Feeding and Handling Facilities for Sheep and Goats

 

 

Designing Efficient Feeding and Handling Facilities for Sheep and Goats

Producers can decrease feed waste and save time by learning about the recommended feeder sizes and designs for goats and sheep.
This is a Webinar from Penn State Extension. It is FREE for those that register.

When: Tue., Mar. 14, 2023
(7:00 PM – 8:00 PM ET)

Registration deadline: March 14, 2023
8:00 p.m.

Designing efficient feeding and handling systems for sheep and goats can save producers time and decrease feed waste. Designing Efficient Feeding and Handling Facilities for Sheep and Goats will explore recommended feeder sizes and designs that prevent feed waste and allow for efficient time feeding animals. This session will also explain basic handling system design concepts that will allow producers to quickly and efficiently perform management tasks such as sorting, deworming, and vaccinating.

This event is being offered at no charge to participants.
Registration is required to receive the link to access the webinar.
Registrants will also receive access to the webinar recording.

Link to Penn State Extension Registration Page For This Webinar

 

Finish the Fight Against Scrapie: Brains Needed!

The United States is nearing the goal line after a 70 year battle against scrapie, a fatal disease that affects the brain of sheep and goats. Sheep and goat producers can help the USDA achieve this goal. The current program has been very successful to drastically reduce the amount of scrapie in the US. One of the most difficult aspects of an eradication program is making sure that the last few cases of the disease are found.

The most recent two cases of scrapie found in the US were sampled at slaughter but could not be traced back to a farm origin. One of these cases was a sheep in Wisconsin in 2021 and another was a goat tested in Indiana in 2019. Because these animals did not have adequate records and identification to find where they came from, it is likely there are still farms with cases of scrapie. For a country to be declared free of scrapie, international standards require a certain level of testing among all sheep and goat populations within a country. No samples can test positive for classical scrapie. The samples we need to test are brain and a lymph node.

Each year every state is given a minimum number of samples to be collected based on the breeding sheep and goat populations. This assures sampling represents the different populations. In fiscal year 2023 (October 1, 2022 – September 30, 2023), NJ needs to sample 31 mature (>18 months) sheep and 23 mature goats. As of the end of December we only collected 2 sheep samples and 1 goat sample. We continue to ask for help from our New Jersey small ruminant industry to obtain these samples.   If a producer has an adult sheep or goat that dies, that must be euthanized, or is being culled please contact USDA, APHIS, Veterinary Services at 609-241-2236.  There is no charge for the collection or testing of the samples.  Producers may be eligible for official plastic tags as long as our supplies last.

Submitted by:
Linda A. Detwiler, DVM
Veterinary Medical Officer
Sheep And Goat Health Team
Ruminant Health Center

Linda.Detwiler@usda.gov
609.738.5511