Developed in partnership with Maryland 4-H Foundation.

Transcription

1 Developed in partnership with Maryland 4-H Foundation. 1

2 Table of Contents Project Animal Selection... 4 The Process... 4 Parts of the animal... 6 Practice... 7 Selection Notes:... 9 Project Animal Nutrition - Small Ruminants Introduction Digestive System Nutrients Water Carbohydrates Fats Protein Minerals Vitamins Energy Feed Classes for Ruminants Feeding Tips and Tricks for Lambs and Goats Reading a Feed Label Net Weight Product Name or Title Purpose Medication Statement Guaranteed Analysis Ingredient List Feeding Directions Caution Statement Manufacturing Statement Summary Nutrition Notes: Project Animal Health Concerns Abscesses Club Lamb Fungus/Ringworm Coccidiosis Entertoxemia External Parasites

3 Hoof Rot Hoof Scald Internal Parasites Pneumonia (Respiratory) Polio Rectal Prolapse Scours Soremouth Urinary Calculi White Muscle Disease Health Notes: Project Animal Training & Exercise: Halter-training Training to Show: Bracing/Driving: Tips for Training: Exercising Tips for Exercising: Training & Exercising Notes: Packing List for Fair Principles of Showmanship Animal Preparation: Exhibitor Preparation: Presentation: Showmanship Notes: Fitting and Grooming - Lambs Fitting and Grooming Goats Show Day Tips Clipper Care & Maintenance Fitting & Grooming Notes: Summary Julian Calendar

4 Project Animal Selection The Process Selecting your project animal is one of the most important components for a youth livestock project! There are many factors that need to be considered prior to the investment in a project animal. Below are some factors to consider in this process. 1. Know your budget! Paying more does not mean you are getting better quality! Know what you have available to purchase a project animal. Youth will usually have two methods available to purchase their animals. The first is private treaty, which means purchasing directly from the breeder/broker. The other is through an auction, which is a competitive bidding sale. Many breeders will put their top animals into a sale as they will tend to get higher prices due to the competitive nature. Regardless of the method of purchase, know your budget and stick to it! 2. What weight of animal do I need? It is important to estimate what kind of a starting weight you need. There are some questions you need to ask yourself to help determine what weight of animal you need: a. How many days will I have the animal? Most fairs have a minimum ownership time for project animals (60-90 days). b. What is a typical average daily gain for an animal? i. Steers gain about 2-3 lbs/day ii. Goats gain about lbs/day iii. Lambs gain about lbs/day iv. Pigs gain about 2 lbs/day c. What is the logical ending weight for a project animal? This will depend on the genetics and feeding program. With this information, you can calculate what an appropriate starting weight would be. Here is an example for lambs: Joey is looking to get a project lamb for his fair in May (California) and it is currently January. He plans on owning his lamb for about 100 days. The breeder he is working with says that the lambs look best at about 140 lbs and they typically gain about 0.6 lbs per day. Joey multiplies the 100 days by 0.6 lbs per day and sees that the lamb will be expected to gain about 60 lbs during the feeding period. By subtracting the gain from the final weight, Joey realizes that he needs about an 80- pound lamb to start (+/- a few pounds). 3. Seek a reputable breeder. It is okay to ask questions of the breeder! Ask about their health program. For example, what were the animals vaccinated against and have they been dewormed? Visit with others who have bought animals from that breeder and ask how the animals performed. Just remember, it is not all about the price and look of an animal. Breeders have a reputation ask around and seek to purchase from a breeder that has a solid reputation. Many good breeders will help you throughout your entire project if you have questions or issues. 4. Learn about the genetics going into your animal. As you advance in your project animal experience and look to improve your project, one of the ways to improve your project is to evaluate the genetics that created your animal. At the breeder, ask to see the breeding herd. What genetic lines have been successful? Do the animals feed out well (eat consistently, gain weight well, minimal health issues)? Genetics are the 4

5 foundation for an outstanding project animal! 5. Evaluate the physical appearance of the animal. The skeleton of the animal makes the foundation for the animal to put on muscle and fat. Learn to evaluate the skeletal structure of the lamb to see if they have the potential to develop! The challenge is learning how to project the final image of an ideal market animal to young animals! There are four major traits that should be evaluated in livestock: a. Skeleton. The skeleton provides the framework for the potential for the animal. Ask yourself if the animal is structurally correct and has the skeleton to develop muscle. b. Muscle! Livestock are raised to sell meat meat is muscle. Evaluate prospect lambs and goats over the top (rack and loin) and through the leg. Additionally, the forearm can be a great muscle indicator. c. Volume. Internal capacity and rib shape provides the framework for muscle and feeding performance. Round rib shape with plenty of volume means the lamb/goat can put on muscle and will likely do better on feed. d. Fat. Prospect lambs and goats will be green, meaning that they are not fat. That is okay, as long as the animal is healthy! It takes time to develop a feel for evaluating fat in prospect animals. The more you can view, the better evaluator you will be! NOTE: The first four can be done before you ever go look at the lambs! At a minimum, have 1-3 done before you shop! 5

6 Parts of the animal It is key to understand the different parts of sheep and goats to become a good evaluator! 6

7 Practice There is a tremendous resource available for anyone to tune their livestock evaluation skills online sales! Numerous sales are available that market project lambs and goats and can be excellent for evaluating prospect animals. The more you can view livestock and identify traits you like/dislike, the better your evaluation will be! Additionally, many shows are streamed live and archived go back and view some of these to learn more about what judges are evaluating. The following pictures have been downloaded from sale sites (Willoughby Sales) to provide practice in evaluation of prospect animals. Side View Rear View Likes/Dislikes 7

8 8 Side View Rear View Likes/Dislikes

9 Selection Notes: 9

10 Project Animal Nutrition - Small Ruminants Introduction Outside of project animal selection, nutrition will be the primary factor that will affect the success of your project. In commercial livestock production, feed accounts for over 50% of production costs, therefore it is important to put some thought into feeding programs, to optimize project income. There are several areas of nutrition that project members need to be familiar with, primarily, digestive systems, nutrients, and feeding management. Digestive System Sheep and goats are ruminants (Figure 1). Ruminants are herbivores (eat roughages) that have a unique, compartmentalized stomach. The ruminant stomach is divided into four compartments: 1. Reticulum - also known as the honeycomb, this compartment catches foreign objects and also is the starting point for muscle contractions throughout the rumen and reticulum. 2. Rumen - the largest of the compartments, this compartment is where billions of microbes (bacteria, protozoa and fungi) live and work in partnership with the animal to digest (called fermentation) feeds the animal alone cannot digest. 3. Omasum - this small, dense compartment serves as the regulator for the rest of the digestive system. Feed particles have to be broken down in the rumen to a critical particle size to be able to pass into the rest of the digestive system. 4. Abomasum - this last compartment is the true, glandular stomach. The abomasum secretes mucus, acid and enzymes to help start the digestive process of feed (and the microbes - more later). The small intestine is the primary site of digestion and absorption of nutrients. It is here that small particles of feed are broken down to their simplest units and absorbed to enter the bloodstream. What is really cool about the ruminants like sheep and goats, is that not only does the dietary feed supply nutrients, but so do the microbes! Microbes have a short life span, and when they die, their little microbe bodies pass through the rest of the ruminants digestive system. This is like a second feed source for the animal and a high quality one too! 10

11 Any feed that is not fully digested in the small intestine is carried to the large intestine. The large intestine is also home to microbes (just like in the rumen) and these microbes digest (ferment) these feeds and produce cool fats (actually short chain volatile fatty acids called VFA s) that can supply energy to the animal! In fact, a large portion of the sheep and goats energy needs are met from VFA s that are produced in the rumen and the large intestine! One of the biggest challenges youth face in feeding ruminants like sheep and goats, is understanding that they are not only feeding the animal, but also feeding billions of microbes. These microbes have requirements for nutrients, just like the lamb or goat, and so their needs must be met as well! The partnership between the ruminant and microbes is mutually beneficial. The microbes get to live in a temperature-controlled environment and food is delivered daily and all waste products are cleaned out daily. Who wouldn t like that kind of service? The animal benefits as the microbes are able to digest forages and roughages, which is why it is so important to make sure your lamb or goat always have hay or some sort of forage at all times! Nutrients All animals require nutrients in varying amounts to achieve a desired level of performance. There are six classes of nutrients needed by animals. These include: 1. Water 2. Carbohydrates 3. Fats (sometimes called lipids) 4. Protein 5. Minerals 6. Vitamins Water Water is probably the easiest nutrient to ensure the animal is receiving, but often overlooked due to this fact. Proper hydration of the lamb or goat is essential for all other systems of the body to function properly. The animal s body is about 70% water and in order for nutrients to be properly digested, absorbed and used by the animal s body, water is required. Water is also required for the animal to maintain body temperature and provide lubrication for muscles and joints to move easily. The easiest nutrient to supply, simply make sure the lamb or goat has clean, fresh water each day. Most lambs and goats can drink 1-2 gallons of water per day. During hot weather, water may need to be changed twice a day, to make sure it stays relatively cool. In contrast, during freezing weather, make sure the water is always thawed! Carbohydrates Carbohydrates will make up about 80% of the lamb or goats ration. Carbohydrates are large molecules made up of individual sugar molecules and supply energy for the lamb or goat to grow and develop. The primary carbohydrates that are fed to animals includes starches and fiber. Starches are easily digested by the animal and microbes and are predominant in cereal 11

12 grains and other energy feeds. Fiber is part of the plant cell wall and is the predominant carbohydrate found in roughages such as hay or pasture. Lambs and goats (and the microbes) require a balance of both types for optimal performance. Fats Fats are extremely energy dense compounds that can contain 2.25 x the energy of a similar amount of carbohydrate! Ruminants need sources of essential fats to ensure a healthy immune system. However, if too much fat is added to the ruminant diet, it has a negative impact on the microbes in the rumen and the whole animal-microbe system gets off balance. Ruminant diets should never be more than 10% of the dry matter of the feed! In fact, most ruminant diets are less than this amount and are more than adequate to supply the needs of the animal. Protein Proteins are large macromolecules that are made up of lots and lots of amino acids. Protein is important for many body systems, including muscle develop, immune system, digestion and hormonal regulation of the body. Animals do not store protein like they store excess energy from carbohydrates and fats, therefore it is important to make sure animals have a daily source of high quality protein. Growing ruminants can require 14-18% CP (crude protein - an estimate of protein) in their rations. Younger ruminants require more protein than older ruminants, in general. Lambs and goats that are considered growing require about 16-18% CP in the diet and lambs and goats in the finishing phase require about 14-16% CP. One thing to keep in mind is that management and exercise can have an influence on protein requirements. If you are regularly exercising your lamb or goat, they will need more protein in their diet to support muscle development. Minerals Minerals are inorganic elements (do not contain carbon) that are required in relatively small amounts in the animal s diet. However, these minerals are extremely important in the animal body. Minerals are critical for the animal to optimize use of nutrients that are coming from the diet, helping the immune system to function properly, muscles to contract and relax, and many other functions. It is always a good idea to have a trace mineral salt block designed for the lamb or the goat present at all times. Many of the commercially available show feeds will have a great balance of minerals in the mix for the lamb or goat. Vitamins Vitamins are organic elements (contain carbon) are required for the body systems to function properly. This includes the immune system, energy metabolism, blood clotting and many others. There are two classes of vitamins: fat soluble and water soluble. Fat soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K) can be stored with the fat in the body and may not be deficient. The water soluble vitamins (all the B vitamins and vitamin C) are essential to energy metabolism and can be flushed out of the animal easily. However, ruminants have the relationship with the microbes in the rumen. Another cool trick the microbes perform is that they can synthesize B vitamins, and in turn the lamb or goat can benefit from these B vitamins! 12

13 Energy Energy is not a nutrient, but it is supplied from the the digestion and metabolism of nutrients in the animal s body. Carbohydrates and fats are the primary energy sources, however, proteins can supply some energy as well. All animals require energy (calories) to do basic life functions and to grow and develop and be market ready at fair time! This is the largest factor that will affect growth rate (followed by protein) in project animals. Instead of feeding animals for a carbohydrate or fat requirement, animals are fed to meet their energy (calorie) requirement. Feed Classes for Ruminants Feeds can be broken down into various classes to describe common characteristics. The first breakdown that youth raising livestock should learn are roughages and concentrates. A roughage is a high fiber feed, containing greater than 18% crude fiber. A concentrate is a low fiber, usually higher energy feed that contains less than 18% crude fiber. At the most basic level, youth need to feed their lambs or goats some roughage and some concentrate. Feeds can be broken down into more categories that are more descriptive. The International Feed Numbering system is used to identify eight major classes of feeds. Below is a list of the eight classes of feeds and a description of each class. 1. Dry roughages - hays and other roughages like cottonseed hulls 2. Pasture and forages fed fresh - fresh pasture or sometimes feeds like green chop that is fed immediately to animals. 3. Silage and haylage - ensiled forages are high moisture and have been preserved via anaerobic fermentation. 4. Energy feeds - all of the cereal grains like corn, barley, and oats, and several of the feed byproducts will fall into this category. These feeds are high energy and contain less than 20% crude protein. 5. Protein supplements - the meals that are byproducts of oil pressing (feeds like soybean meal, cottonseed meal, canola meal) are most common protein supplements. These feeds can also be high energy but will contain greater than 20% crude protein. 6. Minerals - minerals can be in their classic inorganic form, however many companies have developed technology called chelation that attaches the mineral to something that does contain carbon (a sugar or an amino acid) to improve availability to the animal. 7. Vitamins - vitamins are added to most commercially available feeds to ensure needs are met. 8. Additives - sometimes additives that do not contribute nutrients are added to feeds to improve some other aspect of animal production. Examples include coccidiostats to prevent coccidiosis or ionophores to improve feed efficiency. 13

14 Feeding Tips and Tricks for Lambs and Goats Here are some tips and tricks to help you make sure your lambs and goats are eating to optimize performance. Clean, fresh water - make sure available at all times. About 2 weeks before going to fair, use small amounts of flavored electrolytes to help the animal transition to water from different locations so that the animal is always hydrated. Animals usually eat about % of their body weight each day. This equates to a 60 lb animal eating about lbs of grain per day, plus some hay. This is once the animal is on full feed. Keep feed fresh - allow the animal to eat for about 30 minutes (or less) and then remove any excess feed. Weigh your feed. Know how much feed the animal is getting each day. The best way to optimize feed and animal performance is to pay attention to detail. It is important to monitor to make sure lamb is not being overfed or underfed. Make any feed transitions over a 4-5 day period. It is essential to let the microbes in the rumen time to adjust. This includes switching types of grains or hays and increasing amounts of feed. When increasing feed amounts, make the increments small so that the microbes can adjust. Don t worry about a hay belly, it s no big deal. It means the animal is healthy and eating. This can be minimized about a week before fair. Weight the animal every two weeks and monitor average daily gain. Lambs should be gaining about lbs per day and goats will gain slightly less ( lbs/day). Monitor their poop! It will tell the story of how the animal s digestive system is feeling. Sheep and goats should be pellets or even a solid formed plop, but watch out for any signs of splattered feces. That is a sign of digestive upset. Keep a schedule - feed animals consistently at the same time every day. Animals like routine and this will keep their digestive systems functioning the most efficiently. If feeding a castrated male - watch out for urinary calculi. Signs include a saggy belly or kicking at the belly and discomfort. To prevent, make sure the feed contains ammonium chloride. Exercise is important to build muscle tone. Just remember, as exercise increases, so do nutrient needs and the lamb or goat s appetite will likely increase and so will the energy and protein needs of the animal. Reading a Feed Label Many youth will be purchasing commercially available feed that are specifically designed for lamb and goat projects. It is important for youth to make sure they are getting the best 14

15 product for their money, therefore, it is important to understand the information on a feed label. Net Weight This value indicates the total weight of the individual product that is being purchased. This includes the weight of the actual bag and the feed. Most bags average about ½ to 1 lb each, so the companies usually try to adjust to ensure that the customer is getting the minimum net weight. Most bags of feed are about 50 lbs. Product Name or Title Each product has a name or title of some type. This is usually for marketing purposes, but youth need to make sure they are buying the same product to ensure there are no surprise changes for their lamb or goat. Purpose This statement provides a brief description of what the feed is to be used for. Usually the purpose statement will indicate the species the feed is designed for, be sure to feed lamb feed to lambs and goat feed to goats! Medication Statement If a feed is medicated, it will have a medication statement. Many lamb and goat feeds contain a coccidiostat for the prevention of coccidiosis. The most common product is called Deccox, but others are used in the industry. Guaranteed Analysis The guaranteed analysis provides the nutrient concentration (minimums and maximums) of the feed. It is important for buyers to realize that the guaranteed analysis only indicates the what nutrients are presented to the animal, it does not indicate if the animal is going to eat or how well the animal will perform on the product. Youth should evaluate the Crude Protein (CP), Crude Fiber (CF), and Crude Fat, as a minimum, on a feeds guaranteed analysis. Crude protein should be in the range of 14-18% (depending on grower or finisher). Feeds that are higher in crude fiber are generally lower in total energy as fiber is slowly digested, compared to starches. Ruminants need some fat, but the crude fat of a growing or finishing lamb or goat show feed should not exceed about 4-5% (most are usually less than this level). Ingredient List Individual ingredients are generally listed in the order of highest quantity to lowest quantity. In many cases, companies will use broader categories to allow maximum flexibility to change ingredients based on price and/or availability. Examples include grain products which would include corn, milo, or barley, etc. Plant protein products could include soybean meal, cottonseed meal, etc. Feed labels that list individual ingredients, as opposed to the broader 15

16 categories, may provide a more consistent product, but may also be priced higher than those that have more flexible ingredients. Feeding Directions Feed companies have done the research as to how their products work the best, and that information is included in the feeding directions. These directions are a great starting place for feeding the product. Caution Statement The caution statement will provide any warnings regarding the product. A common example is for feeds with added copper and warnings not to feed to sheep (sheep are sensitive to copper). Manufacturing Statement This statement indicates who made the product or who is responsible for the guarantees made on the feed label. In case of a problem, this is who needs to be contacted. Summary A good show feed should provide the following ( Feeding Show Lambs ; Purina Honor Show Chow): Maintain consistent feed intake (assuming water and roughage needs are met) Result in adequate growth of the animal Result in good physical appearance of the animal (hair, skin, wool) Result in the animal expressing its genetic potential Contain ammonium chloride to prevent urinary calculi Youth should feed what works for their animals and their budget! Most show feeds are designed to meet the animal s needs, therefore use feeds the animals like and that are affordable for the youth. To make the next step in feeding livestock, pay attention to the details and really begin monitoring animal performance and feed intake. Those that do, will know their project thoroughly and be able to make the best decisions possible! 16

17 Nutrition Notes: 17

18 Project Animal Health Concerns Adapted from Market Lamb Project Guide by NDSU Extension Service (Saevre and Luther, 2009) Abscesses Species: Both lambs and goats Cause: A variety of conditions can cause an abscess. Sometimes, a foreign body (like a foxtail) can imbed under the skin of an animal and cause an abscess to form. Additionally, various bacterial infections (the main one is Caseous Lymphanditis) that can cause abscesses. In goats, this is the most concerning form. Clinical Signs: An abscess is the body s way of creating an area for the body to fight an infectious or foreign body. This area is a collection of pus within a specific tissue of the body and shows up as a small lump on the animal. Most of the time the animal will lose the hair or wool on that lump. Treatment: Contact a vet to best determine cause and treatment. If the abscess naturally ruptures, it can be flushed (rinsed) with dilute iodine to clean out the area. Apply some sort of topical ointment to prevent reinfection. Prevention: Make sure forages are free of foxtails and other seed heads that can cause problems. Make sure housing area is free of potential injury risks. Club Lamb Fungus/Ringworm Species: Both lambs and goats Cause: Fungus in Trichophyton genus Clinical Signs: Circular, thick, flaky lesions appear 1-4 weeks after exposure to fungus. Treatment: Usually heals on its own in 8-16 weeks. Topical anti-fungal medications can slow the spread. Iodine based ointments also speed healing time. Always wear latex gloves when treating sheep (contagious to people). Prevention: Minimize shearing and washing to ensure lanolin stays in wool. Sterilize clippers, reduce contact with other animals. Be sure animals have own blankets. Before returning to home, spray animal with 0.5% chlorhexadene solution (3 oz to one gallon water). Also be sure to use hide conditions after washing to make sure natural oils return. Coccidiosis Species: Both lambs and goats Cause: Protozoa, coccidia species. Birds can carry the protozoa. Clinical Signs: Severe diarrhea, decreased appetite, reduced gain, chronic "poor doer". Treatment: Contact vet for possible treatment. May need to mass treat through water using amprolin or sulfa drugs. Prevention: Make sure show feed contains a coccidiostat (most do)! The feed label should say medicated and will usually have dequinoate or lasalocid in the feed as a coccidiostat. 18

19 Entertoxemia Species: Both lambs and goats Cause: Bacterial, clostridium perfringens, types C & D Clinical Signs: Animal will show signs of distress, teeth grinding, vocalizations, colic like symptoms. Attacks the nervous symptoms, will have convulsions and result in sudden death. Many times, the owner never sees the clinical signs. Treatment: Immediate injection of the antitoxin (follow label directions) plus penicillin Prevention: Vaccination of mature females in last trimester and of lambs/kids. This is a key question to ask breeder s before purchasing a lamb or goat! External Parasites Species: Both lambs and goats Cause: Maggots, nose bots, keds/ticks, lice Clinical Signs: General unthriftyness, anemic, itching and hair loss. Treatment: Administer some form of insecticide, contact vet for if needed. For lice control - dusts are available. Prevention: Sanitation is the key! Keep the animal s bedding and housing area clean. Hoof Rot Species: Both lambs and goats Cause: Anaerobic bacteria, muddy areas Clinical Signs: Severe lameness, foul-smelling odor, deterioration inside the hoof wall. Treatment: Isolate infected animals, trim hooves and apply topical antibiotics. May require tetracycline or penicillin injections if severe. Preventative vaccine may help in endemic flocks. Prevention: Zinc or copper sulfate bathes can be beneficial. Be careful with copper sulfate with sheep. Keep animal housing area clean and dry! Hoof Scald Species: Both lambs and goats Cause: Anaerobic bacteria, wet and damp conditions Clinical Signs: Lameness, deterioration between the toes of the hoof, localized to skin area (not in the hoof wall). Treatment: Isolate infected animals, trim hooves and apply topical antibiotics. May require tetracycline or penicillin injections if severe. Prevention: Zinc or copper sulfate bathes can be beneficial. Be careful with copper sulfate with sheep. Keep animal housing area clean and dry! 19

20 Internal Parasites Species: Both lambs and goats Cause: Roundworms, tapeworms, flukes, lungworms (many types). Clinical Signs: General unthriftyness, anemic, swelling under jaw (bottle jaw), bloated abdomens, diarrhea. Treatment: Administer dewormer product (follow label directions). Prevention: Proper nutrition and good sanitation is key to minimizing internal parasites. Plan on administering a dewormer 2-3 times during your project. Pneumonia (Respiratory) Species: Both lambs and goats Cause: Many causes: bacteria, viruses, stress, dehydration, improper ventilation. Clinical Signs: Fever, reduced performance, cough, labored breathing, nasal discharge, slow moving. Treatment: Contact vet for various medical treatments, dependent upon cause. Prevention: Proper management and vaccination for respiratory diseases may prevent. Ask the breeder of the animal if they have been vaccinated for respiratory diseases ( shipping fever is a common name). Polio Species: Both lambs and goats, more common in goats Cause: Thiamine or sulfur deficiency or imbalance can cause polio. Most likely to occur with animals on heavy grain diets. Clinical Signs: Neurological signs, convulsions, "star gazing", teeth grinding. Treatment: Administer thiamine HCL. Early stages, can give orally, later stages may require injections. Prevention: Proper nutrition is key be careful with high sulfur containing feeds. NOTE: all show feeds are formulated for the species they are labeled for and will be fine, if fed as per instructions! Rectal Prolapse Species: Lambs (very few cases in goats) Cause: Variety of causes: genetics, dustiness of feed, coughing, possible dock length. Clinical Signs: Red, rectal tissue is protruding outside the anus. May protrude during strain or coughing and then return to normal. Treatment: Contact vet for possible treatment. If caught early, can often be corrected. Prevention: Control dust of the housing area and feed. Use reputable breeders that don t have suspect genetics. 20

21 Scours Species: Both lambs and goats Cause: Various causes: bacteria, viruses, dietary changes. Clinical Signs: Increased frequency, fluidity of feces. Dehydration will occur if it persists, eventual death if not treated. Treatment: Electrolytes for dehydration, probiotics for digestive system health, decrease grain and increase hay. Contact vet for various treatment options if severe, scours can be a symptom of many conditions. If gray and watery and foul-smelling - may be acidosis, contact a vet immediately, consider drenching with a baking soda solution. Prevention: Proper sanitation and dietary management. Make any dietary changes slowly and over time. Soremouth Species: Both lambs and goats Cause: Pox virus. Clinical Signs: Scabs and blisters around the lips or the udders of nursing females. Treatment: Topical application of dilute iodine or thiamine hydrochloride. Prevention: There is a live vaccine available. Some breeders vaccinate for soremouth, some do not, as with a live vaccine, using it would bring it onto their property. It is transmissible to people, so always wear disposable gloves when treating. Urinary Calculi Species: Both lambs and goats Cause: Imbalance of minerals (calcium and phosphorus) in the diet, usually only occurs in males. Clinical Signs: Kicking at belly, infrequent urination. Treatment: Contact vet for possible treatment. If caught early, can often be corrected. Prevention: Ensure feed has ammonium chloride added, most do to aid in the prevention of urinary calculi. White Muscle Disease Species: Both lambs and goats Cause: Selenium and/or Vitamin E deficiency. Clinical Signs: Stiffness, hunched back, or starvation. Treatment: Injections of Bo-Se or Mu-Se and Vitamin E. Prevention: Ensure diet has adequate (but not too much) selenium and Vitamin E. 21

22 Health Notes: 22

23 Project Animal Training & Exercise: The key to reducing stress for your new animal and to gain its trust, is to spend time with your animal! Just sitting with your lamb or goat while it eats will help the animal get used to your presence. Once the animal has settled into its new pen (give it several days) and is eating and drinking well, you can start halter-training! Each individual animal will take different amounts of time to settle in just be patient. Halter-training Teaching an animal to tie and lead is essential for the success of the project. Having a halter trained animal will make everything in the project easier, including exercising, grooming, and if a health issues arise that need treatment. A simple poly rope halter is an inexpensive and useful choice for training. Step 1: Make sure halter is placed properly on the animal s head. Over the nose of the animal, be sure to that the halter is on the bridge of the nose (the area that has bone, not cartilage). Additionally, the lead should be on the left side of the animal s head. Step 2: Tie the animal to a secure area, at a natural height for the head (not too high or too low). Be sure to use a QUICK RELEASE KNOT (see diagram below; downloaded from Horse Illustrated magazine, online). In case an animal gets into a dangerous situation, it is imperative to be able to release the know quickly. Step 3: MONITOR THE ANIMAL AT ALL TIMES! Never leave an animal tied up and unattended. Unpredictable situations can come up at any time. Once the animal begins to relax, brush/scratch/pet the animal to build a relationship with the animal. Step 4: Time to start leading! Most animals are going to rebel at the beginning. Avoid dragging the animal, this increases stress. Use the animal s natural point of balance ; the shoulder, to encourage the animal to move forward. Gentle pulls, with releases when the animal steps forward, is positive reinforcement and will encourage the animal to lead. Practice, practice, practice! 23

24 Training to Show: Once the animal is fairly halter-trained time to start practicing showing the animal! Exhibitors should expect to have to spend about 30 minutes in the show ring, therefore both exhibitor and animal need to be conditioned to show for at least minutes. One of the best items for any showman to have in their barn is a mirror big enough that they can see the entire animal. This way the showman can practice setting up the animal and view the result immediately! Sheep and goats learn by repetition. Practice walking the animal with either no halter (sheep) or with a lead (goats). Stop them, set them up, brace them and then repeat the entire process. Training and practicing is what will make the difference on show day! Bracing/Driving: Today s animals are shown bracing or driving. This means that they are trained to flex muscles to appear more muscular when evaluated. Like any type of physical activity, training is the key to success. Start working with your animal early and in small time increments. Gradually build up the time the animal is bracing for longer time periods, eventually holding the brace for minutes. This step will take time and patience! Start early with your animal and be consistent with training. Some animals will naturally brace, others will take a lot of work. It is important to make sure that youth utilize humane practices to train lambs or goats to brace! Tips for Training: *If pressure is applied to the rear of an animal, most will react by moving forward. Use this natural instinct to your benefit. *Use a hill or a slight ledge to challenge the lamb or goat. Gently push them to take step down with their hind legs, most animals do not want to back off a ledge and they will push forward. Let them push into you for a few seconds, then reward them and let them relax. Gradually build up the amount of time they are bracing. *Always use the inside of your full leg to drive into the animal this will be the most comfortable for both the exhibitor and the lamb or goat. The showman in the picture is using the entire inside part of his leg to gently push into the lamb. 24

25 *As you train your animal to set up, understand the 90-degree rules. Notice on the image to the side, the ewe s neck is set at 90-degrees to her spine (this will optimize balance in the animal). Additionally, the front legs and underline are at 90 degrees to each other. This is true for lambs and goats. *Avoid working animals immediately before meals or after exercise they will be distracted. Exercising Exercise is important for your lamb or goat for mind and body! There are a variety of methods to exercise lambs and goats use what works for you. Remember, exercise programs need to accomplish these goals: *Build stamina and endurance *Promote appetite and wellness of the animal *Develop muscle and condition properly for show Walking is a great way to loosen and stretch the muscles of the lamb or goat. However, it is not the most effective to build muscle mass. Consider the differences between a sprinter and a long-distance runner. Sprinters have shorter and more expressive muscles, whereas long distance runners have longer, less expressive muscling. The same goes for lambs and goats. Walking would be the equivalent of long-distance running, however, for more expressive muscling, animals need to sprint or exert more energy than walking. Think about the principles used for human exercise aerobic activity is about elevating the heart rate for a specified time. The same applies for exercising lambs/goats. Tips for Exercising: *Sprint or do harder exercise about 3 times per week. Allow the lambs/goats a day of rest/recovery on the other days. You can still walk, practice showmanship on rest days, just nothing strenuous. *On exercise days, push the lambs or goats until a light panting is achieved. *After exercise, be sure to walk the animal for about minutes until respiration rate is reduced. 25

26 Training & Exercising Notes: 26

27 Packing List for Fair ü Clippers and blades (clean and sharpened) ü Clipper oil and lube ü Water hose ü Blow dryer ü Halter(s) ü Towels/rags ü Blankets (whatever type you like), potentially shag socks of some kind ü Drench gun (in case animal decides not to drink make sure to keep hydrated!) ü Hoof trimmers ü Brush (leg cards, small brush) ü Feeder(s) ü Bucket(s) for drinking water and for washing ü Feed ü Hay ü Electrolytes for water to ensure animals drink water ü Zip ties (always handy) ü Extension cord(s) ü Fitting table ü Wire and pliers (always handy) ü Notepads/pen or pencil ü Paperwork o Registration papers (if showing registered animals) o Health certificates/bill of sale (if required by your fair) ü Grooming supplies o Soap o Hide conditioner o Pink oil/adhesive and any other show day products needed ü First Aid Kit (for people and critters) o Bandages o Wound spray or ointment of some kind o Diarrhea treatment such as kaopectin 27

28 Principles of Showmanship Showman is defined by Merriam-Webster as a notably spectacular, dramatic, or effective performer ( accessed June 18, 2018). Who doesn t want to be notably spectacular!? Livestock showmanship is a skill and an art. It is the presentation of livestock to a judge for the purpose of evaluation at a competitive exhibition. Showmanship has regional differences and varies across the country and globally, however the basic premise is the same make the animal look the best it possibly can! Judging of showmanship happens during the show, however, the preparation for showmanship and the foundation for success begins as soon as the animal is purchased. The basic principles of showmanship include the following: Animal Preparation: Animal s must be healthy and appropriately fed to look their best. Therefore, basic animal husbandry during the project is essential to show day success. For the show, making the sure the animal is clean and well-groomed is essential for competitiveness. See the section on Fitting and Grooming regarding animal preparation. Exhibitor Preparation: Showmanship does focus more on evaluating the exhibitor s ability to show the livestock, therefore, the exhibitor needs to be clean, well-dressed (in the appropriate attire), and prepared for competition. Presentation: One of the key concepts in showmanship is to make sure the judge has a clear, unobstructed view of the animal. Everything the exhibitor does should be in response to ensuring the judge has a clear view of the animal. Always keep the animal between you and the judge. Pay attention and follow the judges and/or stewards instructions. When pulling an animal into line, try to stop the animal with the legs set up. Set up the hind legs first, it is okay to reach over the animal and set up legs. This is smoother and faster than trying to push the animal into position. Do not lift the front end of the animal off the ground repeatedly to get legs set reach over and set them up. Do what is comfortable for you! There are a lot of fads and trends regarding showmanship. The key factor is to make sure you achieve the primary goal of exhibiting 28

29 the animal. Many times, showmanship classes can run minutes you need to be able to be an effective showman for long periods of time. The exhibitors in Figure 1 are all very effective showman. The lambs are set up well and presented correctly, however, each of them have distinct styles. Figure 1. Ty Lewis, Chancelyn Johnson, and Colton Hoekstra are exhibiting lambs Never quit. Show your animal from at the 2018 Northern Exposure Jackpot Show in California. the minute you hit the gate until you are dismissed from the ring. Showmanship is about perseverance as well as presenting the animal. The first priority is the animal! It is not to stare down the judge. Good showman master the skill of being able to anticipate when their animal is about to shift position and where the judge will be. Make sure your animal is set up at all times and presented appropriately. TIP: Get a large mirror for practicing at home, so you can see immediately how your animal is set up. Treat showmanship like a job interview. Would you hire you to work and show livestock? Convince the judge that you are a stockman, someone that knows and understands livestock. 29

30 Showmanship Notes: 30

31 Fitting and Grooming - Lambs The most important aspects of fitting and grooming should already have been accomplished by selecting an animal and feeding and exercising it properly! Here, we are going to talk about the prep before a show and focus on slick shorn animals. This ewe lamb is getting ready to be prepped for a county fair. Before washing or clipping, use the blower and blow out the animal! It is amazing how much dust, dirt and debris will come out in this process! Will save you time in the long run! After the lamb is blown out rinse thoroughly! Start at the back of the head of the lamb and rinse downward. You will be able to see the dust and dirt rinsing out. The more time spent rinsing thoroughly, the less soap will be needed, which is better for the animals hide. Time for washing! We like to use a foamer great investment! A foamer allows for a consistent amount of soap to be applied and minimizes the amount of soap needed to be rinsed out! 31

32 Scrub away fingers, scrubbers, whatever works for you! Be sure to wash the belly, under the legs, all over! Rinse thoroughly! Be sure to make sure ALL SOAP residue is removed, otherwise the animal may have a dry spot or get itchy and rub. Blow the lamb out to about 75% dry. Some moisture is good for clipping, but the animal doesn t need to be soggy. Towels are helpful to get some of the initial water off. Time for the first clip! We used Listers with Fine blades. At this stage, just get the majority of the wool off the lamb. Notice, we left some around the head and ended about 2-3 inches above the knees and hocks. This will be for blending later. Looks good, right? However if you look closer, you will see that the wool actually grows in a swirling pattern and that the shearing is not as consistent as we would like. Instead of fighting to get this smooth do a second clip! Takes some time, but you will get the best results. 32

33 Weaver s Brightening Shampoo is a cool product. A small amount (we used about a tablespoon or 2, in a 2.5 gal bucket). Add water until you get lots of suds! Use a small, soft brush, directly apply suds to the lamb, working it in all directions. Blow dry the animal. What you should see is that the swirls of wool that were left after the first shearing, are now elevated, making it easier to get them on the second shear! For the second shear if you look closely, you will see that we sheared the animal at a 45-degree angle, from the hocks to the head. In the show ring, we want animals to run uphill, so on this second clip, it s okay to clip at a 45. It s also easier. 33

34 Much smoother clip the second time. Sure it takes longer, but you animal will look awesome in the show ring! Shag is all the rage. During this process, condition the leg wool. There are a lot of conditioners on the market use what works for you! Gently comb through to make sure all snags are out. Let the conditioner sit for about minutes before rinsing out. While the conditioner is on the legs, time to do the head. The Lister s and Fine blades can be used; however, it is often easier to use small clippers and a blending blade for the head. It is quieter and less stressful on the animal and exhibitor. For market lambs, everything comes off the head, blending into the ears and along the jawline. Head and body are done! Legs have been rinsed out and dried, time to start blending the legs to create a natural transition from the slick shorn body to the full lower leg. For blending the legs use small clippers and blending blades. Take your time! Take small amounts off at a time. The goal is a smooth transition from the body to the ground. The left leg of the animal is blended and shaped, the right leg is not blended or shaped. Finish all four legs and you are done! 34

35 Fitting and Grooming Goats Wash and prepare goats for clipping similar to how is described on pages 28 and 29. Blow them out before washing, rinse from the top down, apply soap evenly (recommend a foamer) and rinse thoroughly! Blow mostly dry. 35

36 36

37 Show Day Tips 1. Make sure you animal is clean and dry before you go in the ring! Any products you apply must be dry! 2. Pay attention to the small details clean the ears, nose, glands under the hind legs, etc. 3. For preparing lower legs, it will vary depending on species. Look at a lot of pictures (so many are available online) to find the look that you want to create! a. For lambs: blow in a small amount of a pink oil type product. Too much will make the legs oil just a light amount will add shine and will help the leg wool pop. Gently comb out for a smooth appearance. b. For goats: Goat legs are prepared a little bit more like cattle. Some adhesive will be applied to ensure fullness. 4. Be patient! Manage your time so you and your animal are fresh and not tired! 5. Use a conditioning spray of some kind prior to going into the ring (something like Freshen Up by Sullivan or Weaver s Sheep & Goat Conditioning Spray), this will help make your animal handle nice for the judge. Make sure it is dry before entering 6. Keep your animal hydrated. Muscle is 75% water, so making sure your animal is properly hydrated is key to optimizing muscle expression in the ring. Clipper Care & Maintenance Your clippers are a significant investment in your lamb or goat project, so proper care is essential to maintain them for years! Clean your clippers each time you use them. Take the time and make sure to blow out all hair or wool. Use clipper oil at the beginning and end of clipping. Learn where to apply oil to make sure the clipper motor is properly lubricated. Remove your blades each time and clean them thoroughly. Use a blade wash of some kind to make sure they are cleaned after each use. Store your blades in a protective area. There are blade bags available, wrap them in paper towels and put in plastic containers, or something similar. 37

38 Fitting & Grooming Notes: 38

39 Summary Raising and exhibiting lambs and goats is an extremely rewarding experience! Be smart, work hard and ask questions, these are the keys to success. Additionally, as you advance in your showing career, be sure to pay it forward, share with others what you have learned! Best of luck in your showing career! Dr. Celina Phillips California State University, Chico 39

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