Small Farms

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

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

Recently I had a question about raising ponies for use in agritainment.  Obviously the care of animals should be the most important issue in using them for entertainment.  I’m guessing that the reader was interested in using them for pony rides.  If you are using them for this purpose, the following should be your main considerations:

1. Insurance.  All animals have the potential to hurt someone, especially small children that would be riding ponies.  A lawsuit would be extremely costly, so get insurance before you enter into this business.
2. Care.  Using any animal, especially in warm weather, requires special knowledge about the care of working animals.  They need to rest frequently, have plenty of water and food, and be protected from sun if they are in it all day.  Many places that offer pony rides have the animals under an open tent.  This provides proper ventilation and protects both pony and rider from heat and rain.
3. Knowledgeable workers.  It is almost always a mistake to hire people who are not familiar with ponies, their temperament and care.  A good worker would sense when an animal isn’t feeling well, is getting tired or is in a bad mood.  This will go a long way in avoiding trouble, especially a bucking pony with a little kid on its back.

Going into a pony business isn’t for individuals who have no experience with them.  It is also a slightly expensive business since these animals require frequent vet care, lots of food and more than their share of TLC.  If you’re even remotely interested in this business, talk with someone at a local fair next year who does this and get it directly from the horses mouth.  (Pardon the pun!)

~~Charlotte