Recently in the Livestock Category

Wayne Martin, Extension Educator, Alternative Livestock Systems

Sheep are a great animal to raise on farms both large and small, and many people will agree that large numbers aren't necessary to make it worthwhile. According to the USDA Statistical Service (NASS) numbers released for 2011, of all sheep operations in the USA, 94% of those were comprised of flocks in the range of 1-99 head. For the 2007 USDA Census, of the 2,522 Minnesota farms reporting sheep inventory, 2,238 farms had fewer than 99 sheep.

Sheep numbers continue to decline throughout the USA, while demand remains strong. In response to increased interest, the Small Farms U Program at the University of Minnesota is offering a workshop on basic lambing management practices that will be held on Saturday, April 6, 2013, from 9:30-12:30 p.m., on the St Paul Campus, at the Beef Cattle Barn, located on the corner of Buford and Gortner Avenues.

This workshop is designed for the person who has little experience raising sheep, but is thinking about starting a flock, or who already has a few sheep but feels that more management skills would be a worthy investment. It will be taught by Kyle Rozeboom, Livestock Specialist in the Animal Science Department, and Wayne Martin, Alternative Livestock Systems Specialist with Extension. Topics to be covered include, but are not limited to the following:

Ewe Care
Housing/facilities
Lamb Management Practices

Registration begins at 9:00 with coffee and snacks. Pre-registration is strongly encouraged. Cost of the workshop is $20/adult, $30/couple or business partners, and $10/student. Please contact Wayne Martin at marti067@umn.edu, or (612) 625-6224.

Mike Donnelly, Extension Educator, Rice & Steele Counties

A full brochure for this program can be viewed at: http://z.umn.edu/2013smallfarmspoultry.

The University of Minnesota Extension's Small Farms Team is inviting those interested backyard and small-scale poultry to attend their new educational program packed with production and marketing information. The 3-hour workshop will be held on March 7 in Slayton, March 11 in Hutchinson and March 26 in Northfield. The program will start at 6:00 p.m. and end at 9:00 p.m. at each location. The cost is $20.00 for adults (spouses and business partners $10.00) and $10.00 for students. A light meal will be provided and attendees will receive a copy of the workshop's proceedings.

The program's agenda is filled with multiple topics geared towards the needs of the beginning farmer, hobbyist or backyard producer and those who would like to raise birds on a small commercial enterprise. Presenters will discuss specifics related to local laws and ordinances, breed and species selection and management techniques. Additionally, marketing direct to consumers or supplying local coops, grocery stores, and restaurants will be covered. Whether for fun, profit or both, this workshop is for you! A complete agenda is outlined here:

• Best Breeds to Fit Your Needs, and Where to Purchase
• Proper Housing, Nutrition, and Predator Control
• Processing Regulations/Food Safety and Handling
• Economics and Marketing
• Zoning ordinances for Urban and Rural Settings

The small-scale and backyard poultry is emerging throughout all parts of Minnesota. To accommodate this growing sector of agriculture, the University of Minnesota Extension is offering this workshop at three locations throughout Southern Minnesota. Location specifics include the following:

Slayton - Thursday, March 7 - 6:00 p.m.
Courts Building Meeting Room
2848 Broadway Ave
Slayton, MN 56172
Contact: Mike Boersma, Extension Educator - boers010@umn.edu or 507-825-6715

Hutchinson - Monday, March 11 - 6:00 p.m.
Commercial Building Meeting Room
McLeod County Fairgrounds
840 Century Ave SW
Hutchinson, MN 55350
Contact: Nathan Winter, Extension Educator - wint0146@umn.edu or 320-484-4334

Northfield - Tuesday, March 26 - 6:00 p.m.
Community Resource Center
1651 Jefferson Parkway
Northfield, MN 55057
Contact: Mike Donnelly, Extension Educator - donne099@umn.edu or 507-332-6165

Those who are interested in attending are encouraged to pre-register to assist with meal count and handouts; however walk-ins will be welcomed. To pre-register, please contact the Rice County Extension office at 507-332-6109 or email Mike Donnelly at donne099@umn.edu. For more information and to view the full view the full brochure, please visit http://z.umn.edu/2013smallfarmspoultry.

By: Mike Boersma, Extension Educator & 4-H Program Director, Murray & Pipestone Counties

Calving season may be a couple months off for some beef producers, but it is already underway for many others. In either case, as the 2013 calf crop arrives, many producers will be searching for ways to keep newborn calves warm and dry.

A healthy start for newborn calves is crucial. And, the first step to having healthy calves is finding a place where they can be warm, dry, and comfortable. At times, finding a warm, dry place at calving time may seem like a daunting task. In addition, no matter how much advanced planning and preparation go into calving season, there will inevitably be those couple of calves that find themselves in less than ideal conditions at a young age.

Two of the most important things for calves born in these conditions are proper naval care and adequate colostrum intake. Proper naval care involves treating the naval by dipping or spraying it with iodine or another disinfectant solution to prevent infection. This should be done to all calves soon after birth but becomes more critical to calves that may be born in wet conditions because the risk of infection is much greater.

Undoubtedly, the most important factor in newborn calf survival is colostrum intake as soon as possible after birth. Colostrum contains important nutrients and antibodies to give calves energy and to fight off disease and infection.

There is no specific recommendation for how soon the calf needs to receive colostrum, because sooner is always better in this case. A calf's digestive system has specific receptors that aid in digestion and absorption of the antibodies in colostrum and these receptors begin to shut down soon after birth. In fact, just 12-18 hours after birth, many of these receptors have already shut down and it becomes increasingly difficult for antibodies in colostrum to be utilized by the calf.

There are a few practices that will help to ensure all calves receive colostrum. First, calves with a difficult birth will generally be slower to recover and may need to be bottle-fed stored colostrum. While it is best to use the mother's colostrum or frozen colostrum from a cow in your own herd to ensure the "right" antibodies for your farm, this is not always possible. If this is the case, colostrum from your neighbor or from the dairy farm down the road or a commercially available supplement is definitely better than nothing at all. Also, calves with no apparent health problems may not nurse a cow with a dirty udder. So cows should be kept as clean as possible prior to calving and as they calve, be sure to monitor the cleanliness of the udder to give the calf the best chance of nursing.

While there may not be any magical cure for calves in cold or wet conditions, paying attention to the details is beneficial. Remember the basics of newborn calf care and realize that these basic practices are even more important in challenging environments. Now is the time to plan ahead. Check your calving supplies to make sure you have everything on-hand, including either frozen colostrum or a suitable commercial supplement. A little preparation now could help reduce sickness, infection, death loss, and stress in the coming months.

By: Laura T. Kieser, Extension Educator, Carver & Scott Counties

January, February and March are typical months for sheep and goat farms to be welcoming new additions to the herd. The benefits of lambing or kidding in the early months of the year include higher rates of gain, lower disease incidents, and increased profits from spring and Easter markets. In order to take advantage of these benefits, producers have to make sure to keep these new babies clean, dry warm, and draft free. Common methods for assisting in keeping young small ruminants warm include: heat lamps, blankets or coats, extra bedding, and barn winterization.

Heat lamps are perhaps the first option that comes to mind when thinking about keeping new lambs or kids warm. Heat lamps provide heat similar to radiant heat, much like the sun's rays. Many supply companies offer options for safe heat lamps in barns. It is important to consider the risks of heat lamps in your situation. Lamps should be protected from hay and straw. Cords from lamps need to be protected from the animals as well. One popular method to use a heat lamp is to mount the lamp in the top of an empty 55-gallon drum. Then a hole is cut in the side of the barrel to allow lambs or kids to go in and out. In effect, this makes a small warming house for the young animals. When using a heat lamp it is important to use the proper sized bulb (usually 175 watts) and to keep the bulb at least six inches higher than the lamb or kid can reach.

Blankets or coats for small ruminants are available for purchase from various supply companies. Coats can also be made at home as part of a 4-H project. Some people use dog or puppy coats for kids. Others use fleece or water resistant material. It is important to make sure to size a coat correctly for a lamb or kid. Straps or material can become a hazard if the young lamb or kid can get tangled in it. It's helpful if coats can be made of washable materials. This makes the coats re-usable throughout the current year and into future years.

If producers are not comfortable with using heat lamps or coats, the remaining options are management decisions. To decrease drafts around young lambs and kids, be sure to provide and refresh bedding often. By refreshing straw, you are keeping the animals dry, and also increasing a layer of insulation. Consider evaluating the barn that lambs or kids are housed in. Make sure that the structure is draft free at the animal level, but at the same time has proper ventilation to allow air exchange and decrease humidity. If barns are closed up too tightly, lambs and kids can be susceptible to respiratory diseases.

In general young lambs and kids will thrive when born in January, February and March when their environment is kept dry, clean and draft free. These conditions will allow producers to have lambs and kids that grow rapidly, are healthy and meet marketing goals.

By: Julie Sievert, Extension Educator, Sibley County
Christian Lilienthal, Extension Educator, Nicollet County
Mike Donnelly, Extension Educator, Rice & Steele Counties

Do you have the dream of owning acreage in the country? Do you have an existing acreage that is in need of a plan and strategies for the best possible results? The Living on the Land Workshop Series, offered by University of Minnesota Extension, will equip you with the education and resources to be successful.

The eight-week course is designed to arm landowners with agricultural information to enable them to be good stewards of their land. The course will begin with goal-setting and individual property inventory, then address soil, plant, water and animal basics.

The Living on the Land curriculum addresses a growing need for information regarding small acreages. The series incorporates knowledge and experience from a team of instructors to address topics including: what do you have and what do you want, what you can do with your land, protecting water quality, what to do about weeds, lawn and pasture maintenance, getting down and dirty with soils, and caring for and managing your animals. The series also includes a farm tour.

The series will be taught by Extension educators and natural resource professionals at two locations. One of the locations is in Gaylord at the Sibley County Service Center. In Gaylord, the series will be held on Monday evenings from February 4th to March 25th. The second location is in Northfield at the Northfield Community Resource Center. In Northfield, the series will be held on Thursday evenings from March 7th to April 25th. Both workshops will run from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. with light meals provided at each session.

Early registration is $175 until Monday, January 28 for the Gaylord location and Thursday, February 28 for the Northfield location. All registrations received after those dates will be $200. Each registration is valid for up to two people representing a single farm who will share materials. For example, a husband and wife team or two siblings may attend together. Benefits include useful educational publications, an educational farm tour, soil tests, a site visit/consultation from a University of Minnesota Extension educator in your area, as well as the tools to help you succeed with your goals and dreams on your country acreage.

For more information about the series in Gaylord, please contact Julie Sievert at 507-237-4100 or schu0944@umn.edu or Christian Lilienthal at 507-934-0360 or lili0004@umn.edu. For questions regarding the Northfield location, please contact Mike Donnelly at 507-332-6109 or donne099@umn.edu.

Register now--space is limited at each location. Additional information and the Living on the Land workshop series brochure can be found at http://z.umn.edu/lotl2013.

By Jerrold Tesmer
Extension Educator, Fillmore & Houston Counties

While preparing for the recent Land Rent Workshops, I stumbled across a list of useful Ag Business Management websites that Regional Extension Educator Gary Hachfeld and I prepared many years ago. I checked out those sites to see if they were still working and added a couple that are useful. Anyone with internet access might find them useful. These sites are in no particular priority.

A great place to start is the University of Minnesota Center for Farm Financial Management: www.cffm.umn.edu. At that site you can access FINBIN data. FINBIN is the largest and most accessible source of farm financial and production benchmark information in the world.

Other useful items under the Center for Farm Financial Management site include, The Ag Risk Education Library that organizes thousands of risk management materials which help producers and agricultural professionals quickly locate information, tools, and assistance on specific risk management topics; AgTransitions helps farmers and ranchers develop a plan to transition their business to the next generation; Grain Marketing where Ed Usset attempts to separate the wheat from the chaff in the often confusing world of grain marketing.

Value of Farm Land: Land Economics Web site at www.landeconomics.umn.edu. This is a site is prepared by Steve Taff, University of Minnesota. Over the years, I have shared it with a number of realtors. The site includes Farmland sales, Timberland sales, Land values, soils data, RIM easements, CRP contracts, and Property tax assessments.

I have also found three very useful publications from Iowa State University, "2012 Iowa Farm Custom Rate Survey", "Estimated Costs of Crop Production in Iowa - 2012", and the "Livestock Enterprise Budgets for Iowa - 2012". They can be accessed at: www.extension.iastate.edu/agdm.

The final source I will mention is the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). USDA, NASS has a wealth of data at www.nass.usda.gov or strictly Minnesota data at www.nass.usda.gov/mn/.

By Nathan Winter
Extension Educator, McLeod and Meeker Counties

Jill Sackett, Extension Educator - Conservation Agronomist
University of Minnesota Extension / Rural Advantage

A wet spring and recent hail have left some Minnesota fields without a cash crop. The above average temperatures in spring and summer pushed ahead the small grain harvest. Fields without cover and those fields that have had the cash crop taken off can be planted into a cover crop. Other options for farmers include the use of tillage or herbicides to limit weed growth for the remainder of the summer and fall.

A cover crop is any crop grown between two cash crops. Cover crops could be utilized in areas where the cash crop has been taken off. Try planting a cover crop after your winter wheat, spring wheat, oats, barley, peas, sweet corn, or corn silage is harvested. Cover crops can even be worked into the corn-soybean rotation, especially when overseeded at the leaf yellowing stage. Be sure to check with Farm Service Agency and your crop insurance provider any time you intend to harvest or pasture a cover crop. Harvesting a cover crop may affect your crop insurance and your certified acres.

The benefits of utilizing cover crops in a rotation are numerous. Cover crops can reduce soil erosion from wind and rain, prevent soil crusting, improve water absorption and infiltration, and slow water from leaving the landscape. Protecting and improving our soils can help to conserve and improve the soil in your field. Soil quality will be improved and more water will be available for your future cash crops.

Many livestock producers look at cover crops as a way to maximize the production of forages and feed. Cover crops can be grown to supply some livestock forage needs. Cover crops also help to protect crop inputs that you have already spent for your cash crops. Many of the deep-rooted species scavenge nutrients from deeper in the soil and make them available for the next cash crop or future cash crops. Adding legume cover crops can also help to supply some nitrogen to the next cash crop or future cash crops.

Without cover on area fields there is no competition with grass and broadleaf weeds. No competition means that these weeds will be looking for the opportunity to grow and produce seed in your field. Utilize the cover crops to provide the competition for available moisture and nutrients, thus avoiding weed seed production for future generations of unwanted plants.

Choosing which species or mix to plant depends on your needs and goals, as well as the availability of the seed. There are a few main categories of cover crop species and those include grasses, legumes, and brassicas/mustards. Some of the utilized grasses include oats, triticale, millet and winter rye. The legumes commonly include clovers, field peas, alfalfa and vetches. The other category that is utilized is the brassicas/mustards. The most well-known of these is the tillage radish; it also includes canola, forage turnip and yellow mustard.

The same rules on planting timing apply for cover crops as other agronomic crops. Cover crops need to be planted when soil conditions are favorable and rainfall is adequate for germination and establishment.

The Midwest Cover Crop Council has numerous publications listed on its website, www.mccc.msu.edu, as well as a web-based cover crop decision tool to assist farmers in choosing an appropriate cover crop for their situation. University of Minnesota Extension researchers and educators worked with a committee of farmers, agencies and organizations to help growers make the best decisions about cover crops. Minnesota's decision tool is available by utilizing the following link: http://z.umn.edu/covercropdecisiontool.

Following is some of a recent news release from the Minnesota NRCS on cover crops. For the entire news release click on the following link:http://z.umn.edu/8oq. Those in drought areas should be aware that the Minnesota NRCS State Conservationist Don Baloun has announced an Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) signup for producers in Minnesota impacted by the summer of 2012 drought.

USDA-NRCS will provide funding to producers to plant cover crops through EQIP. "This announcement is in response to the USDA Secretary Announcement on July 23, 2012 and NRCS' understanding of the heavy loss of hay and forage impacting livestock producers in Minnesota," said Baloun.

Minnesota NRCS is allocating $400k for a special EQIP sign-up that will take place from August 6th through 10th, 2012. The sign-up will focus on the planting of cover crops for supplemental livestock feed and erosion control. The focus area will be in the severely affected drought counties in southern and NW Minnesota. The counties included in the signup are: Beltrami, Blue Earth, Clay, Cottonwood, Faribault, Fillmore, Freeborn, Houston, Jackson, Lac Qui Parle, Lake of the Woods, Lincoln, Lyon, Mahnomen, Martin, Marshall, Mower, Murray, Nobles, Norman, Pennington, Pipestone, Polk, Red Lake, Redwood, Rock, Watonwan and Yellow Medicine. Producers interested in obtaining financial assistance for cover crops are encouraged to stop by their local USDA NRCS office.

By Mike Donnelly
Extension Educator, Rice and Steele Counties

How are your livestock handling the summer heat? Although this summer's heat is taking a toll on our personal sanity and electrical bills, it is important to remember that livestock don't handle heat stress nearly as well as humans. Cattle are most comfortable when temperatures are below 80°F. When the thermometer creeps past 90°F cattle have difficulty coping, and proper precautions are necessary to avoid health effects and potential death loss.

Two of the most common ways to alleviate heat stress in cattle, include increasing air movement and providing plenty of available water. The following tips based on a University of Nebraska Extension publication can help you keep your livestock comfortable and beat the summer heat:

• Increase available water. As temperatures rise above 80°F, livestock will consume more water because it is the quickest and most efficient way of reducing body temperature. To compensate for increased water intake and to prevent dehydration, adding extra watering tanks may be necessary. Additional water sources should be added to livestock pens prior to spikes in the temperature so they can become accustom to new drinking sites.


• Improve air flow. Particularly inside barns, adequate airflow can almost be nonexistent. Increasing air flow is necessary to decrease the effect of heat on livestock. Adding fans and opening the sides of barns are two simple ways of increasing the air flow available to your animals. Increasing airflow through the roof of a building may also be an option.


• Provide shade from direct sunlight. If no buildings or trees are available to provide shade from the sunlight, constructing a netted area to block the sun can be another option. In addition, when shade is provided over the feeding area, it is easier to maintain proper feed intake during hot summer days.


• Install misters or sprinkler. Throughout Minnesota it is a common practice to add sprinklers or misters to your livestock barns and pens during the summer. However, proper placement and installation is necessary to avoid subsequent problems. For cattle, be sure these additional water sources are installed over a clean, preferably concrete area. This prevents cattle from lying down in the mud, which can sometimes lead to bacterial problems, especially in lactating cattle.


• Control insects. Biting insects, such as flies can further stress out livestock and interrupt their cooling. If pastures or buildings draw insects to cattle during times of extreme heat, provide proper insecticides or considering relocating your livestock.

Having a plan in place before hot temperatures strike is the most effective way to avoid the effects of heat on livestock. Each farm is different; make sure your heat stress management plan fits your operation. For more information on helping your cattle beat the heat, contact your local Extension office or the Farm Information Line at 800-232-9077 or fil@umn.edu.

By Mike Boersma
Extension Educator, Pipestone and Murray Counties

Creep feeding beef calves can be a good way to provide supplemental nutrients to calves in a time when their nutrient demands are growing rapidly and forage quality and quantity in the pasture is declining. The process usually involves allowing calves access to feed or supplemental forage with fences that exclude the rest of the cow herd.

Creep feeding can be a controversial topic among beef producers, as some feel that the effects of creep feeding are not economical and can even be detrimental to the future of the calves, while other producers feel that creep-fed calves will be heavier, healthier, and transition better to the feedlot setting. Both of these views are correct, in certain circumstances.

First, creep feeding isn't always economical. In years when feed prices are high relative to calf prices, it may not make sense to spend the extra money on feed if the returns are low. Also, if you have high-milking cows with enough available forage, it is not usually economical to creep feed because the added calf weight can be gained through healthy cows.

Therefore, creep feeding spring-born calves in May and early June will not have much benefit for the average producer, since forage is usually plentiful and cows should still have adequate milk production to raise their calves. Creep feeding becomes more advantageous later in the summer when forage growth and milk production decline.

Finally, it is not advisable to creep feed early-maturing, smaller framed calves, especially on a high energy diet, as this will cause the calves to gain unwanted fat and will result in low performing cattle in a feedlot situation. This is especially true for heifer calves to be kept for replacement. There are many research studies that prove high fat levels on future replacement heifers at a young age could severely hinder their ability to become productive, functional cows in the future.

On the other hand, creep feeding is a definite advantage when feed prices are low relative to calf prices. Also, in dry years when pasture production is low or when cows are not producing much milk, it is a good idea to provide supplemental nutrition to the calves. This will not only benefit the calves, but the cows as well since the calves will likely be eating creep feed instead of grazing on the limited grass the cows desperately need.

Calves out of young cows will also benefit from creep feed. These cows usually produce less milk and have a higher energy requirement themselves since they are still growing. Creep feeding these calves will also keep the young mothers in better condition which will help the cows to breed back sooner for the following year.

Finally, purebred cattle producers will likely experience more benefit from creep feeding. The added feed will increase weaning weights and overall bloom to the calves, which will generally bring a premium price when sold as young bulls or replacement females.

So, as you contemplate whether or not to creep feed your calves, keep in mind that there isn't always a simple answer. What is economical for your neighbor's herd may not benefit your own operation. Consider your goals and expectations before creep feeding and make sure the economics are in your favor. In order to spend the extra money on feed, there should be a plan to capture that value back when the calves are marketed.

By Mike Donnelly
Extension Educator, Rice and Steele Counties

To those who have livestock, hay can be one of the most valuable feed sources available. Quality hay provides nearly all of the required nutrients to complete the diet of most livestock species. When harvested and stored correctly, a farm's hay supply can be kept for long periods of time with little loss of nutritional value. The following are a few key items to keep in mind when creating quality hay:

1. Stage of maturity at harvest. The stage of maturity at which to cut your hay crop varies based on the type of forage you are harvesting. The following suggestions are based on University of Kentucky Extension recommendations:

• Alfalfa - Time of harvest at first cutting should be when the plant is in its late bud to first flower stage. For second and later cuttings, first flower to 1/10 bloom is suggested.
• Bluegrass, Orchardgrass, Tall Fescue or Timothy - First cutting should occur at the boot to early head stage and other cuttings should be at 4 to 6 week intervals. The boot stage of growth is just before seed head emergence, and can be identified by the presence of enlarged or swollen area near the top of the main stem.
• Red Clover or Crimson Clover - First flower to 1/10 bloom.
• Oats, Barley or Wheat - Boot to early head stage.
• Rye - Boot stage or before.
• Sudangrass and Sorghum Hybrids - 40 inches tall or early boot stage, whichever comes first.

2. Time and technique of cutting. If possible, cutting your hay during the early part of the day creates a number of benefits that can lead to a quality hay crop. When hay is cut in the early part of the day, it allows for a full day of drying and a faster drop in the moisture content. Furthermore, cutting hay into a wider window can also accelerate the drying rate.

3. Moisture content at baling and storage. The time at which hay is baled is critical for maximizing its nutritional value. The optimum moisture for baling hay is between 15 and 20 percent. Hay baled at a moisture level below 15 percent can result in great harvesting losses, especially for alfalfa, which can suffer leaf loss. When storing newly baled hay, moisture content should not exceed 20 percent in small bales and 18 percent in large bales to avoid discoloration, molding and heating, dry matter and nutrient loss. Lower moisture contents are necessary for larger bales because of less natural drying.

If hay is baled into smaller square bales at a moisture level higher than 20 percent, it is necessary to apply effective preservatives to prevent heating and molding from occurring. And, in the case of large bales, proper preservatives must also be applied to anything baled with a moisture content over 18 percent.

4. Storage conditions. Properly storing baled hay can lessen the amount of lost dry matter and nutrient quality. If it is necessary to store hay outdoors, it is best to prevent direct contact with the ground to avoid additional moisture uptake which can cause molding--try placing hay bales on layers of coarse gravel, old tires or wood pallets. Additionally, if bales are not able to be stored under a roof, consider investing in tarps or storage buildings to protect from rain and other precipitation.

Putting things into perspective, a University of Kentucky study (Burdine et al., 2005) evaluated five different hay storage methods and the affect each had on percent dry matter (DM) loss:

• Outside on the ground - 30% DM loss
• Outside on gravel pad - 20% DM loss
• Outside on gravel pad w/tarp - 10% DM loss
• Plastic bale cover - 7% DM loss
• Under roof - 5% DM loss

As with any crop, hay requires an investment of time, labor and money. Correctly harvesting and storing your hay to preserve its value can result in increased quality of forage for your livestock and an adequate return on your investment.

Following is a link to the University of Minnesota Extension Forages Website: http://www.extension.umn.edu/forages/