Wild & Woolly Spring 2014

Wild & Woolly

INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Research from the Southern Section of the American Science

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Scrapie Update

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Goat Twilight Tour & Tasting

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US Sheep, Goat Inventory Declines

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Webinar Recordings: Sheep & Goat Health

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Accepting Nominations for 2014 Goat Test

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Pen vs. Pasture Study Funded for Third Year

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New Extension Director

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Herbal De-wormer Fails to Control Parasites

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Preparing for Ethnic Holidays

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New Resources from NCAT/ATTRA

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New Product: Electric Hoof Knife

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Junior Sheep & Goat Skillathon

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MPWV Spring Educational Conference

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V O L U M E

Recipe: Grilled Lamb Sirloin

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Abomasal Bloat

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Calendar of Events

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The University of Maryland Extension programs are open to any person and will not discriminate against anyone because of race, age, sex, color, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, religion, ancestry, national origin, marital status, genetic information, political affiliation, and gender identity or expression.

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Breeding Better Sheep and Goats The National Sheep Improvement Program (NSIP) is a quantitative genetic selection tool designed to help sheep and goat producers make better breeding decisions.

NSIP is in the business of calculating EBVs and helping producers use EBVs to their best advantage. EBV is the acronym for “estimated breeding value.” An EBV estimates the genetic worth of an animal. It is a description of an animal’s performance as compared to the average of the flock or breed. It predicts future performance of offspring.

What is an EBV? EBVs can be calculated for any trait that can be measured or scored. A variety of EBVs are calculated for sheep and goats. EBVs are usually separated into trait categories, such as growth, reproduction, carcass, and wool.

An EBV can also be calculated for disease resistant traits, such as fecal egg counts (parasite resistance).

EBVs are calculated using a computational procedure known as BLUP (Best Linear Unbiased Prediction). Because BLUP takes environmental influences into account, EBVs can be compared across flocks, so long as they are genetically-linked.

At the farm level, differences in management are accounted for by comparing animals in the same contemporary group. A contemporary group is a group of animals, of similar age, that are fed and managed the same. Large contemporary groups improve the accuracy of EBVs. For small flock owners, the size of contemporary groups is a limiting factor.

Selection indexes simplify EBVs by combining numerous traits into one number. What traits to include in the selection index and the weight to apply to each trait depends upon the importance of the trait(s) to the breed or production system. For example, the selection index for a maternal breed is very different than the selection index for a terminal sire breed.

Estimated breeding values are calculated from the animal’s own performance, performance from genetically-related traits, and performance of relatives for those traits. The accuracy of EBVs is influenced by several factors, but improves with genetic linkages.

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National Webinar Series: NSIP The NSIP Relaunch Committee will be holding a series of webinars in May and June to teach sheep and goat producers about the National Sheep Improvement Program (NSIP).

NSIP is a quantitative genetic selection tool designed to help sheep and goat producers make good breeding decisions.

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Research form the Southern Section of the American Society of Animal Science

Vaginal Insemination (image by Virginia State University)

 Researchers at Virginia State University supplemented hair sheep (St. Croix and Barbados Blackbelly) lambs grazing MaxQ® tall fescue pastures with soy hulls at 0, 1, 2 or 3% of their body weight (BW).

Body weights and average daily gain (ADG) increased linearly with increasing levels of soy hull supplementation. After 80 days, the lambs consuming 3% soy hulls were approximately 18.5 lbs. heavier than the lambs that did not receive any supplementation. Supplementation had no effects on parasites loads, as no lambs required deworming.  Researchers at Southern University (in Louisiana) are evaluating the impact of sequential grazing on forage production (Bermuda grass pastures) and doe and kid performance. Preliminary data suggest that cattle should follow goats in an intensive rotational grazing system.  At West Virginia University, an experiment was conducted to determine the effects of three sources of protein supplementation on the growth rate of parasitized organic lambs grazing predominantly fescue pastures. Forty-five Suffolk-cross lambs were supplemented with either 1) alfalfa pellets (1.28% BW); 2) corn and soybean meal (1% BW); or 3) corn, soybean meal, and fish meal (1% BW). The results suggest that supplements containing greater rumen bypass protein (e.g. fish meal) may support higher growth. However, there were no differences in parasite loads for the lambs receiving the different protein supplements.

Recording weights for research

 Researchers at Virginia State University evaluated sire breed differences in pregnancy rate of hair sheep ewes, following vaginal insemination with liquid semen.

While pregnancy rates were lower than in previous trials, Dorset semen produced fewer pregnancies than the semen from

hair sheep (St. Croix and Barbados Blackbelly) rams.

 At Fort Valley State University (in Georgia), lambs and kids fed pelleted sericea lespedeza had lower fecal egg counts and (coccidia) oocytes counts at various times during a 21-day confinement trial. However, there were no differences in packed cell volume (PCV) and none of the lambs or kids required treatment for coccidiosis. The researchers were also evaluating the efficacy of sericea lespedeza pellets made in different years. They concluded that year may affect pellet efficacy. Sericea lespedeza has been shown to be effective at reducing barber pole worm infections in sheep and goats.  Researchers at Lincoln University (Missouri) found no differences in performance and reproduction among Katahdin ewes and fall-calving Angus cows grazing stockpiled endophyteinfected tall fescue when grazed either together or sequentially (sheep followed by cattle).  Researchers at North Carolina State University evaluated the effects of the addition of clovers to tall fescue pastures. Research plots included three replications of tall fescue mixed with ladino white clover; tall fescue mixed with red clover; tall fescue fertilized with nitrogen (N); and tall fescue with no additional N. Within each main treatment plot, there were grazed and mowed subplots. In the spring, the plots were grazed by does and their kids. In the fall the plots were grazed by wethers. Average daily gain did not differ in spring or fall, but gain per acre was higher for the clover treatments in the spring. White clover fixed more nitrogen than red clover. Unfertilized fescue had the lowest yield in the spring, whereas white clover had a lower (Continued on Page 3)

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Scrapie Update

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Goat Twilight Tour and Tasting

Sheep with Scrapie (image by Colorado State University)

The February 2014 report for the National Scrapie Eradication Program has been posted to www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_health/ animal_diseases/scrapie/downloads/monthly_report.pdf. Published by the U.S. Department of Agricultureʹs Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), the report reviews the current progress of scrapie eradication in the United States.

Since the start of Regulatory Scrapie Slaughter Surveillance (RSSS) in fiscal year (FY) 2003, there has been a 90-percent decrease in the number of positive sheep found in samples at slaughter, adjusted for face color.

As of Dec. 31, 2013, the percent of cull sheep found positive at slaughter and adjusted for face color was 0.015 percent.

On Thursday, July 31 from 5:30 p.m. until dark, there will a Goat Twilight Tour and Tasting at the University of Maryland’s Western Maryland Research & Education Center in Keedysville.

Eight source flocks (including two goat herds) and three infected flocks were designated in FY 2013. One source flock and three infected flocks have been designed in FY 2014.

In addition to wagon tours of the buck test and pen vs. pasture study, a local chef Todd Morren will prepare chevon (goat meat) in several different ways.

Before the United States may be declared ʺscrapie free,ʺ remaining cases must be found. Sheep and goats that are slaughtered outside the commercial slaughter facilities are being missed in the routine scrapie slaughter surveillance. Submission of samples from sheep/goats over 18 months of age found dead or euthanized on farms is critically important.

Without these submissions, scrapie-infected animals will go undetected, costing the sheep and goat industries anywhere from $10 million to $20 million annually.

To make sure we have enough meat for sampling, pre-registration is required for the event. You can preregister by calling the research center at (301) 432-2767 x315 or sending an e-mail to Pam Thomas at pthomas@umd.edu. The pre-registration deadline is July 24.

To learn more about submitting samples, visit www.aphis.usda.gov/ animal_health/animal_diseases/scrapie/gen_submission.shtml.

Source: ASI Weekly News, March 24, 2014

Research from the Southern Section of the American Society of Animal Science continued from page 2 yield in the fall. Soil N values tended to be greater for white clover in both seasons compared to other treatments and also for the subplots that were grazed vs. mowed. The researchers concluded that inclusion of clovers results in similar yields as fescue fertilized with nitrogen and that inclusion of clovers in fescue pastures could reduce the need for N fertilization.

Source: Book of Abstracts, American Society of Animal Science Southern Section, February 2-3, 2014, Dallas TX WILD

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US Sheep, Goat Inventory Declines Again Sheep The US sheep and lamb inventory on January 1, 2014, totaled 5.21 million head, down 2 percent from 2013. The breeding sheep inventory decreased to 3.88 million head, down 2 percent from 2013. The 2013 national average lambing rate was only 107 lambs per 100 ewes (one year old and older). Wool production in 2013 was 27.0 million pounds, down 1 percent from 2012. In 2013, the average price paid for wool was $1.45 per pound, compared to $1.52 in 2012.

The average fleece weight was 7.3 lbs.

Goats The US goat inventory on January 1, 2014, totaled 2.76 million head, down 2 percent from 2013.

The breeding goat inventory totaled 2.26 million head, down 3 percent from 2013. Meat and all other goats totaled 2.28 million head, down 2 percent from 2013. The milk goat inventory was 355 thousand head, down 1 percent. Angora goats were down 4 percent, totaling 131 thousand head. The 2013 kid crop was 1.74 million head, 3 percent less than in 2012.

In Maryland In Maryland, the goat inventory totaled 14,800 head on January 1. This included 2,200 milk goats and 12,600 meat and other goats. The dairy goat inventory increased 10 percent from last year, whereas there was a 15 percent increase in the number of meat and other goats. Individual statistics are not reported for Maryland sheep. Maryland is lumped into the ʺother statesʺ category.

Read full report at http://usda01.library.cornell.edu/usda/current/SheeGoat/SheeGoat‐01‐31‐2014.pdf

National Webinar Series: NSIP continued from page 1 The webinars will be held on consecutive Thursday evenings from May 1 until June 5. All webinars will begin at 8 p.m. EST and last for approximately 1 hour.

 May 1 How the sheep industry can benefit from NSIP Dr. Robert Banks, University of New England (Australia)

 May 22 Challenges of moving to a performance based flock Bill Shultz, Ohio Suffolk breeder

 May 29 How to enter and submit data Dr. Chris Schauer, North Dakota State University

 June 5 How to use the data Producer panel

 May 8 How the goat industry can benefit from NSIP Dr. Ken Andries, Kentucky State University

 May 15 How, when, and what data to collect Cody Hiemke, Illinois Shropshire breeder

The webinars will be hosted by University of Maryland Extension (Susan Schoenian). To register for one or more webinars, send an e-mail message to pthomas@umd.edu. Registrants will receive log-in information via e-mail.

Download program flyer from http://www.sheepandgoat.com/programs/2014NSIPWebinars_flyer.pdf.

Webinar Recordings: Sheep & Goat Health A five-part webinar series on Sheep & Goat Health was held in January and February 2014. Links to the webinar recordings and PowerPoint presentations are available at http://www.sheepandgoat.com/recordings.

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Accepting Nominations for 2014 Goat Test The nomination period for the 2014 Western Maryland Pasture-Based Meat Goat Performance Test is April 1-May 15. Nomination packets have been mailed to 2012 and 2013 consigners. Nomination packets may be requested by contacting Pam Thomas at (301) 432-2767 x343 or pthomas@umd.edu. All documents in the nomination packet may also be downloaded from the blog at http://mdgoatatest.blogspot.com.

Nomination forms and nomination fees ($20/goat) are due May 15. All nominations received by the deadline will be treated equally. If nominations exceed the carrying capacity of the test, preference will be given to Maryland residents and previous consigners.

Any goat producer may consign up to five male goats to the test. Eligible goats may be of any breed or breed cross.

They do not need to be registered or eligible for registry. They must be born between December 15, 2013, and March 15, 2014, and weigh between 35 and 70 lbs. upon delivery to the test site on May 30. It is not necessary to identify specific bucks at the time of nomination.

While on test, the goats will be evaluated for growth performance, parasite resistance, and parasite resilience. After a short adjustment period, the test will be split into two phases. The first 42 days (June 5-July 17) will serve as a “parasite challenge.” The bucks will graze cool season grass paddocks that have been pre-contaminated (by grazing sheep) with infective worm larvae. The second 42 days (July 17-August 28) will serve as a “growth challenge.” The bucks will graze “clean” annual pastures.

Towards the end of the test period, the bucks will be evaluated for structural correctness and reproductive soundness.

They will be scanned (using ultrasound) to determine their rib eye area.

The Gold, Silver, and Bronze-performing bucks will be sold on Saturday, September 6 at the 1st Bluegrass Performance Invitational in Frankfort, Kentucky. Consigners to the buck test will be eligible to consign does to the sale.

http://mdgoattest.blogspot.com

Pen vs. Pasture Study Funded for Third Year The University of Maryland’s Pen vs. Pasture Study has received a third year of funding from the Maryland Grain Producers Utilization Board (MGPUB). The purpose of the multi-year study is to compare the performance and carcass characteristics of pen-fed vs. pasture-raised goats.

Thirty bucklings will be randomly assigned to two treatment groups. The pen-fed goats will be kept in dry lot and fed a diet consisting of free choice hay and limit-fed grain (barley). The pastureraised goats will graze alongside the bucks in the Western Maryland Pasture-Based Meat Goat Performance Test.

After a short adjustment period and 84-day feeding period, all of the goats will be harvested to collect carcass data. A sample from each carcass will be analyzed for fatty acid profile. http://www.sheepandgoat.com/goatcarcassevaluation.html WILD

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New Extension Director Has Sheep/Goat Ties The College of Agriculture and Natural Resources at the University of Maryland has hired a new Associate Dean and Associate Director of University of Maryland Extension.

He is Dr. Stephen Wright.

Dr. Wright comes to Maryland from Ohio State University, where he held an administrative position. Dr. Wright is a native of Maryland. He earned his undergraduate degree in geography, a masterʹs degree in urban studies, and a Ph.D. in agriculture and extension education from the University of Maryland.

(Photo by Edwin Remsberg, UMD)

Dr. Wright has a strong connection to the sheep and goat industry. He managed as many as 150 goats and 200 ewes at his Sunland Mountain Farm in Mt. Solon, Virginia. The first livestock Dr. Wright purchased were Tennessee Fainting goats, a rare breed. Dr. Wright joined the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy (now called The Livestock Conservancy). Within a year of purchasing the goats, he added St. Croix sheep to his farm. Dr. Wright was instrumental in getting farmers to raise hair sheep in his area.

Before moving to Ohio, Dr. Wright sold his farm; however, he still maintains a small flock of St. Croix sheep that he plans to move back east. Welcome back to Maryland, Dr. Wright!

Herbal Dewormer Fails to Control Parasites

By Dahlia O’Brien Delaware State University Over the last few years, a number of studies have been done to test the effectiveness of commercially-available herbal dewormers. Most recently, two studies were conducted at Delaware State University to test how effective Hoegger’s Herbal Wormer was in reducing fecal egg counts in meat goat kids and lactating does.

This dewormer is distributed by Hoegger’s Goat Supply (Fayetteville, GA) and contains a mixture of dried plant materials including wormwood, gentian, fennel, psyllium and quassia. Individually, these ingredients have all been reported to have possible deworming properties capable of reducing internal parasites in livestock. However, most of this information is anecdotal and not supported by scientific data.

So far, scientific studies evaluating commercial, non-chemical dewormers have found that they fail to reduce fecal egg counts in sheep and goats. The results from these two studies also supports that at the recommended dose and under the conditions of the studies, Hoegger’s Herbal Wormer was not an effective dewormer.

Read full article at http://www.acsrpc.org/Resources/Topics/herbaldewormers.html

More Information On Sheep & Goats Can Be Accessed At: http://www.sheepandgoat.com/

http://mdgoattest.blogspot.com

http://www.sheep101.info/

https://www.facebook.com/MDSmallRuminant

http://mdsheepgoat.blogspot.com

https://twitter.com/MDSheepGoat

http://www.acsrpc.org

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Preparing for Ethnic Holidays According to a 2010 study funded by the American Sheep Industry Association, ethnic markets comprise a significant and growing portion of the US sheep market. For this reason, producers need to consider the dates of various ethnic holidays (or religious observances) when developing their marketing plans.

Traditionally, the demand for lamb increases at Easter. This year, both (Eastern) Orthodox and Roman (Western) Easter will occur on the same day, April 20. Often, the Easters occur on different Sundays, as different calendars are used to calculate the dates of the holidays. When targeting the Easter markets, be sure to sell the right kind of lambs (usually milk-fed and “fat”) and place lambs in the market place at least 5-10 days before the holiday. As an option, you might consider spreading your risks and sending some lambs directly after the holiday. Prices sometimes are high afterwards as supply is decreased due to the holiday.

Muslim holidays have become increasing important to the US lamb market. There are two major Muslim holidays. Eid ul Fitr or the “Festival of Fast Breaking” follows the holy month of Ramadan, in which Muslims fast from sunrise to sunset and have celebratory meals in the evening. In 2014, this three day holiday will occur on July 29-31. The most important Muslim holiday is Eid ul Adha or the “Festival of the Sacrifice.” In 2014, it will occur October 4-7. This holiday commemorates Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son in obedience to God. Instead, he sacrificed a lamb (ram).

Muslim holidays cannot be predicted with exact certainty, since they are based on a lunar calendar and the siting of the moon. For this same reason, Muslim holidays move forward approximately 11 days each year.

The type of lamb demanded by Muslim consumers

varies, but is usually an older, unblemished lamb or yearling, usually an intact male. As with any market segment, it’s important to learn what potential customers want and will pay a premium for.

To help US sheep producers evaluate and develop potential markets to ethnic consumers, three University Extension systems have partnered with their respective sheep associations to help address this opportunity. Maine, Maryland and Ohio received funding from ASI’s Let’s Grow campaign in 2013 for this effort. A series of webinars on marketing lamb to ethnic consumers was presented in November and December of 2013. These webinars, each 1-hour in length, were recorded and are available for viewing.

In addition, the tri-state ethnic marketing project has created several tools to help producers make better marketing decisions. Susan Schoenian Sheep & Goat Specialist for University of Maryland Extension has developed several spreadsheet templates to help producers evaluate marketing options. Richard Brzozowski, Small Ruminant Specialist for the University of Maine has developed a template for producers to use in learning more about specific ethnic consumers as well as a set of questions for possible use in customer surveys.

For these tools on marketing lamb and mutton to ethnic consumers, go to http://umaine.edu/livestock/ sheep/ethnic-marketing-of-lamb-and-mutton/.

For links to the webinar series on marketing lamb and mutton to ethnic consumers, go to http:// www.sheepandgoat.com/recordings.html#ethnic.

New Resources from NCAT/ATTRA Determining the age of sheep and goats Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gwpXzdE7h1I When is my lamb ready to be butchered?

Fact sheet and video: https://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/summaries/summary.php?pub=459 WILD

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New Product: Electric Hoof Knife The Electric Hoof Knife is the newest and most innovative tool available for trimming goat and sheep hooves. Designed to improve hoof health and make trimming hassle-free, the Electric Hoof Knife is a power tool that buffs instead of cuts to remove hoof material.

(Images by Electric Hoof Knife)

After eight years of development, the Electric Hoof Knife now has a disc created specifically for trimming goat and sheep hooves. This lightweight tool is easy to maneuver and can trim tough and overgrown hooves with little effort on part of the user. People who have limited access to electrical power can easily run the Electric Hoof Knife off of a generator or an automobile’s DC/AC power converter, so the tool is accessible anywhere, anytime.

Using the Electric Hoof Knife can lead to better hoof health for two reasons. First, users see a significant decrease in the amount of blood during trimming because the tool is precise and accurate when removing hoof material.

Second, the disc puts a smooth finish on the hoof, so dirt, muck and bacteria cannot get stuck in the cracks lead to infection.

The Electric Hoof Knife Goat & Sheep set, which retails for $254.95, comes with the Electric Hoof Knife power unit, two Goat & Sheep Trimming discs, a pair of safety glasses, and a carrying case.

For more information, or to watch videos of the Electric Hoof Knife in action, visit www.ElectricHoofKnife.com or call (877) 320-8203.

Junior Sheep & Goat Skillathon The 2014 Junior Sheep & Goat Skillathon will be held Sunday, May 4, at the Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival. The Festival is always held the first full weekend of May at the Howard County Fairgrounds in West Friendship. Registration for the contest begins at 8 a.m. The contest starts at 9 a.m. Awards will be presented at approximately 1 p.m. A small donation is requested to cover the cost of lunch (pizza and sodas).

A skillathon provides youth with the opportunity to blend knowledge and skills acquired in livestock judging, demonstrations, and care and exhibition of animals into a single activity. It consists of a series of stations where youth are tested on their knowledge and abilities related to livestock. In the Sheep & Goat Skillathon, all stations will pertain to sheep and/or goats.

The skillathon is open to any youth between the ages of 8 and 18. Individuals and teams (of 3 or 4) from any county or state may compete. Youth compete according to their age as of January 1st of the current year. Youth ages 8 to 10 compete as juniors; youth ages 11 to 13 compete as intermediates; and youth 14 to 18 compete as seniors.

The Maryland Sheep Breeders Association provides ribbons and premiums to the top ten individuals in each age division and festival t-shirts to the members of the top three teams in each age division. Additional awards are provided by the University of Maryland Extension Small Ruminant Program Pre-registration of individuals and teams for the 2014 Junior Sheep & Goat Skillathon is requested by April 28. Preregister by sending names, ages, and team affiliations via e-mail to Susan Schoenian at sschoen@umd.edu (or via fax at (301) 432-4089). Online registration is possible at www.sheepandwool.org.

For more information, contact Susan at (301) 432-2767 x343 or visit the web site at http://www.sheepandgoat.com/ programs/skillathon/skillathon.html.

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MPWV Spring Educational Conference

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Recipe

The MPWV Meat Goat Producers Association and University of Maryland Extension will hold an educational event on Saturday, June 7, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the Carroll County Ag Center in Westminster, Maryland.

Seminar topics will include: traditional veterinary and health care; selling your goats; pasture and nutrition; nontraditional goat health care; and the pros and cons of registering your goats. A separate educational track for youth is being planned. It will cover selecting, raising, and getting your kid(s) ready for the show and sale. Speakers will include veterinarians, extension agents, and experienced goat producers.

The day will begin with a very brief business meeting and discussion of upcoming events. The deadline for early registration is May 15. The registration fee is $10/person or $20/ family for members and $15/person and $25/family for nonmembers. Registration paid at the door is $5 extra.

For more information, contact Pam Adams at (443) 802-3734 or pam.adams@hp.com or visit the Facebook page at https:// www.facebook.com/MPWVMeatGoatProducers.

The MPWV* Meat Goat Producers Association was organized to promote the meat goat industry and provide its members with information to help them breed and market high quality meat goats. The association includes members from Maryland, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. Membership dues are $35 for the first year and $20 for subsequent years. *Maryland-Pennsylvania-West Virginia

Grilled Lamb Sirloin 1-1/2 pounds lamb sirloin or sirloin chops 2 lemons 3 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped 3 anchovy fillets, coarsely chopped 1/2 cup pitted black olives, plus a few for garnish 2/3 cup flat leaf parsley leaves 2 tablespoons cocoa nibs 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil Pat the sirloin dry with paper towels and place in 8 -inch square baking dish. Coarsely chop the zest of one lemon and place in the bowl of a food processor or a blender jar. Add the juice of both lemons, garlic, anchovies, olives, parsley, cocoa nibs and olive oil. Roughly puree the contents by pulsing the food processor or blender several times, until the mixture is smooth with some small chunks.

Rub the puree over the meat. Loosely cover the pan with plastic wrap and marinate at least 2 hours in the refrigerator, preferably overnight.

Remove the sirloin from the refrigerator one hour prior to cooking to allow the meat to come to room temperature. Heat a gas or charcoal grill so that one section is approximately 450°F degrees, and a second section is cooler, about 350°F. When the grill is hot, scrape any excess rub off the sirloin and place it on the hot side of the grill, flat side down.

Sear 3 to 4 minutes per side, or until nicely charred.

Move the sirloin to the cooler side of the grill and continue to cook, covered, until it reaches 135°F degrees, approximately 25 minutes or 15 to 20 minutes per pound. For individual chops, use medium hot grill, 4 to 6 minutes per side. Allow meat to rest, loosely covered with foil, for 15 minutes before slicing.

Recipe courtesy of American Lamb Board WILD

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Abomasal Bloat

By Susan Schoenian University of Maryland Extension Abomasal bloat (tympany) is a common health problem affecting artificially-reared lambs and kids, especially hand-fed ones. Some farms have experienced death losses as high as 25 to 30 percent. On other farms, it is a sporadic disease.

While the mechanism of abomasal bloat is not completely understood, it is believed to be caused by a build-up of bacteria in the stomach of lambs and kids.

Bacteria such as clo strid ium p erfringins type A and species of Sarcina have been identified in the stomachs of affected animals.

As the bacteria multiply, the sugars in the milk ferment with excess gas production. At the same time, the stomach becomes more acidic to the detriment of other bacteria. As the gas cannot escape, it bloats the abomasum.

Death is rapid and unpleasant.

Abomasal bloat seems to occur most commonly in lambs that are 2 to 4 weeks of age. It may occur later in goat kids, as they are typically fed milk for a longer period of time. The incidence is highest when lambs/ kids are fed warm milk infrequently, e.g. twice daily.

Feeding goat kids in a pail or trough without a nipple may cause similar greedy feeding behavior.

Warm milk provides an ideal substrate (lactose) for fermentation. Abomasal bloat is rarely seen in lambs/kids that are selffed cold milk. The use of cheap or poor quality milk replacers can also contribute to the incidence of abomasal bloat.

Treatment Treatment of abomasal bloat is often unrewarding. It is estimated that 75 to 100 percent of cases die. Affected lambs/kids will have swollen bellies. They will be dull and lethargic. Abdominal pain (colic), accompanied by teeth grinding is common. The disease can progress rapidly, within 30 minutes of feeding. Sometimes, all you find is a dead lamb or kid.

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Early intervention is the key to saving affected lambs/kids. Many treatments have been advocated. Oral penicillin may help to counteract the bacteria. Sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) mixed in water is the common treatment for bloat, as it helps to neutralize acid. Dosing with cooking oil or antacids may also help.

Powdered ginger may help with mild cases of bloat. Pain meds may also be given to affected lambs/kids.

Prevention Milk replacers should be mixed according to the manufacturerʹs instructions. Lumps can contribute to abomasal bloat. Diluted milk replacer may cause lambs/kids to gorge, especially if they are on an automatic feeding system.

Milk replacer is usually mixed in warm water, then cooled to body temperature before feeding. Cooling milk to at least 40°F (4°C) has been shown to help contain the growth of Sarcina bacteria.

The risk of abomasal bloat will be reduced if lambs/ kids are self-fed milk using a bucket feeder, nipple bar, or automatic feeding system. Self-feeding simulates dam-raising, as lambs/kids are able to ingest smaller amounts of milk at frequent intervals.

Sour milk is another proven way to prevent abomasal bloat. Sour milk is made by adding acidophilus yogurt to milk replacer and allowing it to convert for several days. You can also add probiotic powder to milk. The addition of formalin to milk replacer has also been shown to reduce the incidence of bloat.

Since clostridial bacteria have been implicated in abomasal bloat, it is essential that lambs/kids be vaccinated for clo strid ial p erfringins type C & D. The early introduction of high quality concentrates will promote rumen function and lessen the risk of abomasal bloat.

Feeding lambs milk replacer for too long can increase the incidence of abomasal bloat. The ideal weaning age is 30 days. There is usually no benefit to later weaning.

Read full article at http://www.sheepandgoat.com/ articles/AbBloat.html

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Breeding Better Sheep and Goats (continued from page 1) Who should enroll in NSIP? NSIP is a non-profit organization that was established in 1986 by the US sheep industry. Until 2010, data was processed at Virginia Tech. In 2010, data processing was transferred to Australia’s LambPlan.

While all sheep producers can benefit from the data that NSIP provides, it is seedstock (purebred) producers who should consider enrolling their flocks and herds. Commercial and small-scale producers benefit by purchasing rams with EBVs. Meat goat producers can derive the same benefit from NSIP as sheep producers.

How much does it cost?

There is an annual enrollment fee, based on flock/herd size. It usually equates to approximately $2.50 to $3.50 per ewe/doe. This fee is paid to NSIP. There is also a data processing fee due to LambPlan. It is $2 per animal; it covers the animal’s lifetime data.

To encourage new enrollment, NSIP is waiving the first year of the annual enrollment fee. For producers under the age of 22, the enrollment fee will be waived for three years. The Western Maryland Pasture-Based Meat Goat Performance Test is considering providing an economic incentive for consignors to enroll their herds in NSIP. Relaunching NSIP The American Sheep Industry Roadmap Project has charged the US sheep industry with making various productivity improvements, including widespread use of quantitative genetic selection. As part of this charge, an NSIP Relaunch Committee was formed. Dr. Reid Redden from North Dakota State University is the chair of the committee, whose goal is to increase enrollment in NSIP, including involvement of meat goat producers.

To learn more about NSIP, visit their web site at nsip.org.

Calendar of Events April 1‐May 15 Nomination period for Western Maryland Pasture-Based Meat Goat Performance Test Info: http://mdgoattest.blogspot.com April 20 Western Roman Easter and Eastern Orthodox (Greek) Easter April 22 Grow Our Flock Webinar: Managing your pastures better: management intensive grazing (MIG) 101 Info: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/ register/5755892051703340802 May 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 and June 5 National Webinar Series: NSIP Hosted by University of Maryland Extension (8 p.m. EST) Download flyer: http://www.sheepandgoat.com/ programs/2014NSIPWebinars_flyer.pdf May 2 Integrated Parasite Management (IPM)/FAMACHA© Workshop @ Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival Howard County Fairgrounds, West Friendship, Maryland Info: www.sheepandwool.org May 3‐4 Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival Howard County Fairgrounds, West Friendship, Maryland Info: www.sheepandwool.org

May 4 Junior Sheep & Goat Skillathon @ Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival Howard County Fairgrounds, West Friendship, Maryland Info: http://www.sheepandgoat.com/programs/skillathon/ skillathon.html May 30 Delivery date for bucks in Western Maryland Pasture-Based Meat Goat Performance Test http://mdgoattest.blogspot.com June 7 MPWV Meat Goat Producers Association Educational Event Carroll County Ag Center, Westminster, Maryland Info: https://www.facebook.com/MPWVMeatGoatProducers June 18 Maryland Wool Pool Maryland State Fairgrounds, Timonium, Maryland Info: Emily Chamelin at aeriedairy@yahoo.com June 28 Start of Ramadan July 29‐31 Eid ul-Fitr (Muslim Festival of Fast Breaking) July 29‐31 Goat Twilight Tour (Open House) and Tasting Western Maryland Research & Education Center, Keedysville, Maryland Info: Susan Schoenian at (301) 432-2767 x343or sschoen@umd.edu WILD

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Calendar Of Events Continued from page 11 August 2 Pennsylvania Performance Tested Ram & Sale and Invitational Ewe and Doe Sale PA Livestock Evaluation Center, PA Furnace, PA Info: Greg Hubbard at (814) 238-2527 or ghubbard@pa.gov August 23 Virginia Performance Tested Ram Lamb Sale Shenandoah Valley Research & Education Center, Steeleʚs Tavern, Virginia Info: Scott Greiner at (540) 231-9159 or sgreiner@vt.edu or http://www.apsc.vt.edu/extension/sheep/va-ram-program/ index.html August 30 West Virginia Performance Tested Ram and Buck Sale Reymann Memorial Farm, near Wardensville, West Virginia Info: sheepandgoats.wvu.edu September 5�6 Bluegrass Performance Invitational Sale: sale of top-performing bucks from Western Maryland Pasture-Based Meat Goat Performance Test Lakeview Park, Frankfort, Kentucky Info: http://www.bluegrassperformanceinvitational.com/ and http://mdgoattest.blogspot.com

Wild & Woolly, is published quarterly by the University of Maryland Extension. It is written and edited by Susan Schoenian, Sheep and Goat Specialist, at the Western Maryland Research & Education Center (WMREC), 18330 Keedysville Road, Keedysville, MD, tel. (301) 432-2767 x343 or 315, fax (301) 4324089; e-mail: sschoen@umd.edu or Pamela Thomas, Administrative Assistant, pthomas@umd.edu. The cost of receiving the newsletter by mail is $10 per year, payable to the University of Maryland. The newsletter can be accessed for free on the Internet at http://www.sheepandgoat.com/news/index.html. Subscribers to the newsletter listserv will receive an e-mail message when a new newsletter has been posted to the web. To subscribe, send an e-mail message to listserv@listserv.umd.edu. In the body of the message, type subscribe sheepgoatnews.

Comments and suggestions regarding the newsletter are always welcome. References to commercial products or trade names are made with the understanding that no discrimination is intended and no endorsement by University of Maryland Extension is implied.

Articles and photographs may be reprinted with permission.

University of Maryland Extension Western Maryland Research & Education Center 18330 Keedysville Rd Keedysville MD 21756