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small ruminants


AEN-148

Considerations in Goat Barn Design

3/30/2020 (new)
Authors: Morgan Hayes, Katie Jackson, Joe Taraba

Farmers who raise goats for meat or milk need guidance in the interrelated tasks of choosing a barn design and managing temperatures for their herd. Barn orientation, ventilation design, and stocking density are all important considerations which impact goats socially and physiologically, potentially impacting production. While other species are relatively well studied in these areas, research on goats is somewhat limited. The goal of this publication is to provide recommendations drawn from research in goats and sufficiently similar species.

Departments: Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering
Series: Agricultural Engineering (AEN series)
Tags:
Size: 175 kb
Pages: 5



ASC-243

Managing Dry, Open Ewes

7/25/2019 (new)
Authors: Debra Aaron, Don Ely

Ewes on vacation should remain healthy, but not become obese. Keeping them in a BCS of 1.5 to 2.0 will not be an easy chore because all they have to do is graze and deposit body fat. Limiting forage dry matter consumption to 2.0% of body weight daily through stocking rate management and rotational grazing is the best way to keep ewes from becoming excessively fat. If ewes have an optimum BCS at the beginning of nutritional flushing, and are flushed correctly, 95 to 98% of the ewes will conceive in a short period of the breeding season and lambing rate can be increased by 15 to 20% above that of less intensely managed ewes.

Departments: Animal and Food Sciences
Series: Animal Science (ASC series)
Tags: animals, livestock, small ruminants
Size: 749 kb
Pages: 2



ASC-237

Breeding Habits of the Ewe

12/7/2018 (new)
Authors: Debra Aaron, Don Ely

Reproduction is the beginning of a series of significant events involved in the production of lambs for market. Obviously, the higher the reproduction rate in ewes, the greater the chances of achieving maximum profit. A knowledge of the mating (breeding) habits of the ewe can improve the chances for higher reproductive rates, marketing more pounds of lamb per ewe, increasing the efficiency of labor use, and ultimately increasing the chances of greater profit.

Departments: Animal and Food Sciences
Series: Animal Science (ASC series)
Tags: animals, livestock, small ruminants
Size: 700 kb
Pages: 3



ASC-238

Beginning a Sheep Operation

12/7/2018 (new)
Authors: Debra Aaron, Don Ely

Kentucky has the resources required for successful sheep production systems. The state has a vast forage production potential, under-utilized labor and facilities, and access to a well-established market. Many Kentucky farmers should consider the sheep enterprise and its benefits, particularly if they want to make more efficient use of their forages, labor, and facilities. In developing this enterprise, the following must be considered: feed supply, labor, facilities and equipment, foundation stock, and the production system.

Departments: Animal and Food Sciences
Series: Animal Science (ASC series)
Tags: animals, livestock, small ruminants
Size: 675 kb
Pages: 6



ASC-228

Body Condition Scoring Ewes

8/25/2017 (new)
Authors: Debra Aaron, Don Ely

Body condition scoring is a system of classifying breeding ewes on the basis of differences in body fat. While it is subjective, with practice it can be accurate enough to indicate the nutritional status of individual ewes as well as the entire flock. Thus, it allows the shepherd to identify, record, and adjust the feed intake of ewes determined to be thin, in average flesh, or fat. In the long run, this can save money for producers and/or prevent problems attributable to ewe condition.

Departments: Animal and Food Sciences
Series: Animal Science (ASC series)
Tags: animals, livestock, nutrition and health, production practices, small ruminants
Size: 2.20 mb
Pages: 5



ASC-221

Keeping and Using Flock Performance Records

12/17/2014 (new)
Authors: Debra Aaron

Performance records serve as the cornerstone of any good livestock management program. Unfortunately, the task of collecting, maintaining and using performance records is the one area of livestock production in general that gets the least attention. This fact sheet provides ten reasons why all sheep producers need to keep performance records on their flocks. Then, some ways of maintaining and using those records are discussed.

Departments: Animal and Food Sciences
Series: Animal Science (ASC series)
Tags: animals, livestock, small ruminants
Size: 890 kb
Pages: 5



ASC-219

An Introduction to Sheep

12/16/2014 (new)
Authors: Debra Aaron, Don Ely

The information in this fact sheet was developed to provide a quick reference to the most frequently asked questions about sheep and sheep production.

Departments: Animal and Food Sciences
Series: Animal Science (ASC series)
Tags: animals, livestock, small ruminants
Size: 1.07 mb
Pages: 5



ASC-220

Basic Sheep Genetics

12/16/2014 (new)
Authors: Debra Aaron

Genetics is the science of heredity. It seeks to explain differences and similarities exhibited by related individuals. The application of genetics to livestock improvement is known as animal breeding. The objective of this fact sheet is to provide a refresher course on basic genetics and to show how knowledge of genetics can be used to improve sheep production.

Departments: Animal and Food Sciences
Series: Animal Science (ASC series)
Tags: animals, livestock, small ruminants
Size: 465 kb
Pages: 4



ASC-222

Sheep Breeding: Heritability, EBVs, EPDs, and the NSIP

12/16/2014 (new)
Authors: Debra Aaron

Genetic improvement in a flock depends on the producer's ability to select breeding sheep that are genetically superior for traits of economic importance. This is complicated by the fact that an animal's own performance is not always a true indicator of its genetic potential as a parent.

Departments: Animal and Food Sciences
Series: Animal Science (ASC series)
Tags: animals, livestock, small ruminants
Size: 1.08 mb
Pages: 5



ASC-223

Inbreeding in Sheep

12/16/2014 (new)
Authors: Debra Aaron

Inbreeding is broadly defined as the mating of individuals that are related. Strictly speaking, however, all animals within a breed are related. So, in a sense, every purebred sheep producer practices some degree of inbreeding. In most cases this relationship is very slight. Therefore, inbreeding is more practically defined as the mating of individuals more closely related than the average of the breed. This practice includes mating brother to sister, sire to daughter and son to dam.

Departments: Animal and Food Sciences
Series: Animal Science (ASC series)
Tags: animals, livestock, small ruminants
Size: 896 kb
Pages: 3



ASC-224

Crossbreeding Considerations in Sheep

12/16/2014 (new)
Authors: Debra Aaron

Crossbreeding is the mating of individuals from different breeds. To a certain extent, it is a simple concept, but embarking upon a crossbreeding program, in sheep or any other livestock species, involves long-term decisions. The primary benefits of a crossbreeding program are heterosis and breed complementarity.

Departments: Animal and Food Sciences
Series: Animal Science (ASC series)
Tags: animals, livestock, small ruminants
Size: 677 kb
Pages: 3



ASC-214

Is Creep Feeding Lambs a Profitable Undertaking?

9/8/2014 (new)
Authors: Don Ely, Endre Fink

Creep feeding is a technique of providing feed to nursing lambs to supplement the milk they consume. Creep-fed lambs grow faster than noncreep-feds and are more aggressive in nursing ewes. This aggression stimulates greater ewe milk production which, in turn, increases creep feed intake because these lambs will be bigger at a given age. Typically, the creep diet is a grain-protein supplement mixture and is made available in an area constructed so lambs can enter, but ewes cannot. Some situations when it may be economical to creep feed are described in this document.

Departments: Animal and Food Sciences
Series: Animal Science (ASC series)
Tags: animals, livestock, nutrition and health, production practices, small ruminants
Size: 309 kb
Pages: 3



ASC-182

Marketing Lamb and Goat Meat to Hispanic Retail Outlets

3/15/2011 (new)
Authors: Terry Hutchens, Gregg Rentfrow

Because of minority populations immigrating into Kentucky, the level of lamb and goat consumption could grow exponentially within the next few years. Minority populations are expected to reach 235.7 million out of a total U.S. population of 439 million, or 53 percent of the total U.S. population, by 2030. These statistics indicate a growing market for meat processors and sheep and goat products.

Departments: Animal and Food Sciences, Kentucky State University
Series: Animal Science (ASC series)
Tags: animals, livestock, small ruminants
Size: 200 kb
Pages: 4



ID-162

Goat Production Basics in Kentucky

3/6/2007 (new)
Authors: David Ditsch, Terry Hutchens, Patty Scharko, Brandon Sears

Departments: Animal and Food Sciences, County Extension, Plant and Soil Sciences, UK Veterinary Diagnostic Lab
Series: Interdepartmental (ID series)
Tags: animals, livestock, small ruminants
Size: 167 kb
Pages: 4