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Caprine
refers to animals in the goat family
ovine
refers to animals in the sheep family
kid
immautre goat
lamb
a sheep less than one year in age
wether
a castrated male goat or sheep
doe
a female goat
buck
a sexually mature intact male goat
ram
a sexually mature intact male sheep
Fecal egg count
a measure of internal parasite burden in ruminants
parasite resistance
the ability of parasites to survive and reproduce despite exposure to antithelminit ctreatments
shearing
the act of cutting the wool off
gestation of sheep
144-152 days
gestation of goats
147-155 days
lambing
lambs are born between january and may, typically mid-March
kidding
late february - early april
breeding
september - january
when are ewes first mated
7-19 months
when are goats first mated
6-9 months, 60-65% mature weight
weaning
60-90 days
post-weaning
30-50 days, ewes are sorted and market ewes culled, growing and finishing ration fed
market lambs
100-110 lbs
market goats
60-110 lbs
Origins of domesticated sheep
primary ancestor = mouflon, came with introduction of agro-pastroalism 6,000 years ago, first livestock species to be domesticated
How are sheep classified
by ratio of wool and hair, all domesticated sheep breeds have wool and hair
Dairy goats
Alpine, Nubian, LaMancha, Oberhasli, Toggenburg
Meat goats
Boer (most popular), Spanish, Myotonic (fainting goat), Savanna, Kiko
Which countries have the most sheep
China, India, Australia, UK
Which states have the most sheep
Texas, wyoming, utah
Top wool producers
China, UK/Britian
Top small ruminant meat producers
china, india, pakistan
Top sheep meat consumption countries
new zealand, australia, UK
What are the majority of goats raised for
meat
Why have we turned away from wool sheep
decrease in textile industry and increased labor related to shearing
How is lamb meat evaluated
yield grade based on backfat, quality grades - muscling
What are the different quality grades for lamb meat
prime (best), choice, good, utility (poor)
Lamb meat maturity
determined by the prescence of break/spool joint, young bones have soft growth plate
Grazers
sheep, eat mostly grass, legumes, and forages
Forbs
broad-leaf flowering plants other than grass, sheep prefer, highly nutritious
Grazing diet
60% grass, 30% forbs, 10% browze
Browsers
goats, preference for woody plants, weed and brush control, prefer browsing brush above shoulder-height
Browzing diet
20% grass, 20% forbs, 60% browse
Anatomy of browsers
prehensile lips, longer tounge, narrow muzle, larger liver for detoxifying plants
Anatomy of grazers
shorter, fatter, more blunt tounge, split upper lip
internal aprasites
barber's pole worm, coccidia
External aparsites
live, ticks, sheep keds, flies, biting midges, bot fly
Parasite life cycle
larvae develop from immature to mature in stomach/intestine, female lays eggs, eggs pass in feces, eggs hatch, larvae develop to infective stage and migrate to grass, grazing sheep ingest larvae
How long can it take for parasites to go from egg to infective stage
as little as 6 days
FAMCHA
created to identify anemic animals
anemia
resulting often from parasite burden
Indications of parasite load
anemia, weight loss, intake will go down, isolated stock, lethargic, decrease wool or meat production, decrease milk production, skinny/lethargic lambs
What is the biggest factor in dealing with parasites
management
Preventing parasites
graxing management (rotational, manure management), seasonal management, hay management
seasonal management
larva can survive 120 days (cool and moist), parasites die quickly when it is hot and dry
Hay management
harvesting pastures opens up areas to heat and sunlight which kills parasites, leave stands of grass less than 4 inches
treating parasites
deworming (ivermectin, safe-guard, cydectin, valbazen)
What causes resistence with parasites
over-utilizing dewormers, under-treating animals, superworms
4-6 weeks before lambing/kidding
vaccinate with CDT, check FAMACHA score (uses eyes), deworm (internal and external), copper bolus for goats, check feet/hoof
What happens 30 days prior to lambing/kidding
udder begins to drop
3-7 days before lambing/kidding
trim wool off rear end (crutching), check feet/hoof trim, move into individual housing
Sheep reproduction
seasonally polyestrous, 16-17 day cycle, in estrus for 30 hours
When should you breed sheep
12-18 hours after estrus
Why are dorsets unique when it comes to reproduction
they can lamb out of season
goat reproduction
seasonally polyestrous, 18-24 day cycle, in estrus for 36 hours
When to breed goats
12-36 hours after estrus onset
Seasonally polyestrus
shorter duration of daylight in fall months, melatonin drives estrus, peak fertility september to november
What type of seasonally polyestrus are sheep and goats
short day
What are ways to breed goats
hand mating, pen breeding, artifical insemination, out-of-season breeding
breeding sheep
ram bred, laparoscopic artifical insemination
Shearing
put sheep on rump, put thumb in mouth, pull wool tight, try to remove in one piece
Hair sheep
mouflon (shed annually), have improved parasite resistance
What is the single largest cost associated with raising small ruminants
feed (60%)
what does nutrition impact
reproduction, milk production, meat production, lamb/kid development
What will inadqueate nutrition lead to
animals that are more prone to disease, decreased parasite resistance, and failure to reach genetic potential
What is the most limiting nutrient
energy
What is the most expensive nutrient
protein
Why is fiber needed
to maintain a healthy rumen
What is the cheapest feed ingredient
water
Maintenance
energy needed to maintain body weight, basal metabolic function, and energy equilibrium - fluctate for individuals and based on environmental conditions
Breeding
ewes get 10% increase in nutrient requriements
early gestation
ewe nutrient requirements jump 43%
Late gestation
ewe experiences deficiencies in energy and calcium requirements double, SE and vit e are critical
lactation
requires the highest nutrient demands, high quality and yeilding forages
chronic Copper toxicosis
most common type in sheep, cu accumulates in the liver cauing heptic necrosis, and is released into bloodstream, red blood cell damage, kidney daage, degeneration of whtie matter in brain, death
acute copper toxicosis
oral exposure to cu, gi irritation, necrosis and mucosal erosion, overload of cu binding proteins, early death is due to hepatic insufficiency, alte death due to renal failure
Signs of copper toxicity in sheep
depression, weakness, anorexia, reddish brown/dark urine, excessive thirst, teeth grinding
treatment of copper toxicity
cu antagonists (Mo and S), fluid thrapy, blood transfusion - poor success rate
Foot/Hoof rot
caused by fusobacterium necrophorum, more severe in sheep
symptoms of foot/hoof rot
lameness, reduced weight gain, decreased milk, decreased reproduction
treatment and prevention of hoof rot
hoof trim, dry/sanitary bedding, foot baths in zinc sulfate, copper sulfate
Most absorbant bedding
hay
produciton system for small ruminants
traditional and pole and open-sided barn (expensive), hoop house/carport shelter/wind breaks/port-a-hut (cheaper)
Factors affecting housing
location, accessibility, ventlation
How does location impact housing
elevated, well-draining, wind protection
hwo does accesibility impact housing
manure management, trucking, deliveries, electricity access, water access
how does ventiliation impact housing
air flow, ammonia smell, cold tolerant
pros and cons of housing
higher lamb % in confinement, lower nutrutional demand, higher respiratory complications
Keepign sheep outside year round
have increased ventilation and exercise, cleaner fleece, decreased feeding costs, no barn upkeep
Where are Merino sheep primarily located?
Australia, South Africa, South America, US
When was the Merino sheep breed introduced?
12th century
What type of wool do Merino sheep produce?
Fine wool