Small Farms

Many people who are new to owning sheep and goats don’t naturally think about worms in their animals, after all, these animals are herbivores and don’t eat meat.  However, they do eat from the ground and this is usually where worms come into the picture.  In order to keep your herd happy and healthy, it is important to carefully observe the animals each day for signs of the following:

• Weight loss
• Pot belly
• Anemia (check the eyelids and gums)
• Diarrhea (also known as scours)
• Fleece or hair falling out (also known as wool break)
• Visible swelling under the jaw (also known as bottle jaw)

If you notice any of the following, contact your local vet immediately.  Parasites can be treated if caught early enough, but be aware, parasites can kill your sheep if the infestation is severe enough.

Using a parasite control program as part of your herd maintenance program is one of the best ways to keep parasites under control.  Whether you use natural dewormers or commercial ones is purely a matter of personal preference.  Seek the advice of a fellow herdsman, the Cooperative Extension or your vet for advice on the right parasite management program for your herd.

If you haven’t bought your tin of bag balm this season, you probably aren’t a farmer.  All kidding aside, Bag Balm gets used for multiple purposes on our farm.  The winters here in New York are pretty bitter, and it seems more so this year.  Bag Balm can be used for animals, and for people, and here are just a few of the practical applications:

*Chapped hands and lips- keep a separate tin of the balm in your home to use on winter-weary body parts.  When used sparingly, it can also be used to prevent diaper rash!

*Chapped combs and wattles- grab your bird and smear a little of this on these extremities, and use it throughout the winter.

*Chapped noses on other animals- once I started using this balm on my horses noses, they never cracked again!

*Chapped and cracked teats- obviously, this product was originally designed to help treat cow teats and it serves that purpose well too.

…and now I return to my 17.5 degree barn…

~~Charlotte

SmallFarms4You.com

While many of the tips I’m about to propose relates to sheep and goats, it can be applied in general to many other animals you may want to purchase for your small farm.  It can be fun to peruse websites looking for specific animals (such as pygamy goats in my case), but you need to know as much as you can about them before you purchase them.  Buying animals sight unseen is never a good idea, and I caution anyone against doing so.  The following are a few guidelines to use before buying animals:

• Whenever possible, buy privately, not through an auction
• Ask for health records and registration at time of sale; demand up-to-date shot records
• Animals should be clean and have good coats and hooves
• Animals should be alert but also have calm dispositions
• Be sure the animal has healthy manure, not loose stools
• Get any guarantees in writing before you purchase the animal

Buying an animal is an investment, especially if you will be using it for breeding purposes or expect a specific type of wool.  Having any guarantees in writing will protect you if the animal becomes ill immediately after the sale.  Don’t pay for the animal or remove it from the premises unless you have everything you need (especially records) at the time of the sale.

Remember- keep the receipts and record of the sale for tax purposes!

~~Charlotte

This particular list of poisonous plants for goats includes those that may commonly be used as landscaping plants around the home.  Occasionally small farmers allow their animals to graze in their front and back yards.  In some cases, allowing your goats to do this can cause illness or death in the animals.  Before you turn your goats loose around the home and in some cases the garden, check this list of poisonous plants:

• Azalea
• Rhododendron
• Laurel
• Camellia
• Daphne
• Andromeda
• Tansy Ragwort
• Bracken Fern
• Stone Fruits
• Oleander
• Rhubarb
• Tulip
• Daffodil
• English Ivy
• Horse Chestnut
• Japanese Yew
• Coastal Fiddleneck
• Red Maple
• Black Walnut
• St. John’s-Wort

You can obtain a complete list of poisonous plants for your goats from your local Cooperative Extension office.

~~Charlotte

Occasionally even the best kept animals can become poisoned, often though no fault of the owners.  Animals can become poisoned by poisonous plants in the pasture, crop sprays, weed killers and less frequently, from eating lead-based paint.

Even though there may be toxic plants in your pasture, most goats instinctively avoid eating those that are poisonous.  If they do eat them, it is unusual for them to eat enough to do any serious damage.

Lead poisoning comes from animals chewing on wood that has been painted with lead-based paint.  Be careful when choosing wood for your pens, especially if you use old painted wood that has been discarded.  If you do use this wood, sand off the old paint with a power sander.  Lead poisoning can also come from feeding animals grasses from the roadside.  Car exhaust can poison these roadside plants and make your animals sick.

Crop sprays and weed killers are the most common ways animals can become ill.  When crop sprays drift across your pasture with the wind, some of the product will land on the grasses.  Given enough of this, animals can become ill.  Whenever possible, keep your animals out of the way and even indoors if possible when neighbors are spraying crops.

Weed killer can  kill animals if they ingest the product.  Some weedkillers look like pelleted food- always be careful to store pesticides away from other animal food- preferably in another building, to avoid making a horrible mistake.

Symptoms of a poisoned goat include:

• Vomiting
• Frothing at the mouth
• Convulsions
• Difficulty standing, or staggering

If you notice any of these symptoms, call your vet immediately.
~~Charlotte

The spring months may seem eons away, but having goats means that you need to be vigilant about the types of plants that grow in your pasture.  The following weeds can be commonly growing in many pastures, including those that grow here in upstate, New York:

• Yarrow (mustard yellow)
• Thistle (Purple flowers)
• Plantain (wide, ovate green leaves with thick veins)
• Multiflora Rose (cream to white colored flowers)
• Nettle (green, serrated pointed leaves)
• Daisy (cream and white flowers)
• Dandelion (Yellow flowers)
• Chickory (pale blue flowers)

Photos of these can be found on the Internet - just Google for the plant name with the word “photo” afterwards.

None of the above mentioned plants will harm a goat, so if you come across these plants, and odds are you will, ignore them.

As a side note, try and keep two fenced in pastures for your goat herd and rotate them as needed.  This will provide variety and allow the grass to recover after it has been chewed down to the nub!

~~Charlotte

SmallFarms4You.com

One of the most common mistakes new flock owners may make is to believe that their  sheep or goats are safe from predators.  Personally, I was surprised to learn what was lurking in my own backyard- Upstate New York.  We have coyotes and there have been several sightings of mountain lions in my locale.  What I do know is that my dog is very territorial and has probably kept these creatures at bay- she’s an American White Shepherd.

There are other animals, including dogs, that can be used to protect your flocks as well.  The following animals can be trained to protect your animals

*Domestic dogs - the bigger, the better

*Llamas

*Donkeys- Jennys seem to work best, along with gelded donkeys

The following animals are predators, and they may be as close as your own backyard:

• Coyotes
• Wild Cats - mountain lions, pumas, bobcats and cougars
• Foxes
• Bears
• Eagles
• Wild Dog Packs

Another deterrent is proper fencing.  Electric fencing, both at the bottom and the top of your fencing can help.  Remember, some of these predators can leap a fence 4-5 feet tall.  Talk with your Cooperative Extension agent to find out what local predators you have in your area, and get some ideas of the right kind of fencing to protect your flock.

~~Charlotte

If you buy an animal that isn’t already registered, is it worth it to trace its ancestry, do the paperwork and pay for the registration?  Yes, and no.  If you are planning on showing the animal and are building a specific type of herd, the answer is probably yes.  If you won’t be doing either of these things, registering it as a purebred is probably a waste of time and money.

For those who want only purebred animals, consider just purchasing animals that are already registered.  A registered purebred animal is one whose hereitage can be traced back to its beginnings, through a herd registry.  It doesn’t matter if it is a cow, horse or goat- all of these types of animals have their various registries.  To register an animal that isn’t already registered, usually all you need to do is to be able to prove the animal you now own came from purebred registered animals.  (That is where the paperwork comes in).

The cost of registering an animal varies from registry to registry and some are pricey.  Make sure it is worth your while before you spend the money on it.

To find a registry for the breed of animal you want to register, either contact the person who sold you the purebred animal for the papers or Google the breed association on the Internet.  They’ll be able to provide you with specific information and the application to be included in the registry.

~~Charlotte

Of all of the animals I’ve raised over the years, raising goats has been one of the most enjoyable.  I started raising goats when I was in 4-H, and started my herd by winning an essay contest.  The prize was a beautiful French Alpine.  I promptly named her Lacy and probably treated her more as a pet than anything else.  She was a gentle animal and perfect for my first foray into having my own little herd of dairy goats.

There are many goat breeds to choose from, and the French Alpine is but one.  The following goat breeds can be found in the United States, as well as in many parts of the world:

Nubian - arrived in the U.S. in 1920

Oberhasli - formerly known as Swiss Alpines

Toggenburg - arrived in the U.S. in 1893

LaMancha - an American breed from crossing Nubians and Swiss

Saanen - arrived in the United States in 1904

Nigerian Dwarf

African Pygmy - usually referred to as just a pygmy

Choosing any of these types of goats will ensure that you and your family have a steady source of goat milk that is equal to, if not greater than, that of a dairy cow.  If you are looking to start a dairy goat herd or simply want to purchase one for the family, contact your local Cooperative Extension.  They will be able to tell you who has quality dairy goats for sale.

~~Charlotte

SmallFarms4You.com

Raising angora goats is one way to sell mohair on a much larger scale than raising angora rabbits.  Raising these goats is traditionally more difficult since they are susceptible to a number of health problems, many of these are the same that afflict sheep.  Vigilant farmers will have fewer problems than new, inexperienced farmers.

The quality of the mohair the angora goats produce is largely dependent upon the quality of feed that they are given.  Staples in their diet include corn and alfalfa.  Feeding them poor quality grasses and shrubs will be evident in the quality and quantity of their hair growth.

Mature animals produce 12-16 pounds of fleece annually.  The average cost paid per pound of fleece as of October 7, 2008 for mohair (as reported by the Mohair Council of America) was as follows:

• Adult - $2.05
• Fine Adult - $2.16
• Young Goat - $2.44
• Average Kid - $3.13
• Good Kid - $7.61
• Fine Kid - $8.62

To read the complete report, visit Mohair USA

~~Charlotte

SmallFarms4You