Courtesy the Kentucky Sheep and Goat Development Office.

by Dr. Jerusha Lay, DVM Heat stress can have many negative effects on not only the health of livestock but also the production. The major production losses we see come in the form of decreased weight gain, lowered milk production, increased susceptibility to diseases and, most commonly, decreased fertility. During times of extreme heat, animals tend to spend more time laying around and less time up grazing; in combination, metabolic changes create less energy available for g

Ultimately “pretty good ewes” are those that make money. Money-making ewes are prolific, parasite resistant, maintain their health, and wean fast-growing, quality lambs.

Dr. Beth Johnson, Office of State Veterinarian, Kentucky Department of Agriculture The key to any successful business is to produce as much product as efficiently as possible with minimal financial input. As all goat producers know, the major goal of a meat goat producer is to get as many pounds of a sellable product out of a single doe as possible. To achieve this goal we must have live kids born that survive to weaning or later depending on the producers plans for their kid

By Kelley Yates, Executive Director, Kentucky Sheep and Goat Development Office Sarah Carr, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Kentucky State University Purpose of the Ram The rams in our operations do not get all the attention they deserve because we use them for a short amount of time each year. However, the rams are the ultimate deal breakers for producers, because 50% of genetics of their offspring come from the ram (and 50% from the ewe). Therefore, rams need to be in our

By Susan Schoenian Sheep & Goat Specialist, Retired University of Maryland Extension Flushing is a term known to most sheep/goat producers. It is the practice of providing extra nutrition (feed; mostly energy) to the ewe/doe prior to and during the early part of the breeding season. Nutrition has long been linked to reproductive performance in animals. Flushing increases weight gain and body condition of ewes/does, which may result in the birth of more offspring; i.e. mo

By Catherine Riley To develop an elite herd of small ruminates, artificial insemination and embryo transfer offer the most economical way to infuse superior genetics into the herd or flock. While not inexpensive these two reproductive avenues allow the producer to select from numerous sires that can be matched to the needs of the herd, rather that using a one size fits all philosophy of one buck or ram for the entire group. When considering AI or ET, the producer has to t