9 Things That Happen When You Homestead

If you're considering becoming a homesteader, raising livestock, or taking part in any sort of farm-like activities, let me first warn you about 9 things that are almost guaranteed to happen when you do:

1. You will become the main source of info about all things homesteading/farming to everyone you know. 

You probably know several other homestead-minded people, since we tend to seek each other out, but it's a pretty exclusive club. Only the really cool kids are allowed in, and let's face it -- most of your friends just aren't that cool. I'm just layin' down the facts, Ma'am, just the facts. But those of your friends who are that cool will come to you when they are getting started, aren't very experienced yet, and need advice.

2. You will also get tagged in every video or picture on Facebook of cute baby livestock antics.

It will seem inexplicable to you, but most people actually don't own livestock. Some people don't even like them -- shocking, I know.  There's a pretty good chance that you may be the only livestock owner some of your friends and family know. As such, you're the first one they think of when a cute goat picture pops onto their news feed. It's good that there's no such thing as too many cute baby animals.

3. You will realize that the vast majority of people are uneducated about things like the facts of life, where our food comes from, and other things that will be (un)common sense to you. 

I don't mean this in a disrespectful way. It's a huge failing of our education. Once upon a time when most people produced the majority of their own food, homestead wisdom was common place. Now it's a rarity. The fact is that way too many people don't know simple things like why cows make milk, where eggs come from, or that most breeds of pigs can reach a mature weight of 500+ pounds. 

You will be met with a lot of ignorance, sometimes from potential customers, sometimes from people who own livestock and don't do enough research, sometimes from complete strangers, and sometimes from family and friends. These situations will leave you scratching your head, but it will also give you a desire to educate the uninformed (and sometimes misinformed) masses!

4. You will become immune to a number of, shall we say, "unique" smells.

Ah, the sweet smell of the barnyard in the morning. Manure. Compost. Buck stank (aka eau de male goat urine and scent glands). Horse sweat. Human sweat. Hay. Straw. Dust. Fly attractant. Various medical supplies, such as salves. You will eventually stop noticing such smells, but remember that those around you will not! Here's a helpful guide for when it's safe to go out without showering after working on the farm (click to view larger):

5. You will constantly be learning.

It doesn't matter how long you've been doing something, there is always more to learn. Just when you think you've got a pretty good handle on things, life will throw you another curve ball. This is a good thing, though, because you will get really good at researching and you will make a lot of connections with mentors, vets, and otherwise more experienced people than yourself who will help you along the way. No matter how smart or experienced you are, there is always someone who knows something you don't and always something you haven't experienced yet! 

Thankfully it's fun to learn in most cases, but some lessons will be learned the hard way. Those are the times when you just have to stick what you've learned in your back pocket and move forward.

6. You will find hay in unexpected places.

Your hair. Your bed. Your underwear/bra. Your shoes. I've even looked down to see hay floating in my water glass. It's impossible to keep the stuff under control! This is especially unpleasant for those of us with mild hay allergies, because it also gets in your nose and on your skin. On particularly bad days you will be blowing hay particles out of your nose.

7. "Normal" food starts to taste bad.

Pasteurized homogenized milk? Ewwww. Refrigerated eggs with pale yellow yolks? No thanks. Anything that comes in a box? Homemade is so much better. And let's be honest here -- nothing will ever compare to the taste of a fresh, fully ripe melon right off the vine... All that under-ripe, shipped-in produce just pales in comparison. 

This applies to other store bought items as well. There are few things you can't make yourself (or buy direct from a person or farm) that isn't of better quality than the goods that fill store shelves. We haven't used store-bought soap in years!

Of course, that doesn't mean that you'll never order a pizza or head to your favorite Mexican restaurant for supper at the end of a long day. There will always be days when you don't want to cook!

8. Your idea of normal conversation will not be what most would consider normal. 

It's not unusual to discuss various bodily functions, body parts, or other unusual or sometimes even gross topics. You will lose all boundaries and language filters when it comes to the things that go on with your livestock. Who cares if you're eating that pizza we talked about earlier? If it's on your mind, it's most likely going to come out of your mouth. And why are people so bothered by words like "testicles" anyway? It's just a natural body part, after all.

The good news is that if any of your friends are in the medical field, they can easily commiserate with you. They see worse things on a daily basis than you will ever see on a farm. *shudders*

9. You will realize how blessed you are to live on farm, big or small. 

Whether you live on one acre or a hundred, whether you consider yourself a farmer, gardener, homesteader, or something in between...you are one of the lucky ones. That feeling of gratitude will never go away, because you have way more blessings than you can count. 

Cheers 

Joy and Buck Infertility

My luck this year with breeding the goats just will not hold out. It's been abysmal, really. If you've been following along on Facebook, you know that I bred four does to kid this fall and none conceived. You might also know that a doe I had not bred started to develop an udder -- nope, she wasn't pregnant either, just precocious. And lastly, you may also know that I bred four more does to kid in the spring and purchased a bred doe (not to be confused with bread dough), and only one of those does is currently pregnant!

First, I should introduce you to Joy, my newly purchased doe who is, unfortunately, not pregnant. Meet CapraKoza SG Joy to the World, aka Joy:

I struggled to get a good photo of her, because she was always either a) following me around or b) staring at and following the dogs around outside of the quarantine pen. The latter is what she was doing when I snapped this picture. So, since my picture stinks, here is one more that her breeder has given me permission to use:

       

My dad and I made an eight hour round-trip to Indiana to pick Joy up this past Sunday, after waiting three long months for circumstances to work out with her breeder where we could finally come get her. (They were in the process of moving from northern Indiana to Evansville.) I wasn't really in the market when I purchased Joy back in August, but I could not pass this girl up when I happened upon her. Her pedigree is just incredible. Her sire is PGCH Brush Creek Smoking Gun (Caesar's Villa FD Sugar Foot *S x Jeanne's Jewel Opal) and her dam is Rosasharn SP Jump for Joy 6*D 6*M (ARMCH Rosasharn SW Saporro *S E x ARMCH Rosasharn TL Almond Joy 5*D 5*M). And that is just the tip of the iceberg! In all, Joy has 5 does in her four generation pedigree that have made it onto the Top Ten Breed List for milk production (not including her full littermate sister, Caprakoza SG Silent Night 7*D 7*M, who has also made the list).

Joy herself is just a beautiful doe with so many of the qualities I value. She is also such a well mannered sweetheart. She had to endure four hours of transport (in a large dog kennel that had to be assembled in the back of my car, no less -- the heater broke on our van), but she was not phased. She stood very still to let us draw her blood for the pregnancy test and routine disease testing, and she settled right into her temporary home in our quarantine pen. She is not happy about being away from other goats, but no goat likes to be alone. It won't be too long before she will get to meet her new herd.

I am disappointed that she is not pregnant. I will breed her to Bazinga for spring kids, but I was hoping to get a doeling out of her who would not be related to the rest of the herd other than her dam. I think I have mentioned before that I am in the process of diversifying my herd. Joy is part of that process -- bringing in Rosasharn lines, which I have always admired so much -- and I was hoping her offspring would be as well. No such luck!

And diversifying my herd just got a little more difficult. The only doe that was successfully bred is Coraline, who was bred to Bazinga. Can you guess what the common denominator was for the other failed breedings (at least five or six of them, though I'd have to look at my planner to know the exact number)? 

Sigh.

The one factor that was the same for each failed breeding was my first homegrown bottle baby buck, Wybie.

This was to be his first year breeding, but apparently it is instead going to be his last year as a buck. I am considering having his fertility checked out, but with so many failed attempts, the point seems moot. He is healthy and up to date on all his mineral supplements, so there is no probable cause other than simple infertility. And since he was bred to several different does, the problem clearly does not rest with the does, either.

This is good news for Bazinga, because he is going to go on a lot more dates this year than originally planned! However, it's not so good news for me. I didn't want all of next year's kids to be by the same buck, but now that is unavoidable with Wybie being infertile and Joy not conceiving before leaving her breeder's. I will be purchasing a new herd sire next year, but for now Bazinga will have to get the job done all on his own. (I'm sure he won't be complaining.) 

I am glad I started breeding the does earlier than usual this year, because I at least have time to get most of the does bred to kid in April and May. I don't want to have any summer babies, as the weather tends to just be too miserable at that time, so any does that don't quite make the deadline will be bred to kid next fall. 

Here's to hoping, praying, crossing fingers, and doing a rain dance in hopes that my girls will cooperate with me this time! 

Cheers!

Inbreeding vs Line breeding vs Outcrossing

This is a question that comes up a lot in forums. Old sayings like "if it works, it's line breeding and if it doesn't, it's inbreeding" get thrown around. Experts who understand it better than I ever could talk about coefficients and percentages. What I want to talk about is somewhere in the middle. In a serious breeding program, you don't want to follow the "if it works..." rule. That's just carelessness. But if you're not an expert, as I am not, you can't really follow the technical jargon and mathematics of inbreeding coefficients, either. So I'm going to try to explain, in simple terms, the basic differences between inbreeding, linebreeding, and outcrossing and provide a few guidelines for beginners to follow. Like I said, I am no expert and this is a complicated subject, so following up with more research is a good idea. Treat this blog post as a primer to get you started. :)

First, the definitions.

Inbreeding: Inbreeding is the very close breeding of relatives. Parent-offspring and sibling-sibling breedings are what most people are referring to when they mention inbreeding, but technically pairings such as aunt/uncle-niece/nephew, cousins, and grandparent-offspring are also inbreeding. The percentage of inbreeding increases depending on how closely related the animals are. For instance, if a female is bred back to a male that is her sire but also her cousin, that's an even higher percentage of inbreeding than a simple sire-daughter pairing of otherwise unrelated animals.

Linebreeding: Linebreeding is technically a form of inbreeding. However, linebreeding deals with pairs that are related more distantly than first-generation relatives. For example, it might involve breeding two animals that have a common grandparent. The object of linebreeding is to bring an animal in the pedigree forward again and increase its influence. This is really the goal of all forms of linebreeding and inbreeding, but we'll get to that shortly. Linebreeding is the preferred method for many breeders.

Outcrossing: An outcross is when two completely unrelated animals who share no common ancestors within four-six generations are bred. Pretty simple.

So, why linebreed? Why outcross?

Breeding related animals is the quickest way to bring out the very best traits in your lines. When two animals that share common genes are bred, it increases the chances of the desirable genes, particularly recessive ones, being passed on in the offspring. The objective of linebreeding is to increase the influence of a particular ancestor(s) in the offspring. It also increases the reliability of your results to some extent. Linebred offspring are more likely to come out sharing the traits of their parents and other ancestors. There are less "wild card" genes in the mix.

Which brings me to...why or why not outcross? Outcrossing has its benefits as well. Typically, offspring from outcrosses show a lot of vigor and health. Not that linebred, or even inbred, animals are always unhealthy, but there is such a thing as "hybrid vigor." Essentially, broadening the genetic pool limits the chances of bad traits, particularly recessive ones, from getting passed on. However, it also limits the chances of good traits being passed on in the same way. If you are unfamiliar, a recessive gene is one that requires both parents to pass it on in order for it to be present in the offspring. It needs two copies to be revealed, whereas a dominant trait only requires one parent to have the gene in order for the offspring to have it. (I'll explain a little more about dominant and recessive genes below.) In some ways, an outcrossing is a wild card breeding, because you don't know how the two lines are going to interact with each other.

However, outcrossing can also be very useful. You can use outcrossing to increase vigor or to dilute an overly-linebred herd. Outcrosses are useful for diversifying your herd genetics and preventing things from getting too close. An outcross can also introduce a certain quality into a line that lacks it. For instance, you may love a certain line, but hate that it doesn't have straight enough legs. You might then use an unrelated animal from lines with really wonderful, straight legs in hopes of adding that quality to the all the traits you admire about the other line.

What are the cons to linebreeding?

Just as linebreeding increases the chances of good recessive genes being passed on, it also increases the chances of bad ones being passed. You may breed two animals with no outward sign of a problem, like an extra teat, but when bred that recessive gene will show up in the offspring. Suddenly you have a doeling with an extra teat, which is a very bad thing in a dairy goat (but is actually allowed in Boer goats, for the record). You had no way of knowing that the line carried that undesirable trait until you mated the two related animals. This can be a positive in some ways, because it will reveal the weaknesses in your lines as quickly as it will reveal the strengths, but it can also result in more cull animals. The more closely related the two animals being bred are, the more likely major faults will show up. You also risk losing some vigor in the offspring, which is also due to the increasing of specific genes. If the common ancestor of your two animals had trouble resisting parasites, the offspring of the pair may be even more prone to poor parasite resistance. What's more is that you may not have even owned the common ancestor and not know about its weaknesses. Chances are, if the ancestor they have in common was not your own animal, you've only ever heard all the great things about it, not the negative ones.

How do I decide what's right for my breeding program?

First of all, it's not recommended to do very close inbreeding. Full siblings should never be bred, and parent-offspring or half-sibling breedings should be done sparsely and only when the animals are truly that awesome and the breeders know what they're doing.

Typically, if you are just starting out, you want to work your way from outcrosses into linebreeding. Starting out linebreeding can limit you and your herd. It's a good idea to start out with a buck that is completely unrelated to your does if possible. Choose animals that compliment each other well. For instance, don't buy a buck with a steep rump if your does all have steep rumps -- that will not get you anywhere. Instead, try to choose animals that will bring the best possible qualities and if your does are lacking in one area, choose a buck that is excellent in that area, and vice versa. Buy the best possible buck that you can, because your buck is half your herd.

Another thing to consider is that you generally only want to be linebreeding when you truly do have high quality animals worthy of being repeated in a pedigree. A ho-hum, so-so, just "okay" critter shouldn't be showing up two, three, or more times in a pedigree. However, eventually some linebreeding is inevitable unless you have unlimited funds and space to add new males. Breed the best you can and "breed up" to the best of your ability from the start so that when it's time to linebreed, you're not linebreeding with genes that are going to drag your herd down.

You also have to ask your self three things:

How experienced are you in breeding? And not just in putting two animals together, letting nature take its course, and caring for the babies. How experienced are you in purposefully, selectively breeding animals in order to bring out the traits you most desire and get rid of the traits you do not want? Are you familiar enough with the breed ideal that you can spot undesirable traits or faults?

How well do you know these lines? Are you familiar with the positive traits that may get passed on as well as the negative ones? Has the common ancestor proven his/herself in the milk pail, show ring, plate, or whatever it is your particular species and breed should be proving themselves on? Even more importantly, have the offspring of this animal proven themselves? Sometimes even a really spectacular animal doesn't do a good job of passing on its good qualities.

Are you willing to cull and cull hard? Cull doesn't always mean "kill." It can mean butcher, but it can also mean sell, either to a pet home or to a person with different goals. Either way, you have to be willing to trim the fat from your breeding program. You will get more comfortable with culling as you gain more experience. It's hard the first couple of years to get rid of those cute little babies. But if you want to have a serious breeding program, and especially if you want (or need) to start linebreeding, you've got to be willing and able to recognize the traits you don't want and cull them from your herd.

Dominant vs Recessive Genes

Just very quickly, I will try to explain dominant and recessive genes, since I talked about them.

Dominant genes require only one parent to be passed on. They are also always expressed in the animal when present. Blue eyes, polled, and moonspot genes are all dominant genes. If the gene is present in the animal, it is also expressed in the animal. If a dominant gene is not visible on the animal, it cannot be passed on from that animal to its offspring except when bred to another animal that does have the dominant gene expressed. This is why two brown eyed goats will never produce a blue eyed kid, two horned goats will never produce a polled kid, and two non-moonspotted goats will never produce a kid with moonspots (although keep in mind that moonspots can be very small and hard to see, giving the appearance that a non-moonspotted animal is throwing kids with spots). When two animals who both have a dominant gene are bred, it increases the chance that the offspring will be homozygous for the trait (meaning that 100% of the animals offspring will have the trait).

Recessive genes take both parents to be passed on, because the offspring must have two copies of the gene in order for it to be present. These are the types of genes that an animal can carry and pass on to its offspring when the animal itself does not visibly express the gene. I used the example earlier of an extra teat. Two animals, both with only two teats themselves, may produce offspring with three or more teats if both parents are carrying the gene for an extra teat. This is where linebreeding and inbreeding become both useful and a bit risky, because they increase the possibility of hidden recessive genes being exposed.

Genetics are very complicated, and I don't fully understand them, but I hope this explanation helps make things a little clearer. It's really a fascinating subject!

Final Thoughts

Typically, the more experience you gain as a breeder and the better you know your lines, the more comfortable you will become with breeding related animals to each other. Herd size matters, too, and bigger herds can linebreed more successfully than very small ones. I personally am not comfortable with very close linebreeding at this time, but each year I become more comfortable with it and more confident in my ability to spot both good and bad traits in my animals. I also have a small herd, so I find it important that I avoid getting too heavily linebred in my herd. Otherwise, I would risk backing myself into a corner and ending up with too many animals that are so closely related they can't be bred to each other.

It really is just a personal decision in the end. Only you can decide what is right for your herd. If you do choose to linebreed, find a mentor who is familiar with your goals and the lines you are working with to help you. It's also not a bad idea to take advantage of things like DHIA milk testing, linear appraisal, or shows to help you assess the strengths and weaknesses of your animals. These aren't things I have participated in yet myself, but I do have plans to start engaging more with these methods in the future. ADGA also has a wonderful tool on their website called "planned pedigree" that allows you to view the percentage of inbreeding that the offspring of your planned match will be. The downside is that this only works with ADGA registered animals, and because Nigerians were only recently added to ADGA, their herd book is limited and sometimes doesn't give as full a picture of the inbreeding as it does with other breeds.

Cheers!

Help Your Livestock Beat the Heat

It's that time of year again. The time of year when the weather is hot and humid (unless there is a bizarre cool snap like we experienced last week), the outdoors are to be avoided between the hours of noon and 4pm if at all possible, and social media is covered with posts about avoiding heat stroke and not leaving animals and children in hot cars. Now, if you are the type to forget your dog or your child in a hot vehicle in July, I cannot help you. But if you are the type to be concerned about the well being of your livestock in the hottest part of the year, then you have come to the right place.

First, I want to address a few inaccuracies I notice this time of year. First is the saying, "If you're miserable, they are too! Bring your animals indoors!" Well, let me tell you. My horse, goats, chickens, pheasants, and livestock guardian dogs (one of which was recently sprayed by a skunk) are not coming inside. There is no room and, honestly, there is no need. Humans underestimate the ability of animals to cope with cold and hot weather, especially livestock species. These creatures are designed to live outdoors and are well equipped to deal with the weather in most circumstances as long as they are provided with a few basic needs. (We'll get to that in a second.) With some exceptions (we'll also get to that), you don't need to worry too much about your animals unless you are having some extreme weather. Also, a human being miserable does not necessarily mean an animal is miserable. They are acclimated to the temperatures, whereas most humans are used to living in a climate controlled environment and it takes time for us to adjust to hot weather when we are used to living in air conditioned buildings and travelling in air conditioned cars.

I have also seen some strange claims about animals not drinking water. I've seen people say that chickens will not walk far for water, or that their goats refuse to drink and have to be fed hydration hay, and a myriad of other concerns. I'm not sure where these misconceptions develop, but if I had to guess I would say that people are checking on their animals frequently and never seeing them drink, thus assuming that they aren't drinking at all. But I guarantee you that your animals will indeed drink water as long as it isn't filthy, they know where it is, and it isn't hot. Our free range chickens go all over the place for water. In fact, I have seen them come all the way to the house to drink from a dirty puddle by the faucet when they had their own clean water much closer to their living area. I seldom see the goats drinking water, but I know that they do; they would all have been dead long ago if they didn't!

I want to address one more thing before we move on. People often say that horns are necessary for for livestock like goats, sheep, and cows to regulate their body temperatures. I could spend an entire post talking about why domesticated dairy animals should be disbudded, but I'll focus on this one myth for now and save my soapbox for another day. While it may be true that horns give off some level of heat (I haven't found hard evidence of that, personally), they are not necessary for the animal to regulate their body temperatures. The amount of heat they remove, if any, is obviously not so great that it is life-or-death or even necessary for comfort. If it were, young animals with small, not fully developed horns would suffer from heat stroke, naturally polled animals wouldn't exist because the heat would have killed them off, and the thousands of livestock owners who disbud their animals would have stopped thirty years ago when they noticed them all dying off in hot weather. And if horns dispersed that much heat, it would make horned animals more susceptible to cold temperatures. At the end of the day, there is no evidence that polled or disbudded animals suffer more in the heat than horned.

Now, onto the rest of the post...

Water:

As I said above, your animals are almost certainly drinking water, even if you don't see them. However, there are ways to encourage increased water consumption. And this is my first tip for helping your livestock beat the heat. First, be sure they have access to clean water. If someone has pooped in the water trough, or a frog has hopped inside to die, the animals are not going to want to drink it. It's gross. Check water troughs not just for fullness, but also for cleanliness and replace if it has become contaminated. I like to put a glug of apple cider vinegar in troughs as well, which, among other benefits, helps inhibit the growth of algae.

Water should be kept cool as well. It doesn't have to be cold, but it should not be hot. Water troughs should be placed in the shade if at all possible, and the deeper the trough the better. Water in a shallow dish will heat up much more than a deeper dish. I have found that metal seems to heat more than rubber as well, but to be fair that could be my imagination. If you can't keep your water in the shade, replace it with cool water several times a day, especially during the middle of the day when the sun is highest and things are hottest. Alternatively, you can also add ice to the water to cool it even more.

Animals such as horses, goats, cattle, and sheep should always have species-appropriate minerals available at all times. For horses and cattle, this will probably be a mineral block or lick, although loose cattle minerals are available as well. For goats, it should be a good quality loose mineral. Sheep also need a loose mineral, but they should never be fed goat mineral as they need drastically lower amounts of copper than goats. Minerals are important to the overall health of livestock, but they also encourage water consumption due to their salt content.

Water for rabbits should always be available in a dish rather than the typical bottle with the metal spout, because otherwise they may not be able to get enough water. They should also have a mineral wheel to promote water consumption.

Other Basics:

All animals should also have access to those other basics I alluded to earlier. Always, always be sure they have some sort of shade. They may baffle you and lay out under the sun anyway, but shade should always be accessible. The first year we had chickens, we didn't think about them needing shade and we lost one to heat stroke because they all piled on each other in the tiny little spot of shade that was available. That is what you call a hard lesson learned. So provide your critters with adequate shade, be it from a tree, a building, or a tarp. It doesn't matter what creates the shade as long as it is there to protect them, especially from the extra-hot noon and afternoon sun.

We already covered water, but it's worth repeating; they must always have access to clean, cool water and appropriate minerals to encourage them to drink more of it.

Structures should be well ventilated and not crowded, especially if it is where they will be accessing shade. "Well ventilated but not drafty" tends to be a confusing phrase, so let me try to explain. Well ventilated means that air can pass freely through the shelter. Imagine how stuffy a room gets with no windows, AC, or fan going -- that's the opposite of what you want. However, animals should also be protected from being directly hit by slanting rain or winter wind. Deep three-sided shelters accomplish this well, as does a barn with high ceilings. Openings on either end that allow a breeze through are excellent as well. Just remember the basic rule of thumb: Air should pass through, but should not blow directly onto the animals. It is best in the summer for animals to have outside shade whenever possible, however, because that will always be cooler than enclosed shade (no matter how well ventilated).

Animals of any kind should not stressed during the hottest part of the day. Wait until the cooler hours of early morning or late evening to administer medicate, trim hooves, exercise, herd, etc unless it is an emergency.

Special Considerations:

When determining how much you need to intervene with your livestock in the heat, you should first consider the individual. Is the animal elderly? Is it in late pregnancy? What species is it, and what breed? Has it lived in your particular climate since birth, or did you transport the critter from the North down to the deep South when you moved last year? Does it have a thick coat, or has it not shed its winter coat? Did it take the heat well last year or did you notice it really struggling? All of these things can impact how well your particular livestock can handle the heat and humidity. As I said earlier, there are exceptions to my statement that animals are typically well equipped to handle heat. Let's explore some of those exceptions.

First of all, older animals, animals with thick hair coats, or animals that are pregnant are going to struggle more than others. So will animals that are sick -- especially if it's a respiratory illness -- and animals that are not used to the heat. If you've just moved from Massachusetts down to Florida, your animals are going to have just as difficult a time adjusting to the new climate as you will.

There are also some species that do not do as well with heat. Rabbits in particular are notorious for not tolerating heat and humidity. The breed of animal affects its heat-coping ability as well. If you don't have animals yet, research which breeds will do best in your climate. If you already have animals, be aware of how heat and cold tolerant their breeds are. For example, Pineywoods and Florida Cracker cattle are both breeds that were developed in the Southeastern US and are perfectly adapted to the type of weather we have down here because of that. Other breeds in various species have been developed in Africa, particular parts of the US, or from Spanish stock, while other species were developed in colder climates in Europe. Thick coated, heavy bodied animals developed in colder climates will be better equipped for cold weather than hot. There are breeds in almost every species, from poultry to cows, that are better -- or worse -- for dealing with heat (and with cold). Dogs fall into this list as well. Many guardian breeds were developed to live in cold mountain climates, but some -- like Anatolians -- developed in warmer climates. (Our Pyrs have always done well with our hot southern weather, however.)

Extras:

If you have livestock that fall under the "does not do well with heat" category, there are a number of extra things you can do to ease their struggle:

Fans - hang battery powered fans in shady locations for them to rest in front of if they choose.

Misters - in my experience, rabbits especially benefit from being misted with cool water (especially on the ears), but other species, including poultry, can enjoy it as well. The water does not even have to mist directly onto the animal to cool the air around them, either. Goats are probably the least likely to stand under misters as they hate getting wet, but I have heard of goats enjoying mist as well in extremely hot conditions.

Kiddie Pool - Dogs especially will love having a kiddie pool to cool off in. Our Pyrenees, Lakota, loves the water.

Ice Treats - Some dogs may enjoy licking treats out of a block of ice. Other species, like chickens, will grab treats out of a bucket of water with some ice in it. Or you can always add ice to their water source.

Dampen the Ground - Dampening the ground in the shade where your animals rest can help cool them more as well, but don't wet it so much as to create a muddy mess. Depending on the species, they then might not lay there at all. Try a small patch first to gauge results before dampening the entire ground.

Frozen Water Bottle - Small animals like rabbits may benefit from a bottle of frozen water that they can lay against.

Know the Signs of Heat Distress:

Perhaps the most important thing you can do for your animals in the heat, aside from providing water and shade, is to know what it looks like when they are starting to have trouble dealing with the heat or developing heat exhaustion or stroke. Labored breathing, excessive panting, lethargy, high internal temperature, dry mouth, weakness, staggering, stupor, drooling, breathing through an open mouth (in species that usually don't, like goats, horses, and cows), lack of appetite, tongue hanging out of mouth, inability to stand, and obvious discomfort are all general signs that animals are moving into heat stress. If not recognized early, it will develop into more severe symptoms such as coma, seizures, and death.

Each species is different and will express heat stress differently. Labored breathing is a universal symptom, as is weakness and related symptoms (lethargy, inability to stand, stupor, etc). I want to look briefly at a few different species and point out things unique to them:

Dogs: Bright red gums and tongue as well as dry, sticky mouth. Excessive panting.

Poultry: Wing spreading, to allow air to flow next to the body. Open mouthed, rapid, or gasping breathing. Wet droppings. In limited shade, poultry will pile on top of each other trying to get out of the sun and in turn overheat themselves even more.

Pigs: Muscle trembling, increased water intake, reduced pulse. Increased wallowing.

Cattle: More time spent standing. Restlessness. Drooling and foaming. May isolate themselves or group together. Breathing by pushing from flanks. May hold head down.

Goats: Goats are generally better able to handle heat than other livestock species, especially the breeds developed in hot climates. However, fiber goats are more susceptible than their short-haired relatives. Sheep are the same: hair sheep will handle heat better than wool sheep.

Treatment: 

If an animal is showing signs of heat stress, act quickly to cool them. Do not shock their bodies by using extreme methods such as an ice water bath. Instead, use cool -- but not ice cold -- water to wet them. Start with a smaller area, such as the legs, and work your way up slowly.* Pay special attention to areas that are highly vascular, such as the inner legs (or ears for rabbits). You should move the animal to a cool, shaded location. If it is a small animal, bring it indoors. Ice packs can be held against vascular areas as well, after cool water has been applied. Water should be made available, with species-appropriate electrolytes if you have them. The not-too-cold rule applies here as well. If the animal can swallow but will not drink on its own, you can administer small amounts slowly with a drench gun or syringe. If the animal is very weak and cannot swallow, do not attempt to orally administer liquids. At this point you should seek veterinary assistance if you haven't already, and they may provide fluids through a stomach tube, IV, or enema.

*Don't spray a sheep's woolen areas with water, as this will actually prevent them from cooling themselves.

Overall, your animals will probably cope with the heat well as long as they have their basic needs met, but some species do require a bit of extra precaution. And almost everyone can enjoy an extra cool treat now and then! Enjoy these summer months with peace of mind and happy, healthy livestock.

Cheers!

Outside Sources Consulted:

http://www.ars.usda.gov/main/docs.htm?docid=15625
http://www.sheepandgoat.com/articles/heatstress.html
http://www.heatstress.info/HeatStressHome.aspx
http://vetmedicine.about.com/od/summerheathhazards/f/FAQ_heatstroke.htm
https://www.msu.edu/~mdr/vol13no2/kopcha.html

Disclaimer: I am sharing my personal experience and knowledge in this post to help others prevent and recognize heat stress in their livestock. However, this information is not meant to replace expert medical advice or assistance. 

Rearranging the Herd (Currently For Sale)

I have a very small herd of Nigerian Dwarves (and a single fabulous MiniMancha). While most people sell off adult animals to downsize, I have made the decision to sell a few of mine for a different reason. Over the years, my herd has maintained a relatively small genetic pool. This has occurred in part due to the fact that the majority of my first goats came from the same herd, and also because I have had the same buck for several years. Because of how small my herd is, I can't justify keeping so many closely related animals. I am currently on a mission to diversify my herd genetics over time and change direction in a couple of areas with my herd. In order to do this, I have to cut back on my number of related animals. And so, this brings me to this blog post, which is a current sales list as of this moment. I have these animals listed on my website of course, but I wanted to also post them on my facebook page and making a blog post is the easiest way to do so. Please note that while prices are firm, I will discount on multiple purchases. I also will not hold an animal without a deposit.

First on the list, and the most difficult to part with, is Beetlejuice. He is AGS and NDGA registered and polled. Born 9/2008.

S: CHW BW Captain Jack Sparrow

SS: ARMCH Twin Creeks BH Baywatch ++*S E

SD: CHW AR Once in a Blue Moon, 2xGCH dry, 1x RsCH Jr

D: Piddlin Acres Piroette

DS: ARMCH Green Gate King Midas +S

DD: Goodwood Will O the Wisp E

Beetle was my very first buck and has been a wonderful buck to own, very friendly and typically well mannered. His kids have all inherited his friendly personality, even the ones born to unfriendly dams. He is a paternal grandson of ARMCH Twin Creeks BH Baywatch ++*S E and maternal grandson to ARMCH Green Gate King Midas +S. Baywatch was the sire to nine Master Champions, including MCH Twin Creeks Fantasea 3*D *M E. His pedigree includes Piddlin Acres, Goodwood, Flatrocks, and Gay-Mor and can be seen on his page on my website (click his name above). 

Pictures don't do him justice, in part because I am not very good at clipping and in part because I rarely have someone to "pose" the goats for me and he usually wants to be underfoot. The only problem I have ever had with him is that he tends to take rut hard. Although he otherwise stays in awesome condition on just browse and hay, I have to keep an eye on his condition during that season. I would prefer an experienced owner for him for this reason.

I am only selling Beetle because I have retained his son as a herdsire and also have his daughter and another closely related doe in my herd. $300.

Next is Licorice. NDGA registered and and also polled, Licorice is a 2010 son of Beetlejuice and, like all of Beetle's kids, very friendly. He is a beautiful dark chocolate color when his hair is not shaved. He has the same incredible depth and width of his dam, Brownie. Licorice is one that I absolutely have to sell, because I just can't use him in my herd. I am phasing out the NDGA only goats, to consolidate my paperwork to just AGS and ADGA. I also have his dam, his sire, two half sisters, and a half brother in the herd. In such a small herd there is just no room for a buck I can't use. I have reduced his price multiple times. He is now available at $100.

Last, for the moment, is Sandy. NDGA.
S: Pride of Texas Speedy Gonzalez 2x RsCH Buck, 1x RsCH Jr 

D: Lazy Q Bodacious Chocolate Brownie

SS:  Woodhaven Farms Pepe Le Pew MCH/PGCH

SD: Lost Valley Andrea Gail

DS:  Milky Whey's Apollo

DD: Moe Moe Acres Ashley Star

Sandy, born in 2007, was one of the first two does I purchased. She is not a friendly goat, but she has actually improved somewhat since I purchased her, when she was completely wild. She is one I have debated selling before because of her personality, but sentimentality always won out. However, as I am not phasing out NDGA goats, and trying to limit my number of closely related animals, she has not made the keeper cut. This is another situation where I just have too many relative -- her dam, her half siblings. 

Sandy was exposed to a buck and should be due to kid in late August or early September. I have not had her blood tested, but I believe that she is indeed pregnant. She will be available after she kids, either when the kids are weaned or earlier if a buyer chooses to purchase them all as a package. After she kids I will train her to be milked, but I would not necessarily recommend her as a milker at this time based on her personality. I will be better able to assess her potential as a milker when I start training her, of course. She will be $350. 

I also have a couple of friendly wethers available as well, $75 each, $50 each as a pair, or free with an intact animal. 

If you are interested in one of these, please email at tiramarfarms (at) gmail (dot) com. Follow the farm Facebook page if you want to be the first to know when babies are born and new animals become available.

Thanks for reading! 

Cheers

Pheasantly Surprised: Saving a Chick with Curled Toes

I have to share a story of success with you, although I do not have any pictures to accompany it.

If you have been following along on our Facebook page, you know that two pheasant chicks had difficult hatches. The first chick to hatch in the entire bunch was very weak and couldn't stand for at least 24 hours, which is rather unusual. I brought him inside under a heat lamp with the hopes that, perhaps, he may pull through. I didn't expect him to make it, but he did!

The second weak chick had a difficult hatch due to the membrane of his shell drying out before he had pipped through it. I assisted as much as I felt comfortable by dampening his membrane and breaking it loose around the area he would have done so himself. I did not take it completely off, however, because kicking off their shell is how they build strength. I was really expecting this chick to die as well, because he took almost 24 hours just to get out of his shell. But I was surprised again - he made it! He was able to go back to the mother hen not long after he finally made it out of his tough shell, and he was comparable to his hatch mates. Once I put him back with the others, I couldn't even tell which one he was.

The first chick, however, was not comparable to his hatch mates. I tried reintroducing him right after he started standing up and fluffing out, but when I checked on him he was upside down outside of the nest. Well, I thought, I guess you aren't ready after all. So I brought him back under the heat lamp and waited. Soon it became clear that he wasn't just weak...he was suffering from a deformity. His toes were curled under.

This happens sometimes with chicks, and my first thought was that we were going to have to cull him. However, he just has such spunk. We didn't want to cull him, so I researched curled toes to see if there was any way to fix them. I found instructions for straightening the toes by using band-aids and giving the chick "duck feet." The advice I found said that the method was most effective within 24 hours of hatching when the bones were most malleable, and it was after that 24 hour period that I finally realized the problem. I decided to give it a go regardless, because it never hurts to try, right?

It's surprisingly difficult to give a pheasant chick duck feet. They do not like to hold still. Somehow we managed to get his toes positioned properly on one side of the sticky part of a band-aid, and then layered the other sticky part over it to secure them. The excess -- including the pad -- was then cut off and discarded, leaving the pheasant chick with two duck feet. Then we waited 24 hours. I will admit that I didn't have much hope; he had trouble walking before and the duck feet didn't appear to make it easier. However, when I removed the band-aids 24 hours later, there was some improvement. The feet were not completely fixed yet, though. The instructions I read said that treatment usually worked after the first 24 hours, but sometimes required a second 24 hours...and that if two treatments didn't work, it was likely past the point of being fixable. So back in the duck feet he went for another 24 hours.

Removing the duck feet was not easy either time. In fact, it was harder than getting them on. I know it had to be uncomfortable, if not a little painful, having the band-aids peeled off his feet. If I ever have to do this again, I will try to find some slightly less sticky band-aids. But, despite the difficulty removing them, the second treatment worked! The chick can now walk freely without falling upside down constantly as he was doing before treatment.

The bad news is that he still cannot be returned to the mother, and I'm not sure when or if he will be able to. Despite being the first born, he is developmentally behind his siblings. I tried reintroducing him after the successful second treatment, but it became obvious that, despite the success, he has not caught up yet. The hen that set the eggs also seemed to realize this and began pecking at him. So, until further notice, we have a house pheasant. That wasn't in my plans, but plans so frequently change when working with livestock -- even poultry!

Either way, I'm glad that treatment was a success. The chick is obviously a fighter to have made it this far after all his struggles. If I should find a weak chick in the future, however, I will be sure to check the feet earlier. I should have known to do that this time. I've been around chicks -- some my own, some that my grandparents hatch for their gamebird farm -- long enough to know that sometimes they are hatched with feet and leg deformities. Sometimes those deformities require culling, but it seems that sometimes in a small homestead setting they can be fixed.

Someone asked me a thought provoking question I would like to share my thoughts on as well before ending this post. "Why work to save something now that you plan to kill later anyway?" As you know if you read my last blog post, these pheasants are being raised solely for the freezer. Pheasants, despite the fact that you won't often find them in a grocery store, are good eats. So yes, this chick that I worked to save from being culled will eventually end up in the pot anyway. So why not cull him? Well, practically speaking, it would be a waste. And on another practical note, I also learned something that I can (and probably will) use in the future on other chicks who may be hatched with curled toes.

Beyond that, it simply comes down to the fact that I don't want to see something die before its time. I would not be sad, as I know that sometimes chicks die and therefore do not get attached to chicks (this is a lesson learned quickly when you've been through a few hatches). I would, however, be disappointed. I hope for these pheasants to grow to maturity enjoying doing pheasant-things such as eating bugs and grass and making their distinctive "honk honk" noise. Then, when it is time, I want them to go quickly and use their meat for our table. So maybe it seems silly to save something that you will eventually eat, but it just seems right to me. I would do the same thing for a future pork chop, hamburger, or anything else. I never want something to suffer, and I never want something to die before its time. And to me, that's all a part of homesteading.

Cheers.

UPDATE:

This little one passed away. It was not a huge surprise given that he was up and down from the beginning. He just stopped progressing, was not developing or growing, and then went downhill very quickly. Still, it was a valuable lesson to learn how to cure curled toes.

5 Tips on How to Raise Grass-Based Dairy Goats

If you clicked on this, you are probably already familiar with the amazing health benefits of grass-fed dairy and meats.  If you're not, click each of those links to learn just a little bit about why pastured animal products are so much better than the typical grain fed foods you find on most grocery shelves. Once you've got that out of the way, you can come back here and learn how to implement a pasture-based system for your own dairy goats! These tips can be applied to other animals, too.

First of all, while most sources will say that 100% grass fed is the way to go, it's really not a feasible system for most small livestock growers. My own animals are not 100% grass fed. However, it is extremely possible to have grass be the basis of your dairy goat's diet while allowing good quality grain -- preferably without soy -- to take up only a very small percentage.

So, without further ado, here are my tips for transitioning your goats to a pasture based system:


1. Find good quality hay. Outside of the growing season, hay will be the main ingredient of your goats' diets. Your hay will essentially be the pasture for your goats, so it is important to find a good source of hay. Your producer should be able to consistently provide you with hay that is not overly dry (and therefore nutritionally dead) or too wet (wet hay will mold or even catch fire). It should also not contain too many unpalatable, stalky pieces or undesirable weeds and should be free from toxic plants or leaves. Your best bet is to build a rapport with a reputable hay provider and purchase from the same person year after year. Many of the best producers, particularly during dry years, will have a waiting list or sell out quickly, so stay on top of this and reserve your hay early in the season.

2. Rotate your pastures. A rotational grazing system is the best way to make optimal use of your land and to keep your goats healthy. The ideal system will actually employ two unrelated livestock species, one of which will graze after the other. For example, you may run horses or pigs on pasture after goats (more on that in the next paragraph). Regardless of whether your system is multi-species, you will need enough pasture areas to allow the land to lay empty between uses. Allowing the land to rest in between periods of grazing allows the grass to grow back to its ideal height -- above 4" -- before its next use. This also prevents your land from becoming bare and washing away into gullies, and it helps prevent your livestock from becoming reinfected with internal parasites.

As your goats browse, they shed parasite eggs and larvae onto the ground. The majority of these little nasties stay below 4" (which is as high as the barber pole worm larvae -- the most common internal parasite in adult goats -- can climb). By rotating your goats off of pasture that has been mostly consumed to or below 4", you prevent them from picking up more parasites. It also helps to graze a different family of livestock species behind your goats, such as pigs or horses. These species do not share many parasites with goats and will be able to "clean" the field. They will also eat down the grass that your goats likely ignored in favor of juicy weeds.

How long you are able to graze your goats in each field and let your other field(s) rest depends on the number of goats you are grazing. A low stocking number will be able to stay on one field longer, while a higher stocking rate will mean rotating them through faster (and may also require more fields through which to rotate them). A good beginning rule of thumb is to allow at least a month for fields to rest in between use. This book by Carol Ekarius is an excellent resource for learning more about rotational grazing practices:

3. Give your goats proper mineral supplementation. Mineral deficiencies can cause all sorts of problems for goats. Goats should always have free choice access to a high quality loose mineral formulated specifically for goats. Do not buy sheep/goat mineral, as sheep cannot have additional copper without suffering from toxicity, while goats absolutely need copper to have a healthy reproductive system, parasite resistance, healthy hair coat, and overall good health and immunity. I prefer to use Sweetlix Meat Maker (non-medicated, and yes, it works just fine for milking animals, too!). Goats have soft tongues and no upper teeth, so a loose mineral is necessary for them to consume enough, and the mineral should be the only source of salt or minerals available. 

Many areas of the country are also either low in copper or high in another element that binds with copper and prevents its appropriate absorption. For this reason, many goat breeders must supplement copper specifically, typically by administering a copper bolus every 4-6 months. It is also a common practice to supplement selenium through selenium/vit e gel. In my own herd, I administer copper boli every four months and selenium/vit e gel to prior to breeding and one month before kidding in pregnant does. This system works very well for me, and the results from the copper supplementation are incredible. Signs of copper deficiency include "fish tail" (balding of the tip of the tail); dull, faded, or rough coats; failure to shed the winter coat; failure to conceive or carry pregnancy to term; low birth rates; difficulty resisting parasite infestation; and, in severe cases, continual decline resulting in death. Selenium deficiency causes white muscle disease, failure to conceive, low birth rates, impaired vision, weight loss, and kids born with weak legs that may fold under at the pasterns and/or an inability to stand. 

To learn if your area is deficient in copper or selenium, check out these mineral maps, ask reputable breeders or livestock veterinarians in your area, and watch for the signs of deficiency. You can also have your forage and water checked for mineral levels (check for both the minerals you need and the minerals that will bind with them and prevent absorption, such as sulfur) and, in a worst case scenario, have your deceased goat's liver biopsied for mineral levels.

This is a map of copper levels in the US. Remember that other minerals also bind with copper to prevent absorption. Where your hay or pellets come from matters as well. My location is in the blue, but I still have to supplement copper regularly.

4. Choose your feed wisely. Lactating does and does in late pregnancy have higher nutritional needs that dry does, wethers, or bucks. They will need supplemental feed beyond grass hay and browse in order to maintain their body condition and produce milk. Alfalfa, which is technically a legume and not a grass, is needed for them to meet their bodies' high demand for calcium. Some areas of the country can find alfalfa hay, but it can be difficult to find in some locations. In my location, the best source for alfalfa is in pellet form, and this is what I feed my girls when they are producing. Choose a brand with pellets that have a low dust amount and a good green color (not a dull brownish shade). 

In most cases, producing does also need some amount of grain. Grain will be a small portion of the diet, because while the does will only receive grain once or twice a day on the milk stand, they will be eating browse or grass hay all day long. Appropriate amounts of grain are not evil! Supplementing an animal with grain when it makes sense and is necessary is not going to be detrimental to the animal or to you; in fact, it will be beneficial because it will keep the animal in good condition and support a higher level of production. This is not the same as sticking your goats on dry lot and feeding them nothing but grain, which will definitely impact the health of the animal and the quality of the milk.

You should still choose good sources of grain. I prefer to stay away from soy, and so I have transitioned my girls from a premade goat pellet to a hand made mix. I am following the recipe #3 on the Land of Havilah website. I recommend staying away from soy for a number of reasons, but if mixing your own is out of the question for you, you can look for organic livestock feeds or soy-free brands. If this is also impossible for you, avoid sweet feeds with high molasses contents and provide a pellet formulated for goats. Grain of any kind in too high of quantities is bad for the rumen and can cause excess weight gain and acidosis. Grain should also not be fed to bucks or wethers in order to prevent urinary calculi. The generally recommended ratio of alfalfa to grain is 3:1. A good rule of thumb for feeding grain is to feed 1lb for every 3lbs of milk your doe is producing. This should be adjusted to how well your doe is maintaining her body condition. If she is dropping weight (and is not suffering from a parasite overload or illness), she needs more; if she is getting fat, she needs less. Be very careful not to start giving grain too early or too much in pregnancy as this can lead to over-sized kids and ketosis and/or hypocalcemia. 

I personally start giving very small amounts of grain in the last week or two of pregnancy and then gradually increase after the doe gives birth. While milking, I allow my does to eat as much alfalfa pellets as they want on the stand (unless they're really going overboard or gaining too much weight) alongside the appropriate amount of grain. 

Browsing is fun for all ages! 

5. Make changes slowly. All dietary changes for goats (or any animal) should be made slowly. Goats have a delicate digestive system and can suffer from dangerous and potentially deadly bloat is they are transitioned from one diet to another too quickly. If your goats have not previously been on pasture, introduce them gradually by allowing them to be out for 30 minutes to an hour the first day and increasing that time by 30 minutes to an hour each day until they are spending the entire day on pasture. At that point you can continue to lock them in the barn at night for increased safety or you can allow them to remain out 24/7 as long as they have appropriate shelter available. Always provide your goats with free choice baking soda to settle their rumen if it becomes upset. They will eat baking soda instinctively if they need to alter their rumen ph. Also know the signs of bloat and be prepared to treat it. If your goats seem a little off after a change in feed but aren't showing signs of bloat yet, massage their left side (the location of the rumen) until they begin to burp and pass gas. Some loose stool after the introduction to new, rich forage is not something to be concerned about unless it is excessive or does not go away. Just limit their time out a little and increase it more slowly and their stool should return to normal within a day.

Goats will eat many weeds that other species, like horses, typically will not. 

Bonus! 

6. Check your pastures for toxic plants. The toxicity of many plants for goats is debated. Many, including myself, believe that the level of exposure greatly impacts whether or not some types of plants thought to be toxic will harm your goats. However, you should be aware of toxic plants in your area and know that some -- like Yew or the leaves of stone fruit trees (cherry, peach, plum) -- are deadly even in small amounts. Watch out for these plants and do not graze goats in areas that contain them. Also beware of leaving your goats on pasture too long, because the plants they might have avoided eating at first -- which may or may not be toxic to them -- will become more appetizing as the other options diminish. Fiasco Farms website has a good article on toxic plants. You can check with your extension office or do a search to find what toxic plants are native to your particular area. Do not allow people to feed your goats clippings (and avoid doing so yourself) unless you are absolutely sure that the plant is safe.

Having pasture-based goats is very simple once you are set up for it. It's truly a natural lifestyle for the goats, and they will be very content when eating browse. Even though you should provide grass hay during the summer for them to munch during barn rest or rain (goats need to eat frequently to keep their rumen going), they will eat very little when they have ample browse. You may even be surprised to find that your milking does voluntarily eat less grain when they are on pasture! :)

Being Wildlife Friendly: Dealing with Natural Predators and Livestock

This is sort of a part deux to my earlier post, but I felt like there was enough to say about the topic to give it its own post. Also, this round is focusing more on natural predators, whereas the other post is focused on predation by domesticated canines.

Owning livestock means dealing with predators. There is no way around it; it's a part of life with livestock. Livestock species are all natural prey animals, and therefore attract the unwanted attention of natural predatory species. Predators can be skunks, possums, raccoon, predatory birds, coyotes, wolves, bears, or even humans. In warmer climates such as the deep south, alligators also end up on this list. But the existence of predators does not have to mean a death sentence.

Predators and Nature

In most cases, predatory species are also an important part of the natural ecology of a given area. The presence of natural predators is essential for a healthy balance of wild prey species. If a predatory population drops too low, the number of prey species can get out of hand. In my area, the deer population is out of control due to a lack of sufficient natural predators. While in some states hunters are only allowed 3 deer a season, here hunters are permitted to shoot three doe a day because their numbers are so high. Disease has increased. Crop farmers, including my uncle, are issued special permits that allow them to shoot deer out of season because the population is so high that they are stripping crops and damaging yield and profit. I have seen with my own eyes the tops eaten off of almost all the soybeans in a field. The sad thing is that these off-season kills cannot be eaten; they have to leave them in the field where they fall. Clearly we need predators here to take the deer population back to a healthy level, and predators in this case include human hunters.

While nature has a way of righting itself, it still causes damage when things get out of whack. Often disease strikes and drops a population, other times a new predator will move into town and start taking out the over-plenty prey. My personal opinion about the deer in my area is that we will eventually see a population of mountain lion or possibly even black bear, both of which were once native here, regrow and start feeding on the deer if their numbers continue to remain high. Black bear sightings have already occurred and been documented in this area of the state, and many people -- some of whom are friends or family -- have claimed to see cougars in the area.

Only time will tell for the deer in my area, but nature is a naturally balancing, sustainable force. Each thing plays a part; the predators, though they kill them, work symbiotically with the prey. Without prey, predators die from starvation; without predators, prey die from disease (and cause problems for humans in the mean time). Exceptions to this rule include invasive, nonnative species, but overall if nature is left alone it balances itself quite naturally.

Unfortunately, humans are not a part of nature anymore, at least not to the extent that they once were. The numbers of hunters and fishers who act as predators in the ecosystem have fallen. Now most people get their meat and fish from the store, wrapped up in nice plastic packages. This isn't inherently wrong, but it does change the balance. Humans also encroach on wildlife habitats, which in turn drives out certain species. Though some animals do quite well adapting to human presence (like raccoon and squirrels) others are driven away by or clash with them. It is also an unfortunate fact that in most cases, people attempt to work against nature instead of alongside it. They fight it out of selfishness or greed, or even just sheer ignorance, and they cause problems when they do so. The buffalo massacres of times past comes to mind, as does the more recent introductions of nonnative animal and plant species by well-meaning but no less stupid and nearsighted humans. Nature is here for us to responsibly utilize, but often times we abuse it instead.

Predators and Livestock Owners

One way in which we often work against nature instead of in symbiosis with it is in livestock farming. People all too often either a) take the easy way out and deal with predators by killing them or b) ignore the very existence of predators until an attack occurs and they must kill them. In both cases, losses are going to be inevitable, and life will be an uphill struggle. Killing a predator only opens the door for either prey species to become overpopulated or another predator to simply move in and be the next threat to one's livestock.

I want to make clear right now that this is not me saying that predators should never be killed. If a predator is caught attacking livestock, they should be put down. Once that behavior is learned, it's there forever and that animal will always recognize livestock as a smorgasbord. Also, predators that do not fear humans are a dangerous thing. A quick Google search of wildlife attacks on people (especially mountain lions and bears) will assure you of that fact. That said, I 100% believe that the best way to deal with predator attacks is to prevent them.

Preventing predatory attacks on livestock has twofold benefits: 1) livestock does not die and 2) predators do not die. In short, nobody has to die if livestock owners simply take measures to ensure the safety of their stock rather than waiting until an attack occurs and acting after the fact. There are a number of ways to live in harmony with nature, including natural predators, and drastically lower if not completely prevent losses of livestock to predators.

Guardians

In my opinion, the presence of livestock guardian dogs is the best deterrent. The guardian breeds, when bred for the job and trained accordingly, are better at protecting livestock than even humans. With sharp eyes, ears, and noses they can detect threats long before a human could. They also add the benefit of being able to be with the flock 24/7, and the ability to deter most predators before they even attack. Unless a predator is desperate, they will most likely move on to easier targets before ever even attempting to go after the ones guarded by large dogs. Dogs, especially males, will also mark their territory to alert predators to their presence even when they aren't in that specific area.

How many that are needed depends on the predators native to the area and the amount of land the livestock are on. I have a small acreage with goats and chickens. Each goat pen is less than an acre. The only natural predators here that could feasibly attack a goat are coyotes. Therefore, I only have two guardians (though I do have plans to add a third in the future when our perimeter fencing is complete). If I had more land or lived in an area with mountain lions, I would have a minimum of two guardians in every pen, and if I had bears to contend with I would run three or more in a perimeter fence. Other things to take into consideration when choosing how many dogs to run include how big the predator population is, how ample their natural prey is in the area, how bold they are around humans, and how far spread out your livestock may be when grazing (i.e., the size of the actual livestock areas).

Fencing and Housing

This is also an important aspect of owning livestock. It's important that your fencing is able to keep your livestock and guardians in while also keeping predators out. After all, even a guardian can't protect a kid, lamb, calf, or what-have-you if it's running outside of the fence. Be sure and take into consideration the size of the stock that will be in the fence; for example, baby goats can slip right through the holes in cattle panels. Be sure to research proper construction if you aren't familiar. A well built fence will be useful for years, but a poorly built one with be nothing but a pain. Don't take short cuts -- it's not worth it in the long run.

I highly recommend using electric fencing around the bottom of the fence when housing small livestock, especially goats, or dogs that are known to roam or dig. For dogs that like to climb, a string around the middle or top also works well. Electric is difficult to maintain, but it prevents goats or other animals from damaging fencing by going under it or rubbing along it and using it as a scratching post. In order for it to work properly, it must have the correct size charger for the distance, the correct voltage for the species inside it, and no dead leaves or live vegetation grounding it out.

For extremely heavy predatory areas, electric can also be run around the bottom and middle or top of the outside of the fence. This helps deter predators without permanently injuring them. The bottom strand is most important in areas with canines predator species, while the middle and top are important in areas with climbing predators such as big cats or bears. Obviously a potent shock would be necessary to deter a bear.

Housing also needs to be a secure place, but understand that it must also be well ventilated. Housing cannot be your sole defense against predators for this reason, and because the livestock need to have free access to move in and out of the housing during the day. If a prey animal can get into and out of the housing from the field, so can a predatory animal. Therefore, fencing and guardians are the first line of defense. It is possible to lock livestock inside of their barn at night while predator activity is typically at its height. This is the recommended method for poultry, and is not a bad idea for young stock or for areas where predators are dense or of particular threat.

Birthing pens should be especially secure, both in fencing and housing. The sounds and smells of birth draw predators looking to make an easy meal out of vulnerable young or mothers in labor.

Other Habits of Prevention

This is a list from PredatorFriendly.org of other methods of preventing predator attacks. Predator Friendly is an organization dedicated to promoting wildlife stewardship practices by farmers and ranchers. They promote coexistence between livestock owners and natural predators and offer certification to those farmers who work to coexist.

• Schedule pasture use when predator pressure is low

• Graze cattle with smaller livestock to protect sheep, goats, and calves

• Time calving and lambing to avoid predation risk

• Lamb in sheds, secure fenced lots, or protected pastures

• Make frequent and unpredictable patrols in pastures

• Fence out predators

• Learn the ecology and habits of area wildlife

They also recommend the use of guardian animals. All of these are methods of preventing predator attack, and they all relate to two core principles: 

1) Create safe environments for livestock that keep them separate and guarded from potential predators. Having secure areas, especially for small livestock and for young and birthing animals, guarded by dogs bred and trained to protect them ensures safety and often negates the need for action against predators.

and 

2) Be aware of wildlife habits and the local ecosystem. Understanding the way predators operate, and the important role that they play in their natural habitat, is key to operating a farm that is beneficial rather than harmful, that works with the natural processes instead of against them.

Conclusion

I have always believed in being sustainable and as naturally responsible as possible. Coexisting with native wildlife and plants is just one small part of raising happy and healthy livestock in as natural a way as possible. It is a common desire among small or hobby farmers such as myself to raise animals humanely and naturally as possible -- to step away from the modern conventions of putting profit above all and quantity over quality -- but all too often we leave out this important part of the equation. Wildlife, predators included, are important. It would be remiss to seek to responsibly raise livestock with our right hand while our left hand blindly struggles against nature.

*You will notice that I did not mention dogs in this post. This is because dogs, domesticated or feral, are not a natural predator. They are instead an introduced threat that become predators and problems for small livestock owners when the owners of the dogs do not act responsibly and keep them on their own property. However, the practices listed here also work toward preventing attacks on livestock from wandering dogs as well. Furthermore, my statement that wild predators attacking livestock should be put down applies to dogs as well. There is more about dealing specifically with dogs as predators in this post.