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Nutrient Management Training for Small Farmers:  Learn to Write Your Own Nutrient Management Plans

Nutrient Management Farmer Certification Training will be held during the evenings of December 2 and 7 for farmers who raise animals and/or use both manure and fertilizer as nutrient sources for crops. Those farmers who use only fertilizer as a nutrient source on crops and do not raise animals may attend a training on November 22 and 23 and December 7. A short open-book certification exam will be held on December 14 for both groups. On December 16 and/or 21, plan writing sessions will be held. Maryland Cooperative Extension Nutrient Management Specialists will assist with plan writing.

Information needed to write a nutrient management plan includes:
• A current soil analysis for each management unit on the farm. “Current” is defined as less than three years old. Soil sampled prior to 2002 must be resampled.
• A map of the farm
• An inventory of animals
• Previous manure history

All classes will be held from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. at the Frederick County Extension Office, 330 Montevue Lane, Frederick Maryland. The registration fee is $20. Checks should be made payable to: Frederick County EAC. For more information, call (301) 631 -3576 or e-mail wholdway@umd.edu.

To become certified, participants must pass the open book exam and complete a nutrient management plan for their operation for the 2005 season.

Who needs a nutrient management plan?
Maryland agricultural operators are required to have (and implement) a nutrient management plan (by specific deadlines) if they have 8 or more animal units on their farm or their gross farm income is $2,500 or more. An animal unit is defined as 1,000 lbs. of live animal weight. Producers who reside in other states should check with their local county extension agent to determine nutrient management requirements.

Focus on Research

Using MGA and the Ram Effect to Induce Out-of-Season Breeding

by Dr. Niki Whitley
University of Maryland Eastern Shore

A Maryland producer was interested in breeding during the summer in order to take advantage of niche markets. Sheep generally breed only in the fall, though some breeds are less seasonal and can breed during the summer with some external hormonal stimulation. Melengestrol acetate (MGA), a hormone similar to one of those used in human birth control pills, was successfully used to induce/synchronize breeding with Katahdin hair sheep at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore in 2002. Because MGA is available commercially, already mixed in a pelleted feed, it is an easy and relatively inexpensive way to induce estrus (heat) out-of-season without any dramatic increases in labor. So, the objective of this on-farm study was to determine if MGA could be used in commercial white-face wooled sheep that are traditionally more seasonal than hair sheep breeds. In this experiment, 124 commercial white-face wooled ewes from a herd of approximately 300 ewes and 4 Dorset rams were used to determine the effectiveness of MGA, in combination with the ram effect, when compared to no hormonal priming before ram introduction during the summer (June).

Rams were removed from sight, sound and smell of females for at least 3 weeks prior to the beginning of the study. Ewes were group-fed one of two diets, a commercial treatment diet containing MGA, or a similar commercial diet with no MGA. The MGA group received approximately 0.25 mg of MGA daily (1 pound of the feed with MGA) each and control ewes received an equivalent amount of control diet for 10 days. Following the treatment period, females were grouped and rams introduced for mating (day 0). The number of lambs born, birth dates and birth weights were recorded.

In this study, only 4 ewes lambed during the period in which the treatment would have been effective and all were in the MGA group. Another 25 ewes (12 MGA, 13 control) on the study and 40 ewes not on the study lambed from what might be considered early induction due to the ram effect (bred by July 15). Therefore, in this herd under these conditions, MGA was not effective for induction of breeding out-of-season.

Click HERE to learn more about controlling estrus in sheep and goats.

Congress Passes MUMS Act

On July 20, 2004, the United States Congress passed the MUMS (Minor Use/Minor Species) Animal Health Act which makes possible the introduction of sheep/goat pharmaceuticals and dewormers that are currently approved overseas, but not available in the U.S. As a result of this legislation, over the coming months and years, more products will become available to sheep and goat producers to ensure better sheep/goat health. The American Sheep Industry Association (ASI) was instrumental in getting this legislation approved.

Source: Premier Newsletter, Aug-Sept. 2004.

Visit this web site to learn more about the MUMS Act:  American Veterinary Medical Association

Understanding Meat Inspection

There are basically three levels of meat inspection: federal, state, and uninspected or “custom” slaughter plants. Meat processed at a federally-inspected (USDA) plant can be sold in any state, while meat from state-inspected plants can usually only be sold in-state and is subject to state regulations. A bill to allow state-inspected meats to be sold interstate and internationally was introduced in 1999, but it has yet to pass Congress. State meat inspection is required to be at least “equal to” federal inspection.

Uninspected or custom plants usually process for the owners’ use, and the meat must be stamped “Not For Sale.” Processed meat products such as sausage, hot dogs, and jerky are subject to additional regulations because they contain additional ingredients besides meat. Storing meat (for resale) on farm is also subject to additional regulations.

As compared to beef, pork, lamb, and goat, inspection requirements differ for poultry, rabbit, and exotic meat (e.g. venison).

State Meat Inspection

On April 4, 1991, USDA assumed the responsibility for meat and poultry inspection in Maryland. In fact, USDA handles meat inspection for 23 states, which have given up their state inspection programs.

Freezer Meat Market
The freezer market is accessible to almost all producers who can locate suitable processing facilities. In fact, any type of processing facility can be used to access this market, including custom processing plants that are not federally (USDA) or state inspected. In this case, the live animal should be sold prior to slaughter. An animal can be sold to more than one person, but must not be slaughtered and processed until the entire animal is sold. When using a custom plant, it is best to have the customer pay separate for the animal and the processing and to have the customer pick up their own processed meat from the plant.

On-Farm Slaughter Exemption
Providing facilities for religious or “ritual” slaughter is often necessary to serve the ethnic/religious markets for lamb and goat. According to USDA regulations¹, livestock may be sold to a customer and slaughtered by the customer without inspection so long as the meat is consumed by the customer (owner of the animal), members of his family, and any non-paying guests. The producer of the animal may also slaughter an animal for consumption by himself, members of his household, and his nonpaying guests and employees.

¹Federal Meat Inspection Act, Title 21, Chapter 12, Section 623 (Exemptions from inspection requirements).

Sheep Shearers Wanted

The United States, like other major sheep-producing countries, is suffering from a shortage of sheep shearers. That’s why the American Sheep Industry Association (ASI) is compiling a sheep shearer database, which will contain information ranging from a shearer’s contact information to what services, supplies, and level of skills he or she provides.

The project kicked off in mid-August with the mailing of a form to about 270 sheep shearers, for whom ASI had contact information or was supplied information by a wool warehouse. If you are a shearer and did not receive the form, please contact Bob Padula at (320) 269-7973 or e-mail padula@starband.net so one may be sent to you promptly.

Source: ASI News, 09.03.04

Editor’s note: The Maryland Sheep Breeders Association maintains a shearers directory in the Maryland Sheep News, the quarterly publication of the association. The Sheep News has a new editor, and a new issue will be out soon.

Novel Endophytes in Tall Fescue - Part II

by Dr. Les Vough²

Studies evaluating the growth of animals grazing tall fescue infected with novel endophytes are difficult and expensive to conduct. They must be compared to the best and worst of tall fescue, meaning both non-infected tall fescue and tall fescue infected with the toxic endophyte must be included. Studies conducted with steers and lambs have shown that animals grazing the novel endophyte pastures gain similar to the animals grazing endophyte free tall fescue and that animals grazing both of these types of pasture gain significantly more than animals grazing tall fescue infected with the toxic endophyte. Studies indicate that there is no toxic effect with the novel endophyte.

Studies on the behavior and physiology of animals grazing MaxQ™ have shed further light on the effectiveness of the novel endophytes to eliminate fescue toxicosis. Blood prolactin levels, which have been shown to be very sensitive to the presence of endophyte alkaloids have been measured in sheep and steers and have been shown to be normal in animals grazing novel endophyte-infected tall fescue. Data from a steer study indicated that during spring, dry matter intake of steers grazing tall fescue infected with MaxQ™ was similar to animals grazing endophyte-free tall fescue, and both of these were 40% greater than steers grazing tall fescue with the toxic endophyte.

Impact of Novel Endophytes on Agronomic Performance
A key characteristic needed from tall fescue varieties infected with novel endophytes is plant persistence. The main reason for the commercial failure of endophyte-free varieties was the short stand life compared to KY 31 infected tall fescue. Over the last 50 years, tall fescue has developed a reputation for being a plant that is tolerant of many stresses and is able to come back year after year to provide forage for livestock operations. If a tall fescue variety is to be successful, it must persist so that replanting will not be needed every 3 to 4 years, as was the case with endophyte-free tall fescue.

Research comparing MaxQ™ in Georgia-5 and Jesup to its endophyte-free and toxic endophyte counterparts shows that there is no difference in dry matter yield due to endophyte status. Stand evaluations have indicated that when grazed similarly, tall fescue infected with MaxQ™ persists similar to tall fescue infected with the toxic endophyte.

Considerations for Using Novel Endophyte Technology
Utilizing tall fescue varieties infected with novel endophytes holds a great deal of promise for producers that have suffered losses due to fescue toxicosis. These are things that both the companies selling the seed and the producing seed must keep in mind for novel endophytes to impact livestock production in the U.S.

Producers must realize that the persistence of KY 31 tall fescue is basically as good as it gets for cool-season grasses. With the novel endophyte, the hope is to get something as good or close as possible to the persistence of KY 31. Overgrazing and/or droughts can cause stand loss of tall fescue regardless of endophyte status. Since animal intake is decreased due to fescue toxicosis, animals grazing tall fescue infected with a novel endophyte will eat 20 to 40% more. Maintaining the same stocking rate after replanting with novel endophyte-infected tall fescue can cause overgrazing and eventually stand loss. The poor persistence will not necessarily be due to the novel endophyte technology, but to the poor grazing management by the producer.

Producers must also evaluate the economic practicality of using novel endophytes. The expense of eliminating the toxic endophyte and replanting may make it a less profitable option for some lower intensity operations. Someone not willing to put forth the time, expense, and effort to plant and manage the new tall fescue may be better off using red and white clover to minimize fescue toxicosis.

Individuals or companies identifying these endophytes must constantly keep in mind the interaction between the endophyte and plant genotype. Just because a specific endophyte worked well in a certain variety does not mean it will perform well in all varieties. Simply because research has shown the technology is possible does not mean that any non-alkaloid producing endophyte will work in any variety in the field Any new combination of endophyte and plant genotype needs to be screened and tested to make sure both the animal and agronomic performance of the combination will be profitable to producers. A failure in either are due to premature release of a new endophyte/plant combination and could cause a major set pack to the entire technology.

Conclusion
The potential on non-toxic endophytes provide us with the rare opportunity to “have our cake and eat it too.” Having outstanding animal performance along with persistent pastures has been something that has been searched for with tall fescue for the last 30 years. Producers now have the opportunity to significantly improve animal performance with minimal effects on pasture performance.

Source: G.E. Bates, Proceedings of 2004 Conference of the American Forage and Grassland Council. Adapted by Les Vough, Forage Crops Extension Specialist, University of Maryland.

²Dr. Lester Vough is the Extension Forage Crops Specialist for the University of Maryland. He can be reached at (301) 405-1322 or vough@umd.edu.

Part I of "Novel Endophytes in Tall Fescue" was published in the August 2004 issue.

Flock Vaccinations

There are many diseases for which sheep and goats may be vaccinated, but there is probably only one vaccine that is universally recommended for all flocks: CD-T. It is a combination vaccine. The "C" and "D" stand for clostridial perfringins types C and D. The "T" represents tetanus caused by clostridial tetani.

Clostridial perfringens type D is better known as enterotoxemia, pulpy kidney, or overeating disease. It is a common disease of sheep and goats and primarily affects lambs and kids over one month of age. Clostridial perfringens type C is better known as bloody scours or lamb dysentery. It primarily affects lambs and kids during their first several weeks of life. Both diseases are usually precipitated by changes in the diet. Tetanus (lockjaw) can occur anytime there is an open wound into which the tetanus organism can gain entry; however, lambs and kids are particularly at risk when they are docked, castrated, or disbudded.

Vaccinations are cheap insurance. To provide the best protection, pregnant females should be vaccinated with CD-T approximately one month before they are due to lamb/kid. This will impart passive immunity to the offspring through the colostrum ("first milk" secreted by the doe/ewe). Females that have never been vaccinated for CD-T will require two initial shots with an annual pre-lambing booster thereafter. There is evidence to suggest that goats do not respond as well to the CD-T vaccines. Some veterinarians recommend re-vaccination every six months.

When lambs/kids are approximately six weeks old, they should receive their first CD-T vaccination, followed by a second shot two to four weeks later. If lambs/kids are grazed for a period of time then returned to confinement or dry lot for concentrate feeding, they should receive a booster for type D. Feeder lambs or goats purchased as 4-H projects or for finishing should be vaccinated for type D, if they were not previously vaccinated or their vaccination status is unknown.

Lambs/kids not consuming adequate amounts of colostrum or whose dams were not vaccinated should receive their first CD-T vaccination at 1 to 3 weeks of age. Vaccinations given too soon after birth are not very effective due to the interference caused by colostral immunity. In fact, research conducted at Cornell University showed no benefit to vaccinating lambs for overeating disease (type D) prior to six weeks of age.

The tetanus anti-toxin should be administered at the time of docking, castrating, and disbudding, if dams were not vaccinated or adequate colostrum was not consumed. An anti-toxin imparts immediate, short-term immunity and is usually sufficient for getting animals through a period of high risk. In contrast, a vaccine (toxoid) requires 10 days to 2 weeks to cause an immune response; however, its effects are long lasting. The dosage for the tetanus anti-toxin is 150-250 units for young kids and 400 to 750 units for adult animals.

It is generally not necessary to use the 7 and 8-way clostridial vaccinations, since CD-T are usually the only clostridial diseases that are a problem with sheep and goats (in the Mid-Atlantic area).

CD-T vaccinations should be given subcutaneously (sub Q). The preferred injection sites are the neck region (caudolateral) and behind the elbow. Injection over the ribs is an alterative for adult animals. Tissue reactions at the injection site can occur. If a toxoid and anti-toxin are administered at the same time, a separate needle and injection site should be used for each shot.

Flock owners may wish to consider additional vaccinations (e.g. abortion, CLA, sore mouth, rabies) if these health conditions have been diagnosed in their flocks or if their animals are deemed to be at high risk for disease outbreaks. Rams, bucks, and unbred yearlings should not be overlooked in vaccination programs.

Maryland Hosts Kazakh Visitors

by Susan Schoenian

The University of Maryland (Cooperative Extension) hosted a group of Kazakh agricultural faculty and ministry personnel during the last two weeks in September. The faculty exchange was part of a University of Maryland/U.S. State Department-funded project to develop extension services in the former Soviet Republic of Kazakhstan. During their stay, the Kazakhs participated in a extension training program at the University of Maryland College Park and visited various farms and markets in Maryland. They spent one day visiting sheep and goat farms in the Western Maryland region, for which I was the host.

I took them to Many Rocks Farm in Keedysville, Maryland. Many Rocks Farm (manyrocksfarm.com), operated by Jeanne Dietz-Band, breeds Boer and Kiko meat goats. It was the first time the Kazakhs had seen both breeds. It is my intention to introduce the Boer goat to Kazakhstan via frozen semen. Many Rocks Farm collects semen from its bucks and utilizes an intensive grazing system. It is an impressive farm.

Next, we traveled to Mercersburg, Pennsylvania to visit Winter Springs Farm. Winter Springs Farm, operated by Bob Russo, maintains 120 commercial ewes on an intensive grazing system. Sheep are moved as often as every 3 days. Lambs are sometimes fed grain for several weeks before being sold. It was the first time the Kazakhs had seen a Border Collie in action; and they were quite impressed, even with his frisbee catching!

I took the Kazakhs to my place, The Baalands, in Clear Spring, Maryland, where they had the opportunity to see Katahdin and Dorper hair sheep (for the first time) and a hoop house, a low-cost housing alternative for livestock. Sheep Specialists at Kazakh National Agrarian University are interested in obtaining Dorper semen to develop intensive sheep breeding programs for meat production near urban centers.

We concluded our day at my parents' place in Hagerstown, where we enjoyed a lamb dinner graciously prepared and hosted by my parents, Walter and Marilyn Schoenian. Kazakh people eat a lot of lamb (and mutton) and seemed to enjoy the meal, which featured rib and loin chops and ground patties from four month old hair sheep ram lambs.

Click HERE to learn more about Kazakhstan.

Featured Web Sites

Goat Biz Magazine

Goat Biz is a new business-oriented magazine for goat owners – meat, dairy, or fiber. Topics include networking, marketing, value-added products, creating mission statements, business software availability, cooperatives, alternative auctions, figuring profit and loss, investment planning, and more. To receive a copy of the premier issue of Goat Biz Magazine, send an e-mail to goatbiz@atc-sa.com or call (325) 653-5438. You can also download a copy of the issue in PDF format from the web site. Subscriptions are $15 per year for six issues.

www.goatbiz.com

4-H Meat Goat Project Guide

A Mid-Atlantic 4-H Meat Goat Project Guide has been posted to the web at http://www.sheepandgoat.com/articles/projectmanual.html. The guide contains an introduction on 4-H meat goat projects and a project calendar, as well as sections on selection, health, feeding, preparing for show, showing, record keeping, and additional resources. The authors are Susan Schoenian; Susan Garey, 4-H Animal Science Extension Agent in Delaware; and Cyndi Estienne, a 4-H volunteer in Suffolk, Virginia.

www.sheepandgoat.com/projectmanual.html

Ewe Lamb Payments

The United States Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency (FSA) has published the proposed rules for the 2004 $18 million Ewe Lamb Replacement and Retention Program in the Federal Register. Comments on the rules are being accepted until November 8. Sheep producers should stay in contact with their local FSA offices to find out when the sign-up period will begin. USDA will pay producers up to $18 per ewe lamb retained or purchased for breeding.

The base period for eligibility of the program is from Aug. 1, 2003 through July 31, 2004. The guidelines for the 2004 program will be the same as those of the previous program.

To review the proposed rule visit http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/06jun20041800/edocket.access.gpo.gov/2004/04-20186.htm.

Wool LDP Service Available Online

U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Secretary Ann M. Veneman announced that a nationwide Electronic Loan Deficiency Payment (eLDP) service has been launched. "The eLDP program allows producers to apply for and receive Loan Deficiency Payments online from remote locations such as their homes or offices,” stated Veneman. Wool, mohair and unshorn pelts are included in the list of commodities with access to the eLDP service.

To register, producers can go to: www.sc.egov.usda.gov and complete Form CCC-634-E, “Request for Electronic Loan Deficiency Payment Services.” Eligible producers must also have an active USDA eAuthentication Level 2 account, which requires completing an online registration form at the above address, followed by a visit to the local USDA Service Center for identity verification.

This new service is just one of many that USDA is making available to better serve individuals and businesses across the country.

Source: ASI News, 9/24/04.

Calendar of Events

October 23
Growing and Marketing Value-Added Livestock in Maryland
Waldorf, Maryland.
Info: (301) 932-4638 or (410) 757-0861.

Small Ruminant Field Day
Petersburg, West Virginia
Spring Run Farm and Dorcas Elementary School
Info: (304) 358-3660 or fane.irvine@mail.wvu.edu.

Maryland Sheep Breeders Association Annual Meeting and Banquet
Carroll County Ag Center Westminister, Maryland.
Info: Sam Mullen at (301) 898-7796 or smulleniii@aol.com.

October 28, November 4 & 18 (evenings)
Sheep and Goat Nutrition/Feeding Short Course
Frederick County Extension Office, Frederick, Maryland.
Contact: Terry Poole at (301) 694-1594 ext. 13577 or tepoole@umd.edu.

October 29-30
Pennsylvania Pasture and Grazing Sheep and Goat Production Conference
Bedford, Pennsylvania.
Info: Tom Calvert at (814) 267-3771 or lcalvert@wpia.net.

October 29-31
1st Annual American Black Welsh Mountain Sheep Association Meeting.
Wye Heights Plantation, Easton, Maryland.
Info: www.blackwelsh.org

October 30
Sheep and Goat Genetics Conference
Western Maryland Research & Education Center, Keedysville, Maryland.
Info: Susan Schoenian at (301) 432-2767 x343 or sschoen@umd.edu

Virginia Bred Ewe Sale
Rockingham County Fairgrounds, Harrisburg, Virginia.
Info: Corey Childs at (703) 901-2103 or cchilds@vt.edu.

November 5 and 19
Nutrient Management Training for Pasture-Based Operations
Montgomery County Extension Office, Derwood, Maryland.
Info: Heather Hutchinson at (301) 432-2767 x339 or hhutchin@umd.edu

November 20
UMES Small Farm Conference
University of Maryland Eastern Shore, Princess Anne, Maryland.
Info: (410) 651-6206 or st112@umail.umd.edu

December 4
West Virginia Sheep Short Course
Clinton Hedrick Building, Riverton, West Virginia
Info: West Virginia Extension Offices

January 7-8
VA-NC Shepherd’s Symposium and Commercial Ewe Lamb Sale (Saturday)
Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia
Info: Scott Greiner at (540) 231-9163 or sgreiner@vt.edu

January 14-15
Future Harvest-CASA Conference
Sheraton Four Points Hotel, Hagerstown, Maryland
Info: (410) 604-2689 or fhcasa@friend.ly.net

January 26-29
American Sheep Industry Association Convention
John Asquaga Nugget, Reno, Nevada
Info: ASI at (303) 771-3500 or info@sheepusa.org

Links are provided as an information service. They do not constitute an endorsement of any non-affiliated organizations, businesses, products or content of these pages by Maryland Cooperative Extension or the University of Maryland. Mention of product names is for information purposes only. It is the policy of Maryland Cooperative Extension that no person shall be subjected to discrimination on the grounds of race, color, sex, disability, age, religion or national origin.

The Maryland Sheep & Goat Producer is published bi-monthly by University of Maryland Cooperative Extension. It is written and edited by Susan Schoenian, Area Agent for Sheep and Goats at the Western Maryland Research & Education Center. Contributors include Dr. Niki Whitley from the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) tel. (410) 651-6194, e-mail: nwhitley@mail .umes.edu and Willie Lantz from Garrett County Extension, tel. (301) 334-6963, e-mail: wlantz@umd.edu. To receive the newsletter, contact Susan at the Western Maryland Research & Education Center, 18330 Keedysville Road, Keedysville, MD 21756, (301) 432-2767 ext. 343, fax (301) 432-4089; e-mail: sschoen@umd.edu. The cost of receiving the newsletter by mail is $10 per year, payable to the University of Maryland. Internet access is FREE and you can be added to a list to receive an e-mail message when a new newsletter has been posted to the web at http://www.sheepandgoat.com/news/index.html. Comments and suggestions regarding the newsletter are welcome. Articles may be reprinted with permission of the author.

 

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