  When acidosis is not a problem, feed efficiency and cost per gain increase as roughage level increases.

·         Make sure feed intake is consistent (not increasing or decreasing) before switching animals to the next diet.

·         Feed bunks should contain always a sprinkle of feed.  Never allow the animals to be without feed for more than 30 minutes.

·         Feed animals, as close as possible, at the same time each day.

·         Feed two or more times a day if possible.

·         Use an ionophore to increase feed efficiency and reduce variation in feed consumption.  (Ionophores are feed additives used in sheep  and cattle diets to increase feed efficiency and body weight gain).

·         Balance feedlot diets for 0.5 to 0.7 % calcium.

·         Keep daily records of dry matter feed intake.

·         Keep all water containers clean and fresh

·         Prevent urinary calculi in feedlot lambs by feeding ammonium chloride and/or ammonium sulphate at 1.0 % in the complete diet.

Feedlot Rectal Prolapse

Feedlot rectal prolapse occurs in 0 to 10 % of sheep.  This condition is caused by high grain diets, high feed intake, overweight, coughing, or a short dock.  There is no particularly effective cure.  Procedures usually include suturing the rectum partially shut or inserting a plastic tube or short piece of hose and clamping off the protruding position of the rectum with an elastrator ring.

Urinary Calculi

Urinary calculi occur in feedlot wether lambs and rams on high grain diets and in creep-fed wether

lambs.  Mortality is 80-90 % of those affected.  The usual cause is an improper calcium: phosphorus ratio.  High grain diets result in a Ca:P ratio of 1:2 or 1:3.  The ratio of Ca:P should be 1.5:1 or 2:1 thus, you must add limestone not dicalcium phosphate to fattening lamb diets. Another effective preventive measure is the addition of 0.75 to 1 % ammonium chloride to the grain diets.

Lamb Starvation

Lamb starvation, the number one killer of lambs, often associated with lack of shepherding.  Contributing causes are: 

·         The lamb doesn’t get started (gets no colostrum). Seventy-five percent of lambs that don’t get colostrum die for one reason or another.

·         The ewe won’t claim the lamb.

·         Mastitis.

·         The teat is too big or is too near the ground and the lamb doesn’t find it.

·         

Sore mouth.

·         The ewe can’t feed two lambs (mastitis, too little feed, etc.).

·         Joint injury or illness.

·         Pneumonia, which often is associated with lambs that received no colostrum and thereby lack immune bodies.

·         Difficult parturition.

·         A “genetic will to die”.  Actually, the majority of lambs die for no apparent reason.  A genetically caused lack of vitality may well be the cause.

Fire Safety

Once again we head into our Winter season in South Africa and with the prevailing weather conditions, we have experienced in the past few years, we can expect the dry, windy fire conditions to prevail.

Wildfires are a regular occurrence in South Africa. Every year during the fire season the news contains stories of wildfires sweeping through the country.

The impacts of wildfires are many:

• Wildfires destroy croplands, grazing, forests and homes.  This leads to great financial losses, especially for people who do not have insurance.
• Wildfires cause hardship. This can vary from the death and the displacement of people to the loss of personal possessions that cannot be replaced and the loss of jobs.
• Although fires are a necessary part of the natural cycle of life, if they are uncontrolled or occur too frequently they damage biological diversity.
• Wildfires lead to the faster run-off of water.  This increases the intensity of floods and also causes soil erosion.
• Wildfires cause air pollution.

The natural state of the countries vegetation as well as seasonal winds can easily spark raging fires and it is essential to prepare adequately for these occurrences.

Game Lodges, Land users and farmers are advised to:

• Ensure fire-fighting equipment is easily accessible and in working condition;

• Test the fire equipment and ensure water tanks are full.

• Be aware of and participate in their local Fire Protection Association activities and plans;

• Control and restrict open fires;

• Carry out regular drills to ensure staff is fully competent in the handling of equipment.

• Report fires immediately to local Fire Departments, Fire Protection Associations,

Municipalities and the South African Police Services.

Fire Breaks

When using fire to create firebreaks it is important to plan correctly. A firebreak is an area that will contain a fire within its boundaries. A plowed or disked strip, reaching down to mineral soil, is the most common method of establishing a firebreak. Sometimes, a mowed path, or a walking trail, can be used as a fire break. If you are intending to burn fire breaks, these by legislation must be carried out before mid winter. However remember it is always safer to cut or plow fire breaks where possible. The following can be of assistance if you intend burning firebreaks.

PREPARING FIREBREAKS

Purpose of firebreaks

• Anyone with experience of veldfires knows that a firebreak cannot stop every veldfire.

• There will inevitably be a time when conditions are so severe that a fire will cross a

break, by spotting or otherwise.

• However, firebreaks are useful:

• in stopping many fires

• in providing a line from which to combat veldfires by counterfiring or other measures

• for protection of property generally

The requirement to prepare firebreaks

• Landowners are required to prepare firebreaks on their side of the boundary where there

is a reasonable risk of veldfire.

• How do we know what a reasonable risk is?

• The courts use the “reasonable person test”:

• if a reasonable person in the position of the landowner would foresee that by not

preparing a firebreak, a veldfire could start or spread across his or her land,

causing harm to someone else,

• and therefore would prepare one,

• then the landowner should also prepare one.

HOW DOES THE LAW DEAL WITH WILDFIRES?

• In order to limit the damage caused by fire, the law sets out a number of prevention measures that people must adopt to avoid a wildfire.  The main aspects of these measures include the following:
• The law provides for the establishment of Fire Protection 
• Associations;
• The law provides for the establishment of a system of rating and warning people of the risk of wildfires.
• The law sets out the duties that people have to suppress a wildfire once it is already burning (see below).
• The law provides for fines or imprisonment of people who do not adequately prevent or suppress wildfires.
• The law also provides for people to pay for the damages that result from a wildfire if they have not taken adequate steps to prevent or suppress a wildfire.

WHAT ARE THE LEGAL DUTIES REGARDING WILDFIRE PREVENTION

• You may not start a wild fire.
• You may only start a fire, including cooking or braai fire, in a designated area.
• Every landowner must have equipment available to fight wildfires.
• Every landowner must have personnel available to fight wildfires.
• Every landowner must have a person on their property who keeps a lookout for fires.
• Every landowner must establish a system of fire breaks.
• A landowner may not burn fire breaks or carry out controlled burns when the Fire Danger Rating is high.
• Land users must manage the fuel load on land under their control.  They must remove invasive alien vegetation from the land.

WHAT CAN YOU DO?                                                       

• Practice integrated fire management.
• Look after your own land by removing hazardous invasive alien plants.
• Establish fire breaks and ensure that you have sufficient equipment and trained personnel available during fire danger weather
• Co-operate with neighbours in your fire prevention and suppression efforts.
• Prepare a plan of action to address the following:
• Prevention;
• The location of fire breaks;
• Controlled burning pattern
• suppression
• If a FPA exists, become a member.

If no FPA exists, approach your district municipality or farmers union to assist with establishing an FPA.

• Through the FPA negotiate insurance rebates and rates rebates.

Our Wonderful World

For all nature lovers to enjoy - the photography is magnificent! Although it was done last year I just discovered it.
See the link on the right side under Interesting Links: Our Wonderful World. Or view this on my Facebook Profile. Elize Pretorius.   Thank you  for sharing this Kate Webster.

Serendipitously, I've viewed it and will do so often as a reminder.  All that beauty is addictive. Timelessly beautiful.  Our Wonderful World!
Things that matter in life:
 *How much you live.
* How much you love, and                                                                      

 * How much you make a difference.
Thank you to RDeux DDeux‎Les Brusseleirs
 for making a difference!

Accelerated Lambing Systems

Accelerated Lambing Systems

Accelerated lambing is when ewes lamb more frequently than once a year. The purpose of accelerated lambing systems is to reduce fixed costs, produce a more uniform supply of lamb throughout the year, and increase profitability. There are several accelerated lambing systems.

Twice a year lambing

The most intensive form of accelerated lambing is twice a year lambing whereby a ewe would produce two lamb crops per year. Twice a year lambing has the potential to maximize lamb production, but may not be practical under most commercial situations.

Opportunistic Lambing

Opportunistic lambing is when rams are kept with the flock on a continuous basis. With the right kind of ewes, this will result in a lambing interval of less than 12 months. The problem with opportunistic lambing is you don't know when lambs are due, so the timing of vaccinations, deworming, and supplemental feeding are more difficult.

Three lamb crops in two years

The most common system of accelerated lambing is three lamb crops in two years, resulting in an average lambing interval of 8 months or 1.5 lambings per ewe per year. The 3/2 system is usually characterized by a fixed mating and lambing schedule, (pas aan by jou eie sisteem) such as May mating/October lambing, January mating/June lambing, and September mating/February lambing (or slight variations). Up to a 40 percent increase in production has been achieved with this type of accelerated lambing system.

If a ewe misses a breeding, she can still lamb three times in two years.

The STAR system is a natural system that does not use hormones or light control to achieve out-of-season breeding. It involves selecting sheep that breed during any season.

The economics of accelerated lambing must be carefully examined. The increased income from the sale of lambs needs to compensate for the added costs and labor inputs. In addition, accelerated lambing requires a much higher level of management.

Awesome Sheepdogs! ~ Amass Farming Tips & Info

Awesome Sheepdogs! ~ Amass Farming Tips & Info

Links:
http://www.worldsheepdogtrials.org/Sheepdog Trials 2014

http://www.worldsheepdogtrials.org/trials/2014/09/03/world-sheep-dog-trials-03-06-september-2014/2014 Sheepdog Trials and sheepdogs working

 http://www.sasda.za.net/

Ethical Standards: Thank you Kate Webster for sharing my passion and your comment about our ethical responsibility. 

Border Collie: http://www.bordercollie.org/basics/living.html.

Jack from the farm Rookwood in the Eastern Cape, South Africa.  Photo Kate Webster