Sheep and Goat Production

Sheep and Goat Production

Discussing current topics in Ontario sheep and goat production

All posts tagged sheep health

Managing Rams for a Successful Breeding Season

Posted on Author Delma KennedyPosted in Health & Nutrition, ReproductionLeave a Reply

The ram is the most important member of the flock, yet he does not always get the attention he deserves. Good ram management can determine the success of your breeding program and ensure a profitable lamb crop. Sperm production in rams takes 49 days, therefore it is important to remember that you will not see the effects of any management changes for almost 7-8 weeks. You’ll want to ensure rams are well looked after in the two month period leading up to the breeding season as it will have a direct effect on the quality of sperm and fertility of the ram. Testicle size is a good indicator of a ram’s sperm producing ability, which can be assessed using scrotal circumference.…

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Ontario Animal Health Network (OAHN)—Small Ruminant Network Producer Report (4th quarter)

Posted on Author Delma KennedyPosted in Health & NutritionLeave a Reply

The Ontario Animal Health Network is a program focusing on early disease detection so as to identify trends in animal health issues. Information was obtained from a quarterly survey of practicing veterinarians and laboratory data from the Animal Health Laboratory. It is the intent of this program to improve the health of small ruminants in Ontario. The top 3 diseases or issues of concern for both sheep and goats for October 1 – December 31, 2014 were: Young stock (<1 year old):                      Adult stock (>1 year old): ▪ pneumonia                                           ▪ abortion ▪ coccidiosis                                            ▪ caseous lymphadenitis ▪ cryptosporidiosis                                   ▪ listeriosis The full report is available by clicking on this link:        OAHN SR Producer report Q4 2014-FINAL  

Preliminary Findings of Ontario Q-Fever Research Project

Posted on Author Delma KennedyPosted in Health & NutritionLeave a Reply

Ontario research has found that Q-Fever is present on sheep and goat farms in Ontario.  Q-Fever is a reportable disease in humans in Ontario.  More information about Q-Fever can be found on the Ministry of Agriculture and Food website in the form of two factsheets.  The first is an explanation of the basics of Q-Fever. The second factsheet contains common questions and answers about Q-Fever. The following is a brief summary of the Ontario Q-Fever research project handed out at the Small Ruminant Research Day on January 31, 2013. SEROPREVALENCE OF Q FEVER (COXIELLA BURNETII) AND ASSOCIATED RISK FACTORS IN ONTARIO SHEEP FLOCKS, GOAT HERDS AND THEIR FARM WORKERS RESEARCHERS AND AFFILIATIONS Shannon Meadows(1), Paula Menzies(1), Andria Jones Bitton(1), Scott…

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