Showmanship Starts Now

 

This is the time of year when 4-H and FFA members begin looking for new livestock projects. When you do get that new project animal, that is the best time to start working on showmanship. 

As you get your new animals, get them broke and start working on those showmanship basics. Walk them. It builds muscle and gets them used to being with you. They will learn how halters work or in the case of pigs, the cues of the show stick.

Brace them. It is easier to train sheep and goats to brace when they are small than after they have gained 40 or 50 pounds. When they are little it is easier to get the response you want and not be wrestling when they are bigger.

Make them stand still. Standing is going to happen during grooming and in the show ring. Teach calves, sheep and goats to stand tied to a sturdy structure and they will stand still when the lead is in your hands. And have them stand on grooming stands or in grooming chutes without the added distraction of grooming. Then as you begin grooming, they are comfortable with the grooming stand or chute, and the act of grooming is a small step and not a big one.

Practice grooming and working the hair or wool. Good “shag” starts early. Most livestock are not used to being touched, washed or blown dry. Biggest mistake I see is taking a brand new project animal and going straight to the wash rack and then grooming stand the first time. Introduce these things one at a time until they are not stressed by what you are doing. 

And by the way, how’s your show box? Now is a good time to go through it. Clean it out. Repair or replace broken tack. Make a list of supplies you will need. 

When that first show comes around, you will be more prepared and confident in you and your animal’s ability knowing you put in the work from the beginning. They won’t be perfect but start the showmanship work now and it will be easier later in the show ring. 

Scott Stinnett

Area Extension Agent

Kit Carson County

Golden Plains Area

Colorado State University Extension

Key to Feeding Ruminants is Consistency

All livestock projects need proper nutrition, but proper timing of feeding is also important. Typically, we advise youth to feed project animals twice per day, once in the morning and again in the evening. This is because it follows the normal feeding rhythms of livestock, especially ruminants like cattle, sheep and goats.

Normally ruminants on pasture appear to feed all day long, but if you watch them closely, there are times they are actively eating and other times when they are not. This down time is due to their need to ruminate and digest the forage they have eaten.

Remember a ruminant fills their rumen with forage, then it is the rumen microbes turn to digest and breakdown the food into smaller, more useful forms. This is when we see cattle, sheep or goats, laying down and "chewing their cud". The scientific term for their cud is a bolus. A bolus is partially digested food that needs to be broken down again by chewing and returns back into the rumen for a final microbial digest.

In the afternoon is when we generally observe this behavior of laying down and cud chewing. Animals spend most of the morning grazing and so an afternoon of resting and ruminating is normal. After this afternoon down time, ruminants tend to get up and graze again in the evening and then lay down, ruminate and sleep during the night.

For project animals, we control the times of day when feed and forage is available. It makes sense to feed ruminants when they are used to eating. It is advisable to feed ruminants in the early morning (by 8 AM) and then later in the evening (after 5 PM). Since most show animals are on a grain based diet, they tend to devour their feed rather quickly. I also advise feeding a little hay along with the grain to make the rumen full and give the microbes more to work on. 

Although your project animal will grow more efficiently on grain, an empty rumen is not a good thing. When the rumen is missing feed, the microbes loose their food source and can die out quickly. No microbes, no microbial digestion and no breaking down of feed into useful forms. Keeping some hay available for animals to eat helps keep food in the rumen for the microbes to keep working.

A common mistake I have seen are sudden changes in feeding. Sometimes your schedule changes and you may not be able to feed as normal. It is okay to feed a little earlier or later in the morning and at night, but do not feed everything at once. A sudden increase in feed can cause problems from bloat to acidosis. Skipping a feeding is not a good practice either. No matter how late or tired you are, take time to feed. Skipping a feeding leaves and empty stomach and is also not an ethical practice. How would you like to go without a meal just because someone says they do not have time to cook?

As you move into summer and begin planning how you are going to stay up late and then sleep in, remember, your ruminants need the consistency. So go feed in your PJs or take a break from your evening fun, and keep those feedings consistent.

Scott Stinnett

Area Extension Agent

Kit Carson County

Golden Plains Area

Colorado State University Extension

The Good and Bad of Mud

When we are raising livestock, mud can be both friend and foe. When it has been dry, mud is a sign of some much needed relief. When mud seems to be a constant, it can be a hiding place for a lot of problems. Having the right amount of mud at the right time is what we would like to see. 

Mud is our friend mostly during the dry and hot times of summer. Mud is one of the most basic ways to maintain or treat dried and cracked hooves on your livestock project. Hooves are made of keratin the same protein that is in our fingernails and toenails. In hot and dry conditions, hooves lacking adequate moisture can begin to crack and split. This cracking and splitting can lead to an open invitation to infections in the hoof and foot. It can also create soreness as the hoof becomes tender. You can use hoof conditioners to treat the dry hooves or you can simply create a little mud. I like to overflow stock tanks and create muddy spots animals must stand in to drink. Animals will come to drink several times a day and standing in the mud can act as a natural hoof conditioner and help to maintain moisture in the hoof. The key is to keep the area slightly muddy where it does not dry out, but not so muddy animals sink in above the hoof. Muddy areas should also be areas free of manure. Muddy manure can invite some pretty nasty bacteria, fungi and viruses to hide and wait to attack a healthy foot. 

Veterinarian checking a hoof for infection.

For your swine project, mud is a great skin conditioner, sunscreen and insect repellent. If you have been taught to keep pigs clean and mud will stain white skin, that is correct. But the upside of mud for pigs is it helps lock moisture into their skin. Think about people who go to a spa and get a mud facial. It works the same way for pigs. A layer of mud and the dirt it leaves behind when it dries, is a great sunscreen and insect repellent. It coats the skin and filters sunlight helping prevent sunburns. It also can provide a layer of protection from biting insects like flies.

A pig enjoying a mud wallow.

Mud can be a foe when there is too much. Wet winters can be the worst at making and keeping mud. Low temperatures and a lack of sunlight prevent mud from drying out and it seems like mud never goes away. Even though hooves need moisture, too much can cause hooves to become soft and instead of cracking, they can tear or become sensitive. Softer hooves also allow bacteria, fungi and viruses in the environment to get into the hoof and foot creating infections. 

Excess mud attached to wool and hair adds extra weight on and animal. In the cattle industry, mud attached above the legs on the body is called a tag. Large amounts of tag mud can actually reduce a calf’s rate of gain in a feedlot so think about what it can do to your show project. 

Feeder calves with tag (mud).
Photo Credit: ag.ndsu.edu

Controlling mud is the key to making it your friend and not your foe. Design animal pens where moisture can drain away and allow them to dry out. Provide a dry place for animals to rest out of the mud during wet weather conditions. When it dries out, provide a place for some mud to be created for animals to stand in or for pigs to wallow in. If you can control when and where mud is available, it can be a great help to your livestock projects.

Scott Stinnett

Area Extension Agent

Kit Carson County

Golden Plains Area

Colorado State University Extension

Safe Swine Handling

Handling swine can be a bit of an adventure to a first time pig owner and even a bit challenging for those who have raised pigs for several years. Unlike cattle, pigs cannot be easily worked in alleys and chutes. Even goats and sheep can be controlled by hand easier than a pig. Learning to use a few simple tools can make swine handling easier and most of all safe for pigs and people.

Moving pigs is usually the first task to learn how to perform and can be done easily using some basic tools. First is using a swine board or sometimes called a sorting board. A swine board is made to be tall enough a pig cannot see over it and wide enough to match at least half of a mature pig's body length. It can be made of wood metal or plastic. Swine boards are used as a portable wall. When moving pigs out of a pen or in an alley way, a swine board visibly blocks off a path of travel for a pig. If the pen or alley is wider than one swine board can block adding another person with a swine board is best.

It is best to use the swine board to do one of two things. Swine boards can be carried behind a pig or group of pigs to encourage them to move away from the board and in the direction you want them to travel. Boards can also be used to help stop or turn a pig. By placing a swine board across an alley just past a turn, a pig will naturally walk toward the board, see their path is blocked and usually make the turn you want them to take.

Photo Credit: pork.org

Other tools include a paddle, flag, cane or driving stick. These are similar to a show stick and are used to drive a pig in a direction by either blocking their direction of travel or lightly tapping on the opposite side of the body from the direction you want them to travel. As they learn about these items they can then be used as a visual cue and just placing the item in the pig's vision will cue them to turn away from it and travel in the direction you want them to go.

Photo Credit: grandin.com

When it comes time to restrain a pig to give an injection, draw blood for a vet check, or ear tagging, there are few options. The easiest method is using a snout snare. A snout snare can be either a commercially purchased item or can be homemade. A snout snare works when a pig opens their mouth slightly and the snare is placed around the upper jaw and snout. When it is pulled snug, a pig cannot back out of it and can be secured for tagging, giving an injection or other veterinary procedure. 

At first look, a snout snare appears to be restricting the pigs ability to breath out of their nose. A properly placed snout snare fits under the upper jaw and over the nasal bone and does not block off any of the pigs nose or nasal passages allowing them to breath normally.

Photo Credit: Virginia Tech, OUV

When using a snout snare, time is the key. If you need to snare a pig to give it an injection of medication, get all of your injection supplies ready first. Then snare the pig, give the injection and release the pig. A pig should be in a snare for less than a minute for tagging or injections, but may need to be secured longer for other veterinary procedures. Snares are not hurtful to a pig, but a pig does stress a bit due to being restrained. The less time in the snare, the less stress on the pig.

As with any other animal, slow and quiet handling is best and creates a low stress situation for pigs and people. Pigs are relatively fast learners and adapt quickly to being moved with swine boards and other driving tools. They also learn what a snare is and will avoid them when they have been used multiple times so use snares only when necessary. 

If you have questions about handling pigs or any other animals, contact your local Extension office.

Scott Stinnett

Area Extension Agent

Kit Carson County

Golden Plains Area

Colorado State University Extension

Poultry and Summer Heat

     Poultry can be negatively affected by summer heat. There are several factors that can be controlled to help them remain healthy and productive throughout the summer.

     Poultry need to maintain a constant body temperature. For example, chicken’s body temperature ranges between 105°F and 107°F. Poultry have some basic ways of lowering their body temperature. Panting allows poultry to release water vapor from the lungs helping cool the body. Poultry may also hold their wings out which increases surface area and hep them radiate out heat. You can also provide additional items to help poultry deal with high temperatures.

     Water is the most important item for poultry as it is for any other animal. Water should always be available to prevent dehydration which can occur quickly when poultry are already panting. Cool water is preferred to warm or hot water. Waterers should be kept out of sunlight.

     Feed and the bird digesting it can increase body temperature. Feeding poultry during the cooler parts of the day can help prevent overheating.

     A proper shelter is important too. Providing shade gives poultry relief from direct sunlight. It also provides cooler ground where poultry can rest and lay their body against the cool ground. Be careful how you provide shade. A metal roof may give great shade, but the radiant heat created by the sun on the metal may make the area under the shade warmer than the outside air temperature.

     Ventilation is another important factor for a proper shelter. If the shelter can be aligned to take advantage of summer winds, the natural air flow will help to cool the shelter and the poultry. If natural ventilation is not possible, adding fans to move air through the shelter will prevent the air from becoming stale and hot.

     Providing enough space is another factor. The more birds can spread out, the better they are able to regulate their own body temperature. Birds crowded into a shade may produce more body heat than if they were left out of the shade.

     Poultry kept indoors during the summer are at the greatest risk for overheating. Be sure birds have cool water available, shade, space, ventilation and are fed during cool hours. You may choose to use misting systems to help with cooling or put out frozen water bottles for birds to cool themselves against. As long as poultry, indoors or outdoors, can be provided some basic necessities, they can endure the heat of summer very well.

Scott Stinnett
Area Extension Agent
Kit Carson County
Golden Plains Area
Colorado State University Extension

Halter Breaking New Calves

 It is that time of year again when new show calves are being brought in. No matter if you raised or bought one, halter breaking is one of the biggest task to complete. There are several methods how to accomplish this, but they all have some key things to remember:

• Understand the temperament of the calf. Are they quiet? Are they flighty? Do they want to fight?
• Work slowly and quietly. Loud and fast can start the calf's fight or flight response.
• Teach one thing at a time. Calves think only about one thing at a time. Don't try to much at once.
• Pressure and release. When you ask a calf to take a step, reward them for moving by releasing pressure.
• Be consistent. Don't confuse a calf by trying multiple ways to teach them things. Teach the same way multiple times. 
• Be patient. Calves learn at different speeds. One may start walking on a halter in 3 days, another may take 3 weeks.
• Know when to say when. If a calf stops responding to what you ask, take a break. It can take cattle 30 minutes or more to calm down if they get excited during the breaking process.
• Be Safe. Make sure the area you are working in is safe and you and the calf can work safely.

Morgan Young, Extension Agent in Chaffee County, Colorado has put together a great resource video on halter breaking calves. Here is the link: Halter Breaking Cattle CSU Extension- Morgan Young

Scott Stinnett

Area Extension Agent

Kit Carson County

Golden Plains Area

Colorado State University Extension

Zoonotic Disease

     Zoonotic diseases are infectious diseases that are transmitted between animals and humans. Zoonotic diseases usually stay with the host animal unless they mutate, or genetically change, and then can be passed to humans. Once they mutate to infect humans, the effects on humans can vary. Some people infected will show few or no symptoms of illness and others will have major symptoms or may even die.

     So how can we prevent zoonotic diseases? The answer is to practice good human health, animal health and bio-security. For human health, wash your hands when you have been working with animals. Wash the clothes you wear around animals. Use proper personal protective equipment (PPE) when working with sick animals. This may include disposable gloves, masks, disposable booties and even disposable clothes.

     For animal health, work with your vet that you have a VCPR (Veterinarian Client Patient Relationship) to make a health plan including vaccinations against some diseases that could be zoonotic. Provide clean, fresh water and food daily. Observe animals daily for signs of illness or injury. Treat sick animal quickly and at the advice of your vet. Quarantine any sick animals from healthy ones.

     For bio-security, keep animal housing, facilities and equipment clean and disinfected. Prevent insects, rodents, birds and other pests from living around your animals. Quarantine any new animals being introduced to your location. Have a bio-security plan for any visitors coming in contact with your animals. Have them wash hands, shoes or anything else that may contact your animals or their environment.

We know how to prevent the spread of disease, so make sure you follow good practices.

Scott Stinnett
Area Extension Agent
Kit Carson County
Golden Plains Area
Colorado State University Extension

I Mean Clean

    When the last year's animal projects have left the barn, we usually take some time to clean up. But what does it mean to clean? For some people, clean is removing the trash, removing old bedding, throwing away old feed and sweeping up. Other folks empty the barn out, fire up a power washer and blast every nook and cranny the barn has. The question is still the same. What is clean, I mean truly clean?

     I have my way of cleaning around the barn, but this question got me to thinking and doing a little research. I found this source, CLEANING AND DISINFECTION by the National Animal Health Emergency Management System (NAHEMS). These are the USDA people who respond to major animal disease outbreaks. They are the experts in what is clean. 

     Reading through it, there is a lot of technical stuff and if you followed it, you would probably have the cleanest and most sanitary facilities in your county and maybe your state. But for our purposes, let me give you a simplified version of what it means to clean a livestock facility.

     NAHEMS breaks clean up into two parts, Cleaning and Disinfection. They then break Cleaning and Disinfection into three smaller parts. Let's look at each area.

Cleaning

     Cleaning is the removal of material items from a livestock facility. The first part is called Dry Cleaning.

"Dry cleaning involves the removal of any gross contamination and organic material (e.g., soil, manure, bedding, feed) from production areas or equipment".

     This is the hard work part of cleaning. Hauling out all the manure, old bedding, shavings, feed, hay, trash and finally excess dirt using shovels, rakes, wheel barrows and brooms. Remember, most of this could be put into a compost pile, but make sure the trash goes to the landfill where it belongs.

      After Dry Cleaning is Washing. This is the wet work. Get you rubber boots, scrub brush, bucket and hose for this part. Find your favorite detergent (soap) and make some suds. Washing is meant to remove the stuff you didn't or couldn't get during the dry cleaning by

"...removing any oil, grease, or exudates that may inhibit the action of disinfection".

     Why do we wash before we disinfect? The things washing removes allows the disinfectants to do their job better. 
      Once everything has be given a good soapy scrub, its needs to be rinsed and dried. Rinsing should remove all the detergent or soap and the final few pieces of stuck on manure, dirt, bedding and other organic matter. And now we can get to the easiest part, Drying. Just gather up all your cleaning supplies and let everything air dry.

"Whenever possible, surfaces should be allowed to dry completely (if possible overnight) before application of a disinfectant".

     You read that right, take a break until tomorrow. Go get your wet clothes changed, make some popcorn, watch a movie with friends and relax until tomorrow!

Disinfection

      When everything is dry, it is time to disinfect. Now depending on what you decide to disinfect with this may be a job for the adults. Consult your veterinarian, the one you have the VCPR (veterinary client patient relationship) with. Ask them what they recommend as a disinfectant. Different disinfectants work better for different species of livestock, facility types and on different micro-organisms (the things that causes diseases).

     Disinfectants need what is called Contact Time. This is the amount of time needed for the disinfectant to do its job and kill those nasty micro-organisms that can make your animals sick. The disinfectant should say on it packaging what the necessary contact time is.

     Once Contact Time has passed, get the rubber boots out again because its time to rinse again. Make sure all the disinfectant is completely rinsed off. When you feel it is all gone, time to let it dry again.

Why Do This?

     This is a lot of work and may be one of those weekend projects if your barns and facilities are big. But this process can be applied to smaller projects as well. Think about all your tack and equipment. Does it need to be cleaned and disinfected? Cleaning and disinfecting tack and equipment can help prevent the spread of a contagious micro-organism from animal to animal.

    Why would someone go to all this work? Have you ever had to deal with a contagious disease or infection with your animals? Think about ringworm, wool fungus, coccidiosis, scours or worse problems. All are contagious but good sanitation can help to control the spread. 

     I hope you keep clean facilities for your livestock and you take time to clean them thoroughly between each new set of animal you bring in. A little extra time and effort now could prevent a lot of trouble in the future.


Scott Stinnett
Extension Associate
Kit Carson County
Golden Plains Area
Colorado State University Extension

Fungus Among Us

     Wool fungus and ringworm. Two variants of a nasty little fungi that cause some ugly spots on the skin of sheep, goats and cattle. If left untreated, it can cause severe skin lesions and is highly contagious even to humans. If you go to a show and active fungus is found on your animal, you will be asked to leave immediately. Three things you need to understand are: how animals get it, how to prevent it, and how to treat it.

How Animals Get Wool Fungus/Ringworm

     Wool fungus and ringworm is caused by Trichophyton. The spores of this fungus attack the animal's skin through small cuts or nicks. These spores can survive several years in the environment. This includes in pens, in trailers, on equipment and on tack. It can take up to 4 weeks before any lesions (signs of fungus infection) appear.

     Shearing of wool removes a sheep's natural layers of protection, wool and its lanolin, and allows the spores to get to the skin. It can also hide in wool as well. The spores can be transmitted from sheep to sheep contact or by sheep picking it up from the environment where it is present.

     Ringworm in goats and cattle starts the same with cuts or scratches on the skin allowing the fungus in. Goats and cattle tend to get minor cuts and scratches by rubbing on things in the environment. It can also be transferred easily between animals since they do not have the wool and lanolin that sheep have.

How to Prevent Wool Fungus/Ringworm

     The best way is to avoid animals that have fungus and the environments they are in. If you know a farm, barn or other location is the home to animals infected with fungus, do not take your animals there and if you go, be sure to clean and disinfect yourself , your clothes or any items that came in contact with the animals.

     If you have gone to a show or other location and are concerned you may pick up the fungus, then its best to wash and disinfect animals before you leave. There are several fungus washes available to buy for your livestock. You also need to disinfect tack and equipment. I like to spray down items with a chlorohexadine mixture to disinfect from fungus and other possible infectious diseases. If everything is washed and disinfected before being loaded into the trailer, the trailer should remain fungus free as well, but it is not a bad idea to regularly wash out a trailer and disinfect it as well.

How to Treat Fungus

     Treating fungus can be a little difficult. Treating the active lesions to prevent it from spreading is the priority. There are lots of  ideas and alternative ways on how to treat these lesion from painting them, to spraying on certain lubricants. None of these are approved for use on animals. DO NOT DO THIS to your animals.

    Since most ringworm on goats and cattle will usually heal over time, we need to prevent the spread to other animals. First, keep them away from other animals to prevent spread of the fungus. Then clean animals with a fungus wash and disinfect all tack and equipment. Finally, use a fungicide to treat the lesions. This will help prevent it from spreading.

     Wool fungus is a little trickier. There is an extra step of clipping wool around the lesions to allow access to the skin to treat the fungus. Clip as small an area as possible and then disinfect those blades and clippers before using on another sheep. Now do the same as with a goat or calf. Wash the animal, treat the lesions and disinfect tack and equipment.

     If the wool fungus and ringworm does not seem to be getting better, or it seems to be spreading, call your vet. (The one you have the VCPR with, right?!)

Caution

     Wool fungus and ringworm are zoonotic, which means they can spread to people. If you are treating animals with wool fungus and ringworm you need to prevent yourself from getting it. Wear protective gloves while treating animals or disinfecting things. Wash your hands after handling these animals. And finally, wash your clothes after handling infected animals.

     If you find a spot of ringworm on your skin, don't panic, but do call your doctor and get their recommendation on treating it.

     Wool fungus and ringworm can be a tough thing to deal with. It may mean you get to miss a show or two. It definitely means you are going to be cleaning, disinfecting, and treating your animals. Remember, prevention is better than the cure.



Scott Stinnett
Area Extension Agent
Kit Carson County
Golden Plains Area
Colorado State University Extension

Record Keeping with your Phone?

     It is that time of year when 4-H members are completing their record books and FFA members are getting constant reminders from their FFA Advisor to update theirs. For the junior and intermediate 4-H members, help from parents and 4-H leaders makes record keeping easier, but senior 4-H'ers and FFA members are more responsible for doing it by themselves. So how can it be made any easier for next year?

     First get organized. Find a shoe box, big envelope, storage tub, desk drawer or other place to put all the pieces of paper you will need for your record book. Put in there financial papers from your project like check stubs from selling projects, receipts from buying feed, equipment, supplies, vet bills and other expenses from your projects. And don't forget bills of sale, copies of registration papers, vet certificates and any other paperwork for your project.

     Second thing; use your phone. Yes an adult is telling you to use your phone. Here's how the phone is helpful. Take pictures of things associated with your project. We like to take pictures of our animals, but take pictures of things that will go in your record book. Are you doing some animal health work like vaccinating or giving wormer? Then take a picture of the products used, especially the label with the lot number and expiration date. Two things have now happened. Your phone recorded the date of the event and you can always go back and see a picture of what animal health product you used. The label will tell you things you should put into your records like the full product name, lot number, expiration date and withdrawal period.

     Take pictures of other things associated with your project like your pens where your animals live, bags of feed, the barn, your showmanship practice area, where you store your tack, the truck and trailer you use to transport your animals.

     Take pictures of the weather too. Reality is it will rain and be muddy when you have animals. It may snow. It may be extremely hot. Take pictures of these events.

     With all these pictures, you can make a better story at the end of your record book as well as use the date stamp to know when things happened. This makes a more accurate and complete record book.

    The other thing that a phone can be used for is the calendar. Most smart phones have a built in calendar app. Use it to keep track of dates with your project like trips to the vet, jackpot shows, when feed was bought and when 4-H and/or FFA activities took place. Then come record book time, just open your calendar and transfer the dates into your record book.

     I know this post is not specific to direct animal care, but record keeping is an important part of raising animals. Record books are 4-H and FFA's way of teaching you how to keep accurate and appropriate records. Using a phone is just another tool to help make that record keeping a little easier.


Scott Stinnett
Area Extension Agent
Kit Carson County
Golden Plains Area
Colorado State University Extension

Pushing and Holding

     We are 30 days away from our county fair and a few exhibitors are getting nervous. They have checked the weights on their animals and found they are not on target for the desired weight at the fair. Some may be too light and some will be possibly too big. So the questions come in about pushing and holding animals so they can make weight.

     I go through a few questions with them to see how best to address their animal's weight problem:

• How much do they weigh now?
• What do you want them to weigh at fair?
• What are you feeding?
• How much are you feeding?

     After getting these questions answered, I look for problems. First, knowing the weight helps to formulate what rate of gain they need. For instance, if they have a 200 lbs. market swine and want it to weigh 260 lbs. at the fair we can calculate rate of gain.

• Subtract current weight from desired weight to find the total desired gain
• 260 lbs. - 200 lbs. = 60 lbs. of desired gain
• Then divide the desired gain by the number of days before fair to find the desired average daily gain
• 60 lbs. / 30 days = 2 lbs. per day desired daily gain
• Now compare this to the average daily gain for the species
• Older market swine can on average gain between 2 lbs. to 3 lbs. per day so the desired daily gain should be good.

     Now the questions about feeding come into play. What are you feeding? At this point in time, market animals should be on a finishing or fattening ration. Finishing rations put weight on an animal as fat. These ration have less nutrients like proteins for muscle and skeletal growth, and more energy and fats for putting on finish or fat that is important to the quality of meat the animal will yield when harvested. If the animals are still on a growing ration, they will not deposit the fat they need and continue to gain more muscle weight than fat.

     The second part is how much are you feeding? Most bagged feeds have feeding instructions based on the animal's weight. If the swine finisher feed says to feed 4% of the animal's body weight daily then we can calculate how much they need.

• Multiply the current weight by the amount the instructions say to feed
• Current weight is 200 lbs. x 4% per day = 200 lbs. x .04 per day = 8 lbs. per day
• Feed must be adjusted to equal the increase in weight. If we expect the pig to gain 2 lbs. per day, the next week the pig will weight 14 lbs. more  (7 days x 2 lbs. per day = 14 lbs. of gain). We need to recalculate the feed at least once per week.
• 214 lbs. x .04 per day = 8.5 lbs. per day
• 228 lbs. x .04 per day = 9.1 lbs. per day
• 242 lbs. x .04 per day = 9.7 lbs. per day
• 256 lbs. x .04 per day = 10.2 lbs. per day
• Adjusting the feed weekly should help maintain the appropriate average daily gain.

     This example would be for the perfect scenario. The animal was on target, and everything calculated out to be on target for the 260 lbs. desired weight for the fair 30 days down the road. But what if you are on the light weight side. You want to "push" your animal to make weight.

     Pushing usually means trying to make and animal gain a maximum amount of weight possible. There is still a limit to the amount of weight they can gain in a certain amount of time. In my experience, animals at this stage of development and growth can have some great rates of gain. I have seen sheep and goats gain 1 pound per day, pigs up to 2 pounds per day and cattle up to 4 pounds per day. Now there are exceptions and some animals can really grow in a short time, but let's not get our hopes too high and stay more realistic.

     Using a market steer as an example. His current weight is 975 lbs. and the minimum weight for your fair is 1100 lbs. There are 30 days until fair and he needs to gain 125 lbs. His daily gain needs to be approximately 4.2 lbs. per day (125 lbs. / 30 days = 4.16 lbs. per day). Is it possible?

     To push an animal to maximum weight gain, their basic nutritional needs must be met and extra nutrition must be available. Why? Extra nutrition, especially energy from fats and carbohydrates in grains and by-products, will be stored and deposited as fat. If the feed bag instructions say to give them 3% of their body weight per day, you might bump it up to 3.5% per day. If the steer can eat the extra feed and it provides more than their daily nutritional needs then they can gain the maximum per day. Now do not go crazy. If they were eating 30 lbs. per day do not jump to a full 50 lbs. bag per day or else you are asking for trouble. Bump his feed to 35 lbs. and see how that helps with weight gain.

***CAUTION***

Ruminants (cattle, sheep and goats) cannot handle large sudden changes in feeding. If you increase their feed, do it slowly and observe them multiple times per day to make sure they do not bloat, scour or have other digestive problems. 

 

     Holding is the reverse of pushing. You are trying to minimize weight gain. Say you have a 155 lbs. market lamb and the maximum weight for your fair is 165 lbs. At this time you are under weight, but if they gain the average of 1/2 lbs. per day, they will be over weight (1/2 lbs. per day x 30 days = 15 lbs. of weight gain, 155 lbs. + 15 lbs. = 170 lbs.). You want to put this lamb on a maintenance diet. Meaning you want to feed them enough to meet their nutritional needs but not to gain extra weight. If the feed instructions say 3% body weight per day, you might cut back to 2.5% or as low as 2% body weight per day to slow the rate of gain. But do not stop or skip a feeding to try and reduce weight gain. Weigh your animals every week, calculate the rate of gain and find out if they are gaining less than the average and are on target for the weight you want them to be at.

 

     When holding animals, be careful not to reduce the feed to the point they start losing weight or muscle mass. If you understand and feel comfortable using a supplement to maintain weight and body mass you might do so. It is better for them to slowly gain a little weight than to make them lose weight and try to push them to gain some back right before a show.

 

     The biggest thing on pushing or holding is not to go to extremes. They cannot grow any faster than their genetic potential and they will not do well if you put them on a crash diet to try and minimize weight gain. If you are concerned, ask a family who does well with their animals for help. Ask the breeder you bought your animal from. Ask your Extension Agent or your FFA advisor. There are plenty of people willing to help if you just ask.

Here are some additional resources:
Feeding the Lamb Crop - Purdue University
Niche Pork Production - Iowa State University
Basic Show Steer Feeding and Care - Utah State University Extension



Scott Stinnett
Area Extension Agent
Kit Carson County
Golden Plains Area
Colorado State University Extension

Scrapie Tags

     Scrapie Identification Tags are part of the National Scapie Eradication Program. These tags are used to track and home in on a location of a flock of origin if Scrapie is found in any sheep or goats. The tags are connected to a Premise Identification or an address of the person who the tags are issued the tags.

     The tags are considered a permanent ID and should not be removed. If a sheep or goat loses its Scrapie tag, a replacement tag can be put in. Records of the animal an its tag numbers must be kept for at least 5 years. If a tag is lost and replaced, a record of the old and new tag needs to be in those records.

     Animals that must have a Scrapie tag include all "sexually intact" animals. This means ewes, does, rams and bucks. Wethers (sheep or goat) under the age of 18 months are not required to have one since they have been castrated. Once they have reached 18 months of age or older, they are then required to have a Scrapie tag. There are a few exceptions such as registered goats with permanent identification tattoos may not need Scrapie tags.

     Youth sheep and goat projects are also subject to the Scrapie identification rules. As a youth you are either buying your animal from a breeder or sale, or you are raising your own. Youth who buy their project animals need to be mindful and make sure Scrapie tags are in any ewes or doe they take home. This tag number should then be recorded in their 4-H or FFA record book. If you get home and notice the animal doesn't have a tag, contact the sale or breeder and request they send you one to put in.

     Youth who are breeding their own sheep and goats should also be using Scrapie tags. The first step is to contact your state veterinary office and request the Scrapie tags. Youth will be assigned a flock number and tags will be sent to be put in your animals. All "sexually intact" animals (ewes, does, rams and bucks) will need to have tags. Wethers under 18 months of age do not, need tags, but if an old wether is hanging around and he is over 18 months, he will need a Scrapie tag. Youth need to make sure any ewe lambs and doe kids they sell or are taking to a show have their Scrapie tags in.

     Scrapies eradication is a national effort. I hope this explanation is simple enough to help youth understand what and why they need to have Scrapie tags. Youth need to be mindful of their responsibilities in this effort. If you have any questions, contact your state veterinarian office.

     Here are some resources on Scrapies:

• "General Scrapie Information" and  "Scrapie Surveillance: Tagging Sheep and Goats" - Colorado Department of Agriculture
• "Sheep & Goat Official Identification Decision Tree" - USDA APHIS

Scott Stinnett
Area Extension Agent
Kit Carson County
Golden Plains Area
Colorado State University Extension

Green Water?!

Many youth have problems with large animal stock tanks becoming homes for algae. Fellow Extension Agent, Michael Fisher has some great suggestions to help with this warm weather problem.

Stock Tank Algae Control

About this time of year I begin getting calls regarding how to control algae growth in stock tanks. Algae growth is a fact of summer for livestock water tanks in Eastern Colorado. Before talking about controlling it, let’s talk about trying to limit some of the algae growth.

There are some basic essentials that algae require to grow in a stock tank. The most obvious is water and we can’t do much about that. Next, warm temperatures and sunlight dramatically promote algae growth. Some producers will build shade over their stock tanks to help with this issue. However, that creates an added expense and may cause problems with livestock trying to utilize that shade on hot days. Finally, algae needs some form of nutrients to sustain itself. This can come from livestock slobbers, animals urinating or defecating in a tank, and debris being blown into the tank. Part of this is unpreventable, but fencing or rails can be utilized to prevent livestock from entering a stock tank and introducing nutrients. If using rails, make certain they are positioned low enough that a cow can’t slip underneath the rail.

Once you have an algae problem in your stock tank, there are some treatment methods that you can utilize. There are numerous commercial products on the market. However, a generic approach to chemical treatment is often times cheaper. (Remember that chemical treatments may change the taste of the water for a period of time. Also, these need to be mixed thoroughly within the tank for a few minutes before livestock are allowed access. Don’t just dump it in one part of the tank and drive off.)

• Chlorine Bleach: Sodium hypochlorite (5.25%), which is what many of the standard laundry bleaches (only use unscented) are made of, can be effective. You will need to add 2 to 3 ounces of the 5.25% sodium hypochlorite for each 100 gallons of tank capacity. Be sure to mix the tank water well after adding the bleach. This should be repeatedly weekly. When temperatures are abnormally hot and when a lot of organic material exists in the tank, the sodium hypochlorite will dissipate more rapidly and may require multiple treatments per week.

• Copper Sulfate: Copper sulfate is a popular algae control and is found in many of the commercial products. It will often come in a crystal form and needs to be dissolved in warm to hot water before making the treatment. Typically, 1.5 teaspoons should be dissolved in 4.5 ounces of water for each 1000 gallons of tank capacity that will be treated. This mixture is then poured throughout the tank. Treatment should be repeated in two to four weeks, depending on algae growth. Algae killed using this method should be removed from the tank and hauled out of the grazing area, as it may contain very high copper & sulfur levels. The use of copper sulfate is not recommended when sheep will be consuming the water, as sheep have a low tolerance for copper and this treatment may be toxic to more copper sensitive sheep. Another important note is that copper sulfate can increase the rate of deterioration of metal tanks and pipes.

• Zinc Sulfate: Zinc sulfate is another chemical treatment. Again, the material needs to be dissolved in warm to hot water before being added to the tank. In the case of zinc sulfate, dissolve one cup in one gallon of water. Then thoroughly mix into the tank ½ cup of the solution for every 100 gallons of tank capacity. Repeat as needed.

• Biological Control: In these times of consumer concerns over what is in their meat, more and more producers are turning to herbivore consuming aquatic life to maintain reduced algae levels in stock tanks, as opposed to chemical treatments. One of the more common resources is the goldfish. It will take 4 to 6 goldfish for every 100 gallons of tank capacity. Other aquarium species can be more expensive ($3 to $6 each) but still effective. Some of these are the Black Mollies, Otocinclus Catfish, and my personal favorite the plecostomus. Some varieties of plecos, like the Trinidad Pleco, can grow to near a foot in length and spend a surprising amount of their time foraging. While these biological control techniques do offer a good marketing statement for those selling in all natural programs, they still create issues. First, you are trading algae for fish feces in your tank. Secondly, fishing predators (raccoons, cats, birds, etc.) may become attracted to your stock tank & treatment technique. Thirdly, if you are changing pastures throughout the grazing season you will need to move the fish. Finally, you will need to have a plan for caring for the fish during the winter months.

Michael Fisher

Extension Director
Pueblo County
Colorado State University

Bath Time!

     Bathing and cleaning is part of the basic care for show animals. It promotes skin and hair health along with working to promote an overall appearance of quality. But it can be a bad thing to.

     All of our livestock could live without bathing in a commercial situation. They were built to live outdoors without the need for baths. Cattle can roll in the dust. Pigs have their mud baths. Lanolin on sheep's wool keeps dirt at bay. For show animals bathing is necessary, especially for proper appearance. There are some dos and don'ts to remember.

DOs

• Bathe animals in a safe location. This includes a good footing for you and the animal to stand on when it is wet. There is enough room for you and your animal. The location drains well.
• Use appropriate bathing products. Use soaps and shampoos made for livestock to prevent skin irritations. Or use mild general detergents like Dawn® soap (not a product endorsement). If it is safe for use on animals after an oil spill, it is okay for yours.
• Use the appropriate water pressure. Would you want to be hosed off at full pressure? Turn on enough pressure to wash you animal, but not so much that it is uncomfortable.
• Be quick about it. Stop texting, spookychat, insta-whatever and put the phone down. Wet, soap up, rinse and dry your animals without taking a break.
• Remove the caked on stuff. Mud and manure crusty hard on the hair is damaging. Get it off with water, some gentle scrubbing and elbow grease.
• Dry with clean towels. It is tempting to use, let dry and use again the same towel, but it can create problems. Fungus like ringworm and wool fungus can be on the towel and you may unknowingly spread it all over your animal.
• Do moisturize. Soap and shampoos remove natural oils from the skin and hair. After washing use a conditioner appropriate for your animal to help replace lost natural oils to keep hair and skin healthy.

DON'Ts

• Do not spray hot animals down with cold water. It causes them to stress by suddenly cooling their body. If an animal is hot and needs a bath, start by spraying their feet and slowly work up legs. Once they do not seem as hot (stopped panting, breathing heavy and feel cooler to the touch) then work up the body.
• "Not the Face!" Do not spray animals in the face. I prefer to use a wet rag on the face. And be careful using soaps and shampoos around the eyes. It is uncomfortable and can be harmful if it gets in their eyes. If it does, be sure you get the soap out of the eyes.
• Do not bathe every day. If you have cattle and you are trying to work hair, just rinse if you need to wet them down every day. Soaps and shampoos remove oils on the hair which keep it healthy. If you use soaps and shampoos, you are removing the natural oils and making the hairs dry and brittle. Then it will begin to fall and comb out, defeating the purpose of trying to work hair. With sheep, you are removing the lanolin which protects the wool. I suggest you only wash sheep before a trimming or a show.
• Don't wash in a dangerous situation. If you do not have a good safe spot to wash, just don't.  There is no reason to put yourself and animal at risk just to be clean.
• Do not fight with your animals. Some just do not like being bathed. If the wash rack is stressful once, it will be stressful every time for your animal. Make it as pleasant as possible.

     I hope you get those animal washed up and looking good. And one more Don't. Don't forget to take pictures in the wash rack for the record books!


Scott Stinnett
Area Extension Agent
Kit Carson County
Golden Plains Area
Colorado State University Extension

The Importance of a Bucket

     One of the most important things I load for a livestock show are buckets. They have multiple uses and I don't think I could get through a show without one.

Biosecurity

     It is hard to think of a simple five gallon bucket as the first line of defense in biosecurity. I will give you some examples of how it is. First, the bucket leaves my house clean and disinfected. I know I can put anything in it that will be used around my animals. Water is the most important.

     Sharing drinking water with animals from other locations is just asking for the spread of something nasty. Many shows, especially cattle and horse shows, may set out tanks for the convenient watering of large animals, but it is an invitation to share germs. I never use community watering tanks or share my bucket with any animals but my own. I fill the bucket with the right amount of water I think my animals will drink and when they are done, pour out the little bit they did not drink. If I think the bucket got dirty, it gets washed.

     Feed transported in my buckets is the second use and rule for biosecurity. Hauling sacks of feed is just a messy pain. I have buckets with good lids. No spilling feed from a ripping bag. No wet feed from and animal knocking over water. No mice or birds stealing feed (or the occasional night raid by a fairgrounds raccoon or skunk!) No passing by animal sticking there nose in my feed. Feed in the bucket is secure from contamination and the environment.

Other Uses

Besides keeping water and feed clean and free of contaminants, I use my bucket for other things.

• It goes to the wash rack hauling all my supplies: hose, brushes, soaps, towels and anything else I need.
• It is a muck bucket when cleaning stalls, pens or cages.
• It is my step up to hang signs and banners (It is not OSHA approved for the purpose, but I am short and I'm not hauling a ladder)
• It is road block when cleaning the aisle up.
• It is a trash can when having lunch at the pens.
• It carries tools from the truck when things break at the show.
• Upside down, it holds feed when we need to take a swine picture.
• It totes those ring side show supplies like spray bottles, towels, non-show halters, combs, and brushes.
• And if there is time to take a break, its my seat to rest on.

     There are a lot of other uses for the bucket. I hope you have a good set of them as part of your show tack. And if you find one with my name on it, please put it to good use.


Scott Stinnett
Extension Agent
Kit Carson County
Golden Plains Area
Colorado State University Extension

Be Nice to the Bugs!

     Three major livestock projects are ruminant species: cattle, sheep and goats. A ruminant animal has a unique digestive system where instead of a stomach like we have there are four compartments. The largest compartment is the rumen and why they are called ruminant animals.

     The rumen does not actually do any digestion but acts as an environment for some special little critters to do some digestion for the animal. Living in the rumen are trillions and trillions of micro-organisms we lovingly refer to as “bugs”. They include bacteria, fungi and protozoa who like to digest the grass, hay and grain the cattle, sheep or goat eats. In just 1 ounces of fluid from the rumen there are over 1 trillion (1,000,000,000,000) micro-organisms living and digesting food.

     The rumen provides a perfect environment for these bugs. Inside the rumen it is warm (near or above 100 degrees), it is dark (sunlight can’t get inside an animal), moist (the rumen is full of water), free of oxygen (the air they breath should be in the lungs) and has a proper pH level (slightly acidic is best). And most importantly, there is food to eat! When a ruminant animal takes a bite of grass, hay or grain, it travels down the esophagus and to the rumen. The bugs in the rumen start breaking down these items into simpler nutrients the animal can absorb and use.

     Since these little critters are helping to provide nutrients to your livestock you need to be nice to them. First, they are picky eaters and like certain foods. Some may like parts of grass and hay, others like to eat parts of grain. The more of a specific food they get, the larger the population of those type of bugs are in the rumen. If what the animal eats changes rapidly, the bugs may not be ready.

     Let’s say you go take your animal from grazing on grass and start them on a grain diet. In the rumen, the grass eating bugs begin to starve and die out, and there are not enough bugs present to digest all the grain they now have to eat. Your animal then gets some digestive troubles. They may go off feed, bloat or get the scours because they do not have the micro-organisms in the rumen to digest the food they are eating. Not Good! To be good to these bugs, feed changes should be made slowly. Going from grass and/or hay to grain should be done over 10 to 20 days by slowly feeding a little bit more grain every day and taking away a little of the hay or grass. You can also help to introduce a new population of bugs by giving your animal probiotics.

     Another common problem I see is animals not getting enough water. The bugs in the rumen need water to do their digestive work. Some like to be on the surface of the rumen fluid and others down below. If an animal becomes dehydrated, some of the bugs can begin to die, again leading to more troubles. Be sure animals have access to good, clean water at all times.

     The last thing to remember is be consistent in your feeding. The bugs do not have long lives and cannot wait long periods to be fed. And they cannot handle a sudden increase in feed either. You need to be consistent in your feedings. Feed the correct amount of feed twice daily at intervals that are 8 to 12 hours apart. If you run out of feed and miss a feeding, do not double up on the next one. It can create the same problems as a sudden change in feed. If you need to be gone, do not feed too quickly between feedings. Try and find someone to feed for you at your normal time. They may need the same help in the future, so you can trade this chore out.

Remember, take care of those bugs who are taking care of your animals.

Scott Stinnett
Extension Agent
Kit Carson County
Golden Plains Area
Colorado State University Extension  

Sock'em

     If you have been to a sheep or goat show, you have seen those animals wearing various forms of coverings. They are called socks, tubes, blankets, sheets, and slinkys. Each of these different type of coverings can serve a different purpose or can be used together.

     So why do we use them? The main reason is because with market lambs and goats, we shear their wool or hair off. This removes the natural layer of warmth and protection they have to better show off their muscling. And since we remove the wool and hair, we need to replace it with layers to help protect them.

     Starting with the lightest, we can use a sheet on hot days to protect their skin from sunburn, biting insects and if we are getting ready to go into the show ring, keep them clean.

Photo Credit: Sullivan Supply

     Tubes are used to help maintain body heat. For sheep, even on a warm day a tube is used to help them maintain some basic heat since they are missing their wool or hair.

Photo Credit: Sullivan Supply

     Blankets are usually made out of heavy canvas or nylon. They are used to provide warmth and protection from things that might tear or rip a tube. Blankets that cover the whole body of lambs and goats help prevent wool fungus and ringworm transfer as well. Due to removing lanolin from sheep, and goats being prone to getting fungus, full blankets can help reduce the exposure to these at shows and other times lambs and goats are exposed to new facilities and animals. 

Photo Credit: Sullivan Supply

     Layering of these coverings is not uncommon. If you are going to a winter jackpot, your sheep or goat may go in and out of various temperature ranges during the day. Think about a winter jackpot show day. In the morning you load them into a drafty trailer and go down the road for an hour or more in below freezing temperatures. To keep them warm you put on two tubes and a blanket. Once you get to the show, they get to be stalled in an indoor facility that is around 60 degrees, so they wear just the blanket to stay warm and clean. When it is time to head home in the afternoon, it is above freezing, but they still ride in the drafty trailer. A tube and a blanket go on for the ride home. One day and multiple needs for different layerings of tubes and blankets.

     Two more things to remember about coverings. First, sheep and goats grow and tubes, blankets and sheets need to fit properly. Most blankets are made to fit an animal of a certain weight and species. Sheep tend to be longer backed than goats. Goats tend to be deeper chested than sheep. A tube meant to fit a 50-75 lbs. sheep will be too long and pretty tight around the chest of a goat. A covering that does not fit properly can cause problems. I have seen animals get their legs caught in the straps of blankets that were too big. Ones that are too small usually leave the animal's rump exposed. It would be like sleeping on a cold night without a big enough blanket. Even though part of your body is covered, you will be cold because not all of you is covered.

     Second thing to remember is although a sheep or goat can only wear a couple of layers at once, they do get dirty. Have multiple tubes and blankets available. When you take off a dirty one, immediately put on a clean one. Most tubes, blankets and sheets can be cleaned in a washing machine with mild detergent.

I hope this helps you sort out the uses for the various coverings for sheep and goats.

Thanks to J.D. Sexton, 4-H Livestock and Agriculture Agent in Logan County, Colorado for his input on this post.


Scott Stinnett
Extension Associate
Kit Carson County
Golden Plains Area
Colorado State University Extension

From the Ground Up

     When it comes to the ability of livestock to move and function, structure starts on the ground with the hooves. Taking care of the hooves is as important as taking care of any other part of the body. Each species has its own individual needs for hoof care, but there are some universals to all species.

     To properly care for a hoof it is important to understand what a hoof is. Cattle, sheep, goats, and horses travel on their hooves which are made of a substance called keratin. It is same stuff that makes up our human finger and toe nails, but is thick enough to bare the weight of the animal.

     The hoof is a living tissue and continually grows. It needs proper nutrition to grow.  Proper nutrition starts with a balanced ration. A ration with proper amounts of protein, energy, vitamins and minerals will keep the hoof growing.

     Hooves also need proper maintenance. Being a living tissue, the growing hoof needs to be trimmed like human nails. A hoof that has grown too long can cause the animal to have problems walking, create lameness or give a place for infections to occur. Livestock that live in pastures with very sandy or rocky areas can keep their hooves trimmed just by walking. The sand and rocks will naturally grind and sand the hooves down to a proper length. Livestock kept on other types of pastures, in pens or stalls will need to have their hooves trimmed.

     Sheep and goats can be easily trimmed by the owner. A little education and a sharp pair of hoof trimmers is all that is needed to keep hooves the proper length. Trimming away the excess hoof wall is the main focus. Excess hoof wall can either roll under the hoof or turn out. Rolled under hoof wall can hold dirt and manure, making a great place for an infection or hoof rot to start. Turned out hoof walls tend to split. These splits can continue up the hoof and become cracks in the hoof wall, and another place for infections to enter the foot. Trimming is the easiest way to prevent having these problems.

    Horse hooves can be trimmed by the owner, if they are knowledgeable, or by a professional farrier. Trimming horse hooves requires a few more tools than sheep and goats. The hooves must be trimmed correctly so the weight of the horse is distributed across the whole hoof. Trimming can be used to help correct minor problems of structure due to unevenness of the hoof as well. This should be done by a professional farrier. Many horses also receive horse shoes. Shoes do many things for a horse's hoof and foot. It provides protection from unnatural surfaces like concrete and asphalt, it helps to distribute extra weight of a rider, and helps give the horse better traction for moving and stopping.

     Cattle hooves are usually the most difficult to trim. Most beef cattle never have their feet trimmed, but when they do, it requires the use of a hoof trimming table. The hoof trimming table is like a squeeze chute mounted on a giant hinge. Cattle walk into the table, have their neck and side secured and then the table is tilted laying the animal gently on its side. This allows a professional hoof trimmer to trim their feet easily. Dairy cattle may need their hooves trimmed often due to being kept in pens or on concrete.

Photo Credit: Berkelmans Welding



      No matter the species, keeping hooves in good condition requires some observation. Hooves need to maintain a certain amount of moisture. Dry hooves tend to split or crack. Using hoof conditioners and dressings can help to maintain moisture. On the other hand, wet hooves become very soft. Wet hooves are usually caused by animals standing in wet or muddy conditions for several hours a day. Providing a dry place for them to stand and let their hooves dry is the best practice.

     The main point is you need to take care of their hooves. All their weight is being carried on these sensitive structures. Any damage or injury can cause them pain, lameness and limit their desire to travel.


Here are some additional resources:

Basic Horse Hoof Care - eXtension.org
Goat Basic Hoof Care - eXtension.org



Scott Stinnett
Extension Associate
Kit Carson County
Golden Plains Area
Colorado State University Extension

Biosecurity at Home

     We have all heard the term Biosecurity. Simply put, it is how you keep animals safe from outside diseases. The most biosecure farms have what are called closed herds or flocks, meaning they own all the breeding stock and animals are sold off the farm, but no new animals are usually brought onto the farm. They may even require trucks, trailers and people to be washed before they enter the farm or a barn. This level of precaution may be a little overboard for a 4-H or FFA project, but there are some simple things you can do to provide some biosecurity of your own.

     Every year we do things that are not the best for biosecurity. We buy and bring in new project animals from different locations. It might be just one or two animals from your favorite breeder or multiple animals from many different breeders or livestock sales. You may not even bring an animal home, but you go to a farm and look at ones to buy, or go to a sale to see people and what animals are selling for. You may like going to jackpot shows. It is a good place for you to work on your showmanship and get your animals adjusted to a show ring, but you are also mixing with a lot of other animals.

     All these practices could be bad for your biosecurity. How? There are micro-organisms that cause diseases called pathogens. They include bacteria, viruses and fungi. (We will make it easy and refer to them as germs.) Your job is to try and prevent these germs from making it on to your place and to your animals. Here are some tips to improve your biosecurity.
    

At Home Biosecurity

     Clothing

• Wear work/chore clothes and shoes that have never left home and wash them often, too. These clothes will only have the germs that are on your farm on them.
• Change clothes immediately after visiting another farm or livestock sale before heading out to see your animals or do chores. You may have brought back new germs from these places.
• Wash all clothing that has gone to a another farm, sale or to a show. This includes cleaning shoes. You may not know it, but germs and things like a little urine and manure from that other place may have hitched a ride home.
• Have visitors to your place wear plastic disposable booties over shoes or walk through a disinfecting foot bath. Shoes can hide nasty germs in the dirt, bedding or manure that gets stuck on the bottom of a shoe.

     Pens, Equipment and Tack

• Clean pens at least daily. Remove all manure and any soiled bedding. If animals are on concrete, rinse the urine off as well. Germs love to hide in urine and manure.
• Clean feeders and water sources often or when they appear dirty. Old feed and unclean water can be a great place for germs to grow.
• Clean up spilled feed to prevent birds and rodents from being attracted. They can bring in some nasty germs.
• Clean and disinfect pens after a project animals has left for good and before a new animal is introduced to the pen. There could be some nasty germs waiting to greet you new animals. 
• Clean and disinfect any tack or equipment that has left your place. Nasty germs may be hiding on it waiting to get on your animals.
• Clean out, wash out with soap and disinfect a trailer after going to a sale or show.

     Animals

• Quarantine animals who are new or have been to a show until time has passed and they do not show signs of illness before putting with other animals.
• Wash animals immediately after a show (especially lambs and goats which could have picked up wool fungus or ringworm) before putting them into their home pens.
• Have individual feeders and water sources. Sharing of germs is not caring.
• If you suspect you have a sick animal, contact your vet (the one you have a relationship with) ASAP for their professional opinion.

     Biosecurity is the responsibility of the livestock owner. You are in charge of setting up a line of defense to prevent these unwanted germs from bringing disease to your animals. If you find you are having trouble keeping animals healthy, remember your best resource is your veterinarian. They have the expert training and knowledge in animal health.

Thanks to Phillips County Colorado 4-H Agent Kindra Plumb, Yuma County Colorado 4-H Agent JoLynn Midcap and Morgan County Colorado Livestock Agent JD Sexton for their input on this post.


Scott Stinnett
Extension Associate
Kit Carson County
Golden Plains Area
Colorado State University Extension

The Most Important Piece of Equipment

    In livestock production, there are several tools that are used to raise and produce animals. There are water hoses, clippers, blow dryers, chutes, stands, halters, combs, brushes and many other pieces of tack and equipment.

     Of all the pieces of equipment, the ones that should be used and paid the most attention are the humble scales. That's right, the scales can tell us more about how your livestock project is doing than any other piece of equipment. Sure you may think halters, grooming equipment and other pieces of tack can make a big difference in your project, but a scale never lies about what is going on with your project.

     There are two scales every livestock project should have available: scales for livestock and scales for feed. I am not saying you need to spend a lot of money and everybody needs to own these scales, but you should find a set you can use or borrow. Livestock scales may be a community or group asset. They might be available at your county fairgrounds, sale barn, feed store, 4-H club or FFA Chapter. You do not need to use livestock scales everyday, but once a week, every two weeks or monthly can provide you valuable information about how your animal is gaining (or not).

     Small feed scales will help you track your inputs. You might use these every time you start building your feed ration for a single feeding. I would advise you to use the scales at least every time you make a change in your feed amounts. They are most important when you start mixing feed with additives and supplements. You may build a much larger ration than you thought without scales.

      So why are scales important beyond just giving you a weight for your animal or feed ration? The information from these scales can be used to formulate important data to help in your management of your livestock project. Here are some examples

Ration Amounts

     For most livestock, a proper amount of ration is 3% to 5% of their body weight. If you weigh your pig and her weight is 150 lbs. and you need to feed 3% of her weight per day, then do the math:

 

 (150 lbs. X 3% ) ➗ 100 = 4.5 lbs. of feed per day

    

     This means if you feed twice (2) times a day you need to get your feed scales and weigh out 2.25lbs of feed for each ration. This way you will feed her 2.25 lbs. in the morning and 2.25 lbs. in the evening for a total of 4.5 lbs. per day.

Rate of Gain

     A rate of gain is the daily average of weight gained by your animal over a period of time. This can vary as an animal grows. At steer nominations for your county fair, your steer weighs 850 lbs. You want your steer to weigh 1375 lbs. at the fair in 150 days. What is your desired rate of gain? Let's do the math:

(Desired weight 1375 lbs. - Starting weight, 850 lbs.)  ➗ 150 days = 3.5 lbs. per day

      Now you know your desired rate of gain, you could weigh your steer every 30 days to see how they are doing.

     Day 30      Weighed 935 lbs.     

 Rate of gain = (935 lbs. - 850 lbs.) ➗ 30 days = 2.8 lbs. per day

 

     Day 60      Weighed 1023 lbs.    

Rate of gain = (1023 lbs. - 935 lbs.) ➗ 30 days = 2.9 lbs. per day

 

     Day 90      Weighed 1128 lbs.    

Rate of gain = (1128 lbs. - 1023 lbs.) ➗ 30 days = 3.5 lbs. per day

 

     Day 120    Weighed 1242 lbs.    

Rate of gain = (1242 lbs. - 1128 lbs.) ➗ 30 days = 3.8 lbs. per day

 

     Day 150    Weighed 1370 lbs.    

Rate of gain = (1370 lbs. - 1242 lbs.) ➗ 30 days = 4.3 lbs. per day

 

     Total Rate of Gain (1370 lbs. - 850 lbs.) ➗ 150 days = 3.46 lbs. per day

Administering Medication

     Your sheep is sick and the vet gives you medication. You should give it at a rate of 2cc per 50lbs. of body weight each day for 5 days. How much should you be giving? Do the math.

(Sheep weighed 150 lbs. ➗ 50 lbs.) X 2cc of medication = 6cc of medication per day

     Knowing weights is an important part of the proper management of a livestock project. With the weights you can formulate other data. Without using scales, all you can do is guess and wait to be surprised at the end result.


Scott Stinnett
Extension Associate
Kit Carson County
Golden Plains Area
Colorado State University Extension