Vermont Sheep & Goat

VERMONT SHEEP & GOAT FROM THE EDITOR animals and a happier farmer. I think they are MID 2016 happier because they made smart decisions IN THIS ISSUE Saying goodbye can that resulted in a more productive operation and less maintenance work for themselves. GRAZING be the hardest part A lot of farmers ask me what to do with the Kimberly Hagen gives advice By Mary Lake, Bethel, VT animals that n’t are working for them. Some for smart grazing. suggestions I make are: Page 2 After reading through this issue several times, there is a bit of advice I keep coming • REHOME: Become a member of the FIBER back to from Dr. Joe Emenheiser’s article in his VSGA and post on the listserv or on Jessica Dillner shares fiber tips new column, Breeding Matters on Page 10. He the Web site mals the ani you need to in the form of a series of wrote: “Beware the difference between rehome. An animal that doesn’t work articles. In this issue: Washed breeders and marketers. The breeder seeks to for you, might work for someone else and Dyed Locks. change their animals to better serve the needs because they have a t differen Page 3 of human society. The marketer seeks to management style or different goals. change human culture to be more receptive to Use the animal’s positive traits to sell ON THE FARM what they have to sell. If s you want animal that it to a more appropriate fit. Wendy Mae shares her love work for you and not the other way around, • PROCESS: If the animal you want to for livestock guardian dogs. seek animals that are bred to work.” cull is under a year old, you may be Page 4 Being a shearer, I get to see a lot of farms able to process it into retail lamb cuts. and a lot of sheep and goats, all sorts of breeds If the animal is older, or the carcass BOARD OF DIRECTORS and breed combinations. There is a common isn’t worth the cost processing of for Newly elected officers and conversation I have with farmers I shear for meat, the hide, skull or horns may still directors. who have multiple breeds in After their flocks. be valuable. Tanned hides or bleached Page 7 their animals are sheared, with the fiber all off skulls can be meaningful ways to and the body exposed, it is easy to see who is honor an animal or bring in a small FARM PROFILE doing well and who is struggling. profit. If you will be consuming the Meet Kristin Plante and her Often, the farmer will say, “I feed them all meat yourself or taking the carcass to farming family in Hyde Park. the same thing. I don’t know why they don’t all a composting facility, on -‐farm Page 8 look the same.” slaughter may be more appropriate We could stand there all day and talk about and affordable. UPCOMING why they look different: some are old, some The VSGA’s annual Wool Pool I haven’t been in this business long, but th have big lambs nursing on them, some are from what I’ve seen so far, whether you run a is June 24 in Randolph. recovering from being sick. Often I’ve seen in a large or small operation, it is important that it Page 9 flock or herd of mixed breeds, the animals of be efficient and oyable. enj Your quality of life the same breed will look similar: similarly and that of your animals is key to having a BREEDING MATTERS skinny, just right or fat. And I say, “I think it’s successful farm. I hope this issue of the The first installment of a just a breed thing.” newsletter is helpful for you and your sheep or column from Dr. Joe Tongue-‐in-‐cheek, I’ll point to the best-‐ goat operation. Emenheiser. looking animal, “you should breed more of that Page 10 kind.” But seriously, they ld shou breed more of GET INVOLVED what works, right? It’s easier said than done. It The Vermont Sheep & Goat Association Newsletter is Ways to participate in the means making tough decisions and saying edited by Mary Lake ([email protected]) and VSGA community. goodbye to animals that aren’t working for Kristin Plante ([email protected]). It is a venue Page 12 you. What I have seen from the farmer who for sharing stories, images and reports heep related to s and goats. If you enjoy writing, reporting or determines what works and weeds out what photography and have content of your own or are doesn’t is more consistency amongst the looking or f an assignment, contact Mary or Kristin. VERMONT SHEEP & GOAT ASSOCIATION GRAZING Smart pasture planning can yield better crisis management Kimberly Hagen especially), but plants will ow regr much faster University of Vermont Extension Grazing Specialist with greater leaf rea a to utilize photosynthesis, or solar energy, which is free. It’s spring and time for the annual reminder about • Residue is – OK Especially if pastures are being good grazing practices. It won’t be long now before we reclaimed or renovated – think in terms of grazing turn our four-‐legged livestock out onto pastures for the season. From the perspective of winter’s chore of 20% and leaving 80% trampled material to add providing the daily feed in the form of thrown hay bales, organic matter. the thought of our small ruminants harvesting their own • REST, REST, – REST allow paddocks time to fully feed is enough to bring on the smiles. And now before any recover from grazing. In early grazing months fence posts are set in the ground – is the time to make a you’ll need somewhere between 12 to 18 days plan for a grazing system. Think about how your farm rest. By mid to late August you need to allow 35 works, and how you move the animals around. Where to 40 days rest between grazing periods. does it make sense to put permanent fence and where • Sacrifice Paddock -‐ For exceptionally wet or dry does it make sense to have r temporary fence o flexinet? periods, put animals on sacrifice paddock with hay You want to make it as simple as you can on your and allow pasture time to recover. This will often landscape. If you keep the daily chores as low input as bring a gain in grazing time elsewhere. possible, you’ll have the energy to deal with crises when Remember, if the forage has been rested and they come along – as they always do. Good grazing management will go a long way to keep allowed to grow, it can be grazed h even throug both land and livestock healthy. There are formulas for snow. The nutritional value is still there. calculating how many livestock a piece of land can support Grazing provides us with a vision of lovely pastoral -‐ but all too often I find there are so many variables with harmony, universally adored. But like all lovely things, each farm it’s better to look at these viding formulas as pro there’s yin to the yang, an opposite to the beauty. Lurking a starting place or guide. Roughly an acre can support 4 to in that chomping of the the green feed is ever-‐present 6 grazing sheep and a few more goats, for the season. But population of parasites, ready to take whatever here are some basic rules for good grazing management opportunity presents itself for finding a hosting place for no matter where your farm is located. Once you have reproduction, feeding and continuation of its species. observed and learned the capacity and production level of Good grazing management is your frontline proactive your farm, you can make your adjustments accordingly. control of parasite impact on your flock herd. or As we all know, small ruminants and especially their • Divide and subdivide your pastures into paddocks young, are particularly susceptible to ites. internal paras – as many as you can for your time and labor For the shepherd that cares for them, it is a constant limits. worry and -‐ time consuming health issue. Yet, ironically, it • 3 Day Rule – Try to not leave livestock on a is the shepherd (and veterinarian) that has probably paddock beyond 3 days. Forage and plants will try exacerbated the problem most with the intensive use of to initiate re-‐growth after 3 days of being clipped powerful anthelmintics developed in the 1960’s. The or grazed. A second grazing on the plant will parasites particular to these animals have co-‐existed since require it to draw on reserves to regrow, thus their beginning. Without human intervention, they tend moving your pasture from resource the available to develop a mostly balanced existence since those column into expense the column of your farm. It without resistance to the parasites , die ending that will also encourage the reproduction of weeds, or genetic thread. Such ( as the sheep of St. Kilda islands off worse, invasive species. the coast of Scotland – a separate story). The anthelmintics (chemical wormers) provided a • 4 inch – rule Avoid grazing lower than 4 inches or reprieve, making this problem go away quickly, and it even better -‐ not lower than 6 – inches not only is this parasite territory (Haemonchus contortus Continued on Page 11 2 MID 2016 FIBER can be further processed into a roving/batts, etc .). The selected wool can be handwashed carefully to How to sell your wool preserve the fleece structure.

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