Managing feeder lambs and kids

50x100x16 One side sheeted. One gable sheeted materials.

50x100x18 Roof only Materials

40x50x12 enclosed w/3” reinforced vinyl back insulation. 1- walk thru door, 2-10x10 openings, 26 ga. 40 year painted metal. All red iron frame. Materials.

INSTALLATION AVAILABLE

Call for pricing due to rising cost of steel. All American Steel Buildings Pole Barns • Commercial Buildings Agricultural Buildings • Shops Custom I-Beam Construction Toll Free: 1-888-364-9527 Offi ce: 417-671-8015 Fax: 417-671-8018 Hours: Mon-Fri 8am - 5pm 12760 St. Hwy 76 • Cassville, MO 65625 www.superiormetalsalesinc.com sales@superiormetalsalesinc.com

farmhelp

Managing Feeder

Lambs and Kids

By Klaire Howerton Marketing and a nutrition program are part of a successful program for feeder animals For many small ruminant pro“When marketing to the Caribbean rapidly and release a toxin. The best ducers, selling feeder lambs peoples, they prefer mature bucks preventative is to vaccinate against enand kids creates an additional while some prefer dark colored or black terotoxemia and to gradually increase product and income stream. goats,” she explained, “Once you have concentrates in their diets. This endeavor, like any in agriculture, established your marketing audience, Bloat comes in two different types: letakes some research and effort, but you will better understand what restricgume/pasture or frothy/grain. Legume/ when done well it can complement tions, weight and time of year you are pasture bloat can be caused from difother herd and flock goals. aiming toward as the different markets ferent legume forage species including

Creating a successful market for feeder have varying end goals.” alfalfa, ladino or white clover and Perlambs and/or kids first requires estabA successful feeder program includes sian clover. Additionally, lush ryegrass lishing your target market audience, exproper nutrition for developing lambs or small grain pastures can also be the plained Dr. Chelsey Kimbrough, specialty and kids. Every producer’s herd or flock cause of bloat. Frothy/grain bloat oclivestock/youth education epecialist with will have different nutritional needs, so curs when high-grain diets are fed. the University of Arkansas Extension. it is best to develop a program with the “Do not turn out hungry sheep or

“Sheep have both a traditional market help of a local veterinarian, livestock goats on lush legume or small grain and a non-traditional market (such as nutritionist or Extension professional pastures. They first need to be fed hay ethic, religious markets),” she explained. who is familiar with the animals. One before turning out. When going from

Traditional markets consist of lambs common aspect of a nutrition program a forage-based to a grain-based diet, it that are late winter/spring born. Trais providing mineral, but it’s important is important to gradually introduce the ditional market lambs will range in to remember that goats require a high grain,” Kimbrough advised. weight from 120 to 160 pounds and will amount of copper in their diet, whereas Urinary calculi occurs when there is a usually be between 8 to 14 months old. sheep do not, so producers will need to calcium deficiency. Kimbrough stressed The non-traditional market prefers a ensure they are putting out the approthe importance of ensuring that rations lighter lamb. Kimbrough said, typically priate mineral for their animals. have a 2:1 calcium to phosphorus ratio. 50 to 90 pounds, making them much Along with nutrition comes a host of When the phosphorus level exceeds younger, generally 3 to 7 months old. potential nutritional diseases producers the calcium level, stones can form and Since religious holidays are the peak need to be aware of. Many of these iscan get stuck in the urethra, causing times for non-traditional markets, sues are triggered by the improper inmales difficulty when urinating. these lambs are typically late summer/ troduction of grain and concentrates, Prussic acid poisoning occurs when early fall born. Goat kids also have the which are often utilized to get lambs plants are stressed and wilted, and beopportunity for niche markets. and kids to target market weights. come unsafe for sheep and goats to con

“One is for hothouse kids. This consists Acidosis is related to a change from a sume due to the hydrocyanic acid. Susof Easter and cabrito markets,” Kimforage-based diet to a high-concentrate ceptible plants include grain sorghum, brough said. “For these markets, kids are diet. It is important to transition slowly Johnsongrass, sorghum-Sudan grasses typically 18 to 35 pounds. Another poputo a grain-based diet while still incorand many fruit trees. lar holiday market includes Ramadan, a porating roughages. Nitrate poisoning occurs when sheep month-long Muslim holiday. It is preEnterotoxemia, also known as overor goats consume an excessive amount ferred that kids have all their baby teeth eating disease, occurs when there is of nitrate or nitrite from grazing crops, and weigh between 55 and 75 pounds.” a sudden increase of bacteria in the hay, silage, weeds or water. When there

Kimbrough stressed the importance small intestine commonly occurring in has been an excess in fertilizer usage or of researching and learning about the younger animals. Clostridum perfrinstress, plants contain a buildup of nineeds and desires of religious and ethgins Type C and D naturally occur in trates. These nitrates alter the hemonic markets to create a successful niche the intestine, but a sudden increase in globin in the blood causing less oxygen for feeder lambs and kids. concentrates causes them to reproduce to be carried through the bloodstream.