Mastitis is a dairy farmer’s nightmare and a condition that most must deal with at some stage. It is a common disease in dairy sheep, occurring in five to ten percent of a herd. Dairy farmers must know how to deal with mastitis, including how to milk a sheep with mastitis. Sheep with mastitis cannot be …
Beginners Info
Buying gifts for friends can be challenging. It may be difficult to choose a gift that suits the person’s lifestyle and interests. A good idea is to consider gifts that might be helpful in their everyday lives. Dairy farmers are people that eat, sleep and breathe their work. Here are nine unique gift ideas for …
Sheep milk is a versatile and nutritious dairy product that is enjoyed around the world. Not only is it an excellent source of protein and minerals, but also it has a wide range of uses. From cheeses and yogurts to soaps and lotions, sheep milk is a multi-purpose ingredient that can be used in many …
If you are a goat farmer who milks their herd daily, you quickly learn how much milk to expect from each of your goats, and you immediately notice when one of your goats starts to produce less milk than usual. There are several reasons why a goat may produce less milk. Goats may produce less milk …
Sheep are thought of as docile, calm, gentle animals. Generally, they are, but as with any species, a sheep can become aggressive. Many people are not intimidated by sheep, but a charging sheep should not be taken lightly. They can cause significant blunt-force trauma to the human body. Knowing what to do if a dairy …
I love making goat butter. It’s like a little science experiment in the kitchen that you can do in increments. If you’re observant (and remember what you’ve observed), you can start to see patterns in the process. Each little homestead has its own method based on its goats, milking, and kitchen setup. But is it …
Sheep milk is used for producing specialty cheeses, and the United States imports more than 50% of the world’s specialty cheeses. So, the country has a growing market for commercial dairy sheep farming. It’s still a small market, but it’s got huge potential. So, how can we get ewe to produce more milk? Dairy sheep will …
Before going into dairy farming, whether you are doing it on a commercial or homestead basis, it would be beneficial to consider a few essential factors. One of the most crucial factors is the type of farming you choose. A popular choice is going into cow dairy farming, but another option exists, goat farming is …
Dog ownership is fraught with many differing views on almost every aspect, including nutrition. There has been widespread information on the dangers of cow milk for dogs, some scientific and other ‘facts’ based on hearsay, and popular science myths. Many people promote the use of goat’s milk for puppies, but is this a good idea? Goat …
When it comes to the snacking habits of goats, there is an underlying belief that goats have stomachs of steel, and they often get the reputation of being avid eaters of anything put in their path. In reality, there are numerous plants out there that are poisonous to goats. So if you plan on keeping …
On commercial dairy farms, lambs are often taken away from their mothers a day or two after they are born. This is quite traumatic for the lambs and the ewes. The wonderful thing about having a small-scale sheep dairy is that you can approach the process in a more ethical, humane way. A lamb should be …
How you store hay and feed it to your animals should minimize losses as far as possible while ensuring their nutritional intake is stable. Hay that is not stored well is subject to losing its nutritional value or becoming moldy. Additionally, how hay is fed to the animals will determine the percentage of feed loss …
The goal of a milking parlor is to milk dairy animals efficiently and ergonomically without causing them stress or harm. Ruminants need to spend most of their day resting and eating so they can make milk. They shouldn’t be cramped in holding areas for extended periods because the milking parlor is too small. But how …
The maturity of animals is usually measured by how soon they can or should reproduce. For large-scale farmers, the sooner the animals hit maturity, the better, as it leads to a higher turnover and, hopefully, productivity. However, breeding goats before they are physically mature can lead to kidding problems and higher mortality rates. Goats can reproduce …
If you own a herd of horned dairy sheep, you may have experienced the challenges that come with dealing with a broken horn. The injury can cause a significant amount of bleeding, which can be difficult to stop, and it’s essential to provide prompt treatment to ensure the well-being of your sheep. But how serious …
Sheep milk has slowly gained popularity in the United States dairy industry. Of the 40,000 estimated dairy farms in the US, only 200 are sheep dairy farms. However, people are learning of the health benefits of sheep milk and the advantages of sheep farming as a whole. United States law states that sheep milk must be …
It’s utterly sweet watching lambs frolic around their mums in green pastures, but even that season must come to an end. Lambs must be weaned, ewes dried up, and everyone sorted before the next breeding season begins. Commercially fed ewes will take up to two weeks to dry up after weaning. However, they must be prepared …
It is common practice to allow dairy goats some time to rest between lactation and falling pregnant. The rest time the goats have helps them improve their body condition, gain some weight, and prepare for the next milking season. But how do you dry up a dairy goat that keeps producing milk? The most common method …
As a sheep owner, one of your biggest concerns should be ensuring you feed them properly. A vital aspect of this proper feeding regime is knowing what to avoid feeding your sheep. As any sheep owner will tell you, controlling everything your lovable woolly friends eat is almost impossible. Still, you can try to mitigate …
A dairy farm can be lucrative, but, like any other business, the legal hoops and red tape can be daunting. It can be even more daunting in the United States because you must follow federal, state, and county laws, which can differ from region to region. So, with all of this, how can you register …
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