Sheep and Goat Production

Sheep and Goat Production

Discussing current topics in Ontario sheep and goat production

All posts in Sheep

Now a Good Time to Think About Your Pasture

Posted on Author ONswinePosted in ForageLeave a Reply

The snow can’t last much longer so now is a good time to start thinking about maximizing the performance from your pasture. The OMAFRA Pasture Production publication provides information on improving pastures, including species selection, fertility, rejuvenation and renovation, weed control, grazing systems, fencing and watering.  A free download is available or you can purchase a copy for $10 from ServiceOntario Publications.

Colostrum Requirements for Lambs

Posted on Author Jillian CraigPosted in Health & NutritionLeave a Reply

Spring lambing is quickly approaching. Ideally, a lamb should receive 50 ml per kg of bodyweight of its own mother’s colostrum, within 1 hour of birth. Additionally, 150 ml per kg spread over three more feedings within the first 24 hours of life should be provided.  If you do ‘inherit’ some bottle babies, the total daily feeding rate should be no more than 10% of a lamb’s own body weight, and in as many as four feedings per day. Appropriate feeding frequencies at a given age are listed below. Recommended feed source, and frequency of milk replacement (M.R.) feeding for lambs from birth to weaning Age (days) Feed Source M.R. Frequency 0 -24 hr. Colostrum 4 to 5 times* 1 –…

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The Ontario Office of the Fire Marshal and Emergency Management estimates that barn fires cost Ontario farmers more than $25 million per year (2012-2014 average)

Posted on Author Delma KennedyPosted in Housing, Risk Prevention, StatisticsLeave a Reply

Do you know what to do in the event of a farm emergency? Do you know what to do if you have deadstock to manage? Barn fires, natural disasters, equipment failures and diseases are devastating events for farmers, their families and workers, and the neighbouring community. Planning ahead to reduce risks, and preventing accidents with a safe operation will help to protect employees, family members and animals. Emergency events can cause substantial loss to a farm operation and create unique challenges for farmers, including disposing of large volumes of deadstock. The Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) has a regulation that gives you options for deadstock management. These options help to protect water quality, reduce environmental impacts…

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Preventing Barn Fires Resources

Posted on Author ONswinePosted in HousingLeave a Reply

The recent number of barn fires involving livestock in Ontario has many people thinking about fire prevention. Food and Farm Care Ontario has a number of resources on their website (Food and Farm Care) for livestock producers and first responders on preventing barn fires and dealing with the aftermath of a fire.  These include the OMAFRA’s Reducing the Risk of Fire on Farm. 

Reducing the Risk of Barn Fires Publication from OMAFRA

Posted on Author ONswinePosted in HousingLeave a Reply

Recent barn fires in Ontario remind us how important it is to check for fire hazards in our barns. OMAFRA Publication 837 Reducing the Risk of Fire on your Farm discusses leading causes of barn fires, ways to prevent fires and things you can do to reduce the impact of barn fires for all species of livestock.

Results of the 2015 Lamb Feeding Questionnaire

Posted on Author Delma KennedyPosted in AnnouncementsLeave a Reply

The 2015 Lamb Feeding Questionnaire was circulated to the Ontario Sheep Marketing Agency (OSMA) email list and the Large Flock Operator email list. This questionnaire was developed to collect information on how Ontario sheep producers feed lambs to direct our talks at the Sheep Seminars and to evaluate the need for extension resources related to lamb feeding. The response to the survey was excellent with a total of 106 surveys started and 97 fully completed. The average flock size of those participating was 338 ewes with representation from all sizes of operations. Almost all participants were raising lambs born from ewes on their own farm with a focus on meat production. Producers responding to the survey represent about 79,000 market…

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Rodent Control on Sheep Farms

Posted on Author ONswinePosted in Health & Nutrition, HousingLeave a Reply

Rats and mice have long been a problem on farms where food and nesting sites are plentiful. These animals consume and contaminate food destined for livestock and other animals, as well as humans. Mice and rats have tremendous breeding potential. Under ideal conditions, a pair of rats and their offspring can produce 20 000 000 young in three years. Controlling rodents is therefore a high priority for livestock producers. The OMAFRA fact sheet, “Rodent Control in Livestock and Poultry Facilities,” provides information about rodents on farms and what you can do to control them.

Use Sheep Behaviour to Your Advantage When Designing Handling Facilities

Posted on Author ONswinePosted in Business, Health & Nutrition, HousingLeave a Reply

Sheep handling in “make-do” pens is not only hard, difficult work, it is outright unpleasant. As a result, important jobs like vaccinating and deworming are often delayed or not done at all. Well-designed sheep handling facilities are essential to a successful sheep production operation. Few other investments will create such labour efficiencies and savings. Most producers will only build, or purchase, one handling facility in their lifetime, so planning is essential. Incorporate existing paddocks, laneways and barnyards into the handling system to allow for ample space when the flock is held in the yards for long periods of time. Sheep need to move smoothly between these areas with a minimum of fuss. To achieve this, a producer needs to understand…

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How Good is Your Rodent Control?

Posted on Author ONswinePosted in Health & NutritionLeave a Reply

Rats and mice have long been a problem on farms where food and nesting sites are plentiful. These animals consume and contaminate food destined for livestock and other animals, as well as humans. Each rat on a farm will eat, spoil or damage approximately $25 worth of grain per year. The adaptability and agility of these animals make getting rid of them particularly difficult. Mice are capable of running up a vertical surface, negotiating a wire like the finest circus performer and can easily jump to a height of 30 cm (12 in.) from a flat surface. Its worth reviewing how effective your rodent control is. Read more in Rodent Control in Livestock and Poultry Facilities

Ideas for Shearing Facility Design and Shearing in Ontario

Posted on Author ONswinePosted in BusinessLeave a Reply

Wool production is a year-long process. Yet it is during harvesting – a process that takes a matter of minutes – that quality is often adversely affected. Preparing your facilities and flock properly for shearing will make the job much easier and ensure quality does not suffer. Producers often assume that the shearer knows the best procedure for wool handling and preparation. However, it is the producer’s responsibility to make sure that animal handling is optimized and ensure buyers get the high-quality wool they desire. A number of factors go into designing and constructing a shearing facility that is effective for both workers and sheep. Read more in the OMAFRA factsheet Shearing Facility Design and Shearing in Ontario.