Sheep and Goat Production

Sheep and Goat Production

Discussing current topics in Ontario sheep and goat production

All posts in 2016

Reduce the Risk of a Barn Fire

Posted on Author Marlene Paibomesai, Dairy Specialist, OMAFRAPosted in Housing, Risk PreventionLeave a Reply

Did you know? Faulty electrical systems cause approximately 40 per cent of barn fires with a determined cause, making it one of the leading known causes of barn fires. What can you do? Regular inspections and maintenance are key to reducing the risk of a barn fire. We recommend that you work with a professional to inspect and monitor your farm buildings. Have your buildings inspected and maintained regularly by a licensed electrical contractor. Develop a preventative maintenance and housekeeping schedule. Work with a professional to monitor the heat conditions of your barn using infrared technologies. Work with your local fire department and insurance company to identify problem areas on your farm, and fix any problem areas identified. Have a…

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Call Before You Cut!

Posted on Author Marlene Paibomesai, Dairy Specialist, OMAFRAPosted in Business, Laws & PermitsLeave a Reply

Municipalities are responsible for developing their own by-laws. Your municipality may have passed by-laws that determine if you can remove a tree from your land or woodlot. These by-laws may include conditions that affect how you carry out the work, including the need for a qualified professional and/or a permit to complete the work. Tree protection by-laws and the requirement for permits, including the types of conditions within them, can differ between municipalities. Save yourself from costly fines or legal fees – talk to your municipality first before removing trees. In areas where there is an upper-tier municipality, you may need to talk to both the upper-tier and the lower- tier municipality. Municipal authority for tree protection by-laws is outlined…

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Nutrient Application: Timing Matters

Posted on Author Marlene Paibomesai, Dairy Specialist, OMAFRAPosted in Health & NutritionLeave a Reply

There’s a right time for everything. Every year, the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) receives calls about winter spreading. Long, cold winters that come after a wet fall and/or late harvest tend to make winter spreading more common. However, spreading on frozen or snow covered ground, on saturated soil or before major rain events is not a good practice, even if storages are full. Spreading at the wrong time increases the likelihood of nutrient loss and runoff. Nutrient runoff not only pollutes lakes and rivers, it can also decrease your profits. Lost nutrients have to be replaced from another source, and additional commercial fertilizers cost money. Instead, apply at the best possible time to increase your…

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Looking for information on agri-tourism or direct farm marketing?

Posted on Author ONswinePosted in BusinessLeave a Reply

Developing an Agri-Tourism Operation in Ontario Are you interested in opening your farm to the public? Does your farm have the potential to integrate agri-tourism into the business? This factsheet on agri-tourism discusses what it takes to run an agri-tourism operation, how to define your target market, and the first steps in marketing your business.  Developing a Marketing Plan If you are looking for information on how to develop a marketing plan or have ever wondered if a marketing plan is necessary, the newly updated Developing a Marketing Plan factsheet is a must-read.  Direct Farm Marketing in Ontario- A Primer Have you ever wanted to shift gears and become a price maker, not a price taker? Does direct farm marketing…

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Ag-Waste Recycling

Posted on Author Delma KennedyPosted in UncategorizedLeave a Reply

Are you waste wise? Disposing of non-nutrient agricultural waste responsibly needs to be a year-round effort. Burning and burying non-nutrient agricultural waste can pollute the air, contaminate water and can have other potential harmful impacts on the environment, which can harm people and livestock. Consider recycling or reusing your waste instead – recycling and reuse not only lowers your dump costs, it can also help you keep your property waste-free, and protects your soil and local drinking water supplies. Not sure where to start? See CleanFARMS’ Guide to Recycling Non-Nutrient Agricultural Waste in Ontario for ways to reduce the amount of agricultural waste going to landfill. There are different programs and resources in Ontario that can help you dispose of your…

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Dispose of Your Unwanted/Obsolete Pesticides for FREE, Sept 20-30th. Don’t miss it!

Posted on Author ONswinePosted in BusinessLeave a Reply

The CleanFARMS pesticide collection campaign is coming to Ontario again in 2016.  This program will not be run in Ontario again until 2019, so take advantage of this opportunity. Read below for more details. Farmers can safely dispose of unwanted or obsolete agricultural pesticides at specific locations across Ontario. This program is free of charge to farmers. It runs from September 20-30, 2016.  Check out the CleanFARMS website to find the location nearest you. Collection sites will only be accepting targeted products from 9 AM to 4 PM at each location. Obsolete or unwanted agricultural pesticides should be identified with a Pest Control Product number on the label. This program offers farmers an environmentally responsible way to dispose of old or unwanted product. It is…

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Invest in a Handling Facility

Posted on Author Jillian CraigPosted in HousingLeave a Reply

If you currently do not have a handling facility, you need to seriously question why you have not invested in one. Handling facilities are essential if producers expect to find any savings in labour and efficiencies in the management of their sheep. Handling facilities will: Save labour Reduce stress for the sheep and operator Ensure jobs get done when they need to Take advantage of sheep behaviour Sheep will move willingly through the system Some factors which should be taken into consideration if you are building or purchasing one include: The best location for the facilities (should be the centre point of your operation) How large of group the facility will need to handle (plan for expansion) How much labour…

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Ontario Animal Health Network (OAHN) Small Ruminant 2016 Q2 Report

Posted on Author Delma KennedyPosted in Health & NutritionLeave a Reply

The latest Ontario Animal Health Network (OAHN) small ruminant report is now available.  It includes the Q2 surveillance summary based on clinical issues seen by Ontario veterinarians as well as articles on nitrate poisoning and toxic plants.  Select the link to read the report:   OAHN Q2 2016 Small Ruminant Producer Report_FINAL

Utilizing Moisture Stressed Corn as Feed

Posted on Author Delma KennedyPosted in ForageLeave a Reply

This post was written by Thomas Ferguson, Forage and Grazier Specialist, OMAFRA.  It was originally posted on Field Crop News August 18, 2016. With the dry weather this year and low forage yields across much of the province, many producers are looking for alternative forages. There is a lot of stressed corn that could be utilized as forage for livestock.  The amount of moisture stress that the corn has been through can affect the quality of the silage and there can be great variability between fields and even within a field.  In fields that were dry during tasseling or pollination and have reduced grain fill, the energy content of the silage will be reduced but forage quality should remain constant. …

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Predation Tools

Posted on Author Jillian CraigPosted in PredationLeave a Reply

When faced with the on-going threat of predation to your flock some proactive steps can be implemented. It should be noted that even with the best prevention strategies in place, predation can and/or will still occur. When considering prevention practices, it is important to consider the level of predation (for example, the dollar value of loss), time of year, location, past history, cost of each predation prevention strategy, and the amount of protection offered. Results of an Ontario survey conducted in 2011 to determine current use of predation prevention tools found that the majority of respondents (153/169) indicated they were currently using predation prevention tools. Some respondents who indicated that they were not using prevention tools did however state the…

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