Caring for Your Animals

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Caring for Your Animals
Developed by Holly George and Susie
Kocher University of California Extension Bob
Hamblen, Colorado State University Cooperative
Extension Bruce Miller, Utah State
University Melody Hefner, University of Nevada
Cooperative Extension
UNCE, Reno, Nev.
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Well be covering

• Animal digestive systems
• Animal nutritional needs
• Hay quality
• Feed and forage production versus animal needs
• Health care and safety issues
• Manure management

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The four digestive systems

• Ruminant
• Pseudo-ruminants
• Nonruminant herbivore
• Monogastric

www.usda.gov
www.usda.gov
UNCE
servicemeansnet/pukite
4
Ruminants (cows, goats, sheep, elk, deer and
bison)

• Have no upper incisors or canine teeth
• Have four stomach compartments
• Stomach has more space and microorganisms
• Can synthesize essential amino acids
• Can break down cellulose into volatile fatty
  acids (VFAs)

Beginning Sheperds Manual by Barbara Smith
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Ruminant biology

• Complex, multi-chambered stomach ferments feed
• Microorganisms in stomach convert plant cells
  into usable energy

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The rumen advantage

• Animals with rumens can obtain more energy from
  plant materials than those without rumens because
  of the fermentation process.

www.usda.gov
7
Pseudo-ruminants

• Llamas, alpacas
• Three-chambered stomach system
• No rumen, but chew their cud and digest
  feedstuffs via fermentation and microbial action.

alpacainfo.com
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Nonruminant herbivores horse, rabbit, guinea pig
and hamster
UNCE, Reno, Nev.
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Horses

• Digestive system and nutrient requirements are
  more similar to a pig than to a cow
• Compared to cows, horses need less roughage, more
  and higher quality protein and added B vitamins
• Where no pasture is available, a 1,000-pound
  horse will consume about 25 lbs/day of hay and
  grain, or about 4.6 tons per year

UNCE
UNCE, Reno, Nev.
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Special challenges of horses

• Formation of bones
• Irregular use and/or strenuous exercise

UNCE, Reno, Nev.
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Special challenges of horses

• For increased energy requirements, decrease
  roughage and increase grain
• Limited protein synthesis and poor absorption
  means that they must be fed high quality protein

www.holisticvetpetcare.com
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Monogastric (simple-stomached)

• Simplest of all digestive systems
• Limited capacity, limited microbial action and
  fiber digestion
• Better adapted to concentrated feeds such as
  grains and meats than to roughages
• Single-stomached animals include pigs, birds,
  fish, dogs, and humans

A. Miller
www.usda.gov
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Swine facts

• Pigs are the cleanest domestic farm animal
• Given a reasonable amount of space in their pen
  or pasture, they will select a particular area
  for manure and not foul their own nest

servicemeansnet/pukite
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Avian digestive system

• The digestive system of poultry differs
  considerably from other monogastrics as they have
  no teeth
• Digestion in the fowl is rapid
• 2½ hours in laying hens
• 8 to 12 hours in non-laying hens

www.usda.gov
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Exotic birds

• Ratites
• Ostrich, emu, rhea
• Game birds
• Pheasant, sagehen, quail, chukkar, doves
• Nutritional needs similar to poultry

UNCE, Reno, Nev.
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Digestive tract capacities
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Nutritional needs of animals

• Water
• Energy
• Protein
• Minerals
• Vitamins

NRCS, Bozeman, Mont.
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Water needs

• Vary by animal size, reproductive status and
  weather
• Average amounts
• Beef cow or horse 12 gallons/day
• Pig 8 gallons/day
• Llama 5 gallons/day
• Sheep or goat 4 gallons/day
• Amounts needed may double on hot days

USDA NRCS
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Energy carbohydrates and fats

• Grains
• Alfalfa hay
• Silage
• Pasture and grass hay

NRCS, Bozeman, Mont.
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Energy from feed

• Depends on digestive tract
• Total digestible nutrients (TDN) is a measure of
  usable energy in a feed for a given species

www.farmphoto.com
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Digestibility of feedstuff by species
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Protein

• Most expensive nutrient
• Proteins contain amino acids, the building blocks
  for muscle, hair, etc.
• Quantity of protein fed is more important than
  quality for ruminants
• Nonruminants require higher-quality protein
  sources

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Crude protein and stage of growth
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Minerals

• Supplement choices
• Mineral block
• Feed additive
• Water additive

www.cgiar.org
USDA NRCS
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Mineral requirements vary by

• Species
• Breed
• Age, sex and growth rate
• Nature and rate of reproduction
• Lactation
• Level and chemical form ingested
• Overall balance and adequacy of diet
• Hormonal and other physiological activities
  within the animal
• Climate

www.ewe.uk.com
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Vitamins

• Required in small amounts
• Essential for metabolism
• NOT normally synthesized by the body
• Two types
• Fat soluble A, D, E, K
• Water soluble B, C

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 Vitamins for ruminants

• Ruminants produce some, but not all, of their own
  vitamins
• Most ruminants make B, K, and C
• Ruminants need A, D, and E in their diet
• Can convert A from beta carotene if provided with
  good quality feed
• Can store enough A for four to six months on a
  vitamin A-deficient diet
• Can make enough vitamin D if kept in the sun
• A and E are found in leafy green forages

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Nutrient requirements depend on

• Animals digestive system
• Climate and season of year
• Desired gain
• Work performance
• Production stage (breeding, pregnant, lactating,
  growing, dry)
• Breed

www.ewe.uk.com
http//services.means.net/pukite/pig
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What do your animals need?
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Nutrient requirements
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Specific needs horses
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Beef cattle
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Dairy cattle
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Meat goats
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Dairy goats
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Sheep
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Llamas and alpacas
UNCE, Reno, Nev.
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Swine
USDA NRCS
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Poultry
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Poultry for meat or eggs?

• A laying ration provides two times more vitamin
  A, 2½ times more vitamin D and at least 3 times
  more calcium
• A mature, lightweight bird will eat about 1/4
  pound of feed daily, or 90 lbs/year, while
  producing about 240 eggs each year
• Broilers can gain 2 pounds for each pound of feed
  eaten

L. Allen, Nev.
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Exotic birds
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Rabbits
www.flicker.com
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Lets talk hay
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What determines hay quality?

• Type of hay (alfalfa vs. grass)
• Stage of plant maturity and leafiness
• How well it dried after being cut
• Foreign material present (weeds, wire, etc.)
• Storage handling

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You be the judge!

• Color
• Leafiness
• Maturity
• Texture
• Odor
• Foreign material

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Hay judging notes
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Your lands feed/forage potential

• Depends on whether you plan to graze animals or
  produce crops to feed animals

www.usda.gov
NRCS, Bozeman, Mont.
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Learn the terms

• Feed provided to animals
• Measured in tons per acre
• Forage consumed by grazing
• Measured by Animal Unit Month (AUM)
• 1 AUM the amount consumed by a 1,000-pound
  animal in one month

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How much feed do you need?
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Calculating forage production

• Amount produced depends on
• Soil fertility
• Irrigation
• Grazing management
• Length of growing season

www.farmpicture.com
www.usda.gov
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Annual feed and forage production
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Balancing feed and forage requirements with your
land productivity
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Seasonal forage availability
UCCE
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Cow seasonal energy requirements
UCCE
55
Forage quality versus quantity
High quality pasture
Low quality pasture
Daily requirement of high quality forage
Daily requirement of low quality forage
Nutrient intake of low quality forage
Half the quality X half the consumption
one-quarter the nutrition
UCCE
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Providing nutrition year-round

• Purchase feed
• Improve pasture production
• Grow feed instead of, or in addition to, forage

USDA NRCS
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The normal animal

• Attitude and behavior are the first and
  most-visible indicators of an animals health. Be
  observant!

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Nutrition and health

• Well-fed animals in good condition are healthier
  and more resistant to disease
• Two categories of disease
• Infectious (to put into)- caused by parasites,
  fungi, bacteria, viruses, protozoa
• Noninfectious results from issues such as
  nutritional deficiencies, metabolic disorders,
  trauma, congenital defects toxic materials

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Preventive healthcare for animals  

• Consult a local veterinarian
• Maintain schedules of vaccinations
• Keep complete records
• Quarantine new animals

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What about vaccinations?

• Consult a local veterinarian for advice
• Follow state or local regulations
• Take into account the prevalence of disease in
  your area
• Consider the effectiveness of the vaccine or
  bacterin
• Cost of the vaccine
• Adverse reactions

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Adherence to drug labels

• Follow veterinarian recommendations
• Follow label requirements
• Make sure drug is species-specific
• Keep records

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Additional preventive care

• Parasites
• Internal
• External

USDA-ARS
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Parasitesbeef as an example
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Do your animals have access to any of
these?

• Toxic plants
• Toxic bedding
• Moldy hay or grain
• Trash
• Lawn clippings
• Pesticides

www.aphis.usda.gov
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Some plants may be toxic

• Some are poisonous in some seasons only
• Some affect certain species and not others
• Most cause specific physiological symptoms

Poison hemlock
http//cal.vet.upenn.edu
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Symptoms caused by toxic plants

• Gastrointestinal
• Nervous system
• Respiratory system
• Skin
• Reproductive system

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Cause nervousness or excitability

• Arrowgrass
• Bracken fern (horses)
• Chokecherry
• Larkspur
• Locoweed
• Lupine
• Poison hemlock

Lupine
Locoweed
cal.vet.upenn.edu
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Other tips for animal safety

• Toxic plants
• Toxic bedding
• Moldy hay or grain
• Trash
• Lawn clippings
• Pesticides

www.farmphoto.com
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Other tips for animal safety

• Toxic plants
• Toxic bedding
• Moldy hay or grain
• Trash
• Lawn clippings
• Pesticides

USDA NRCS
70
Other tips for animal safety

• Toxic plants
• Toxic bedding
• Moldy hay or grain
• Trash
• Lawn clippings
• Pesticides

www.farmpicture.com
71
Other tips for animal safety

• Toxic plants
• Toxic bedding
• Moldy hay or grain
• Trash
• Lawn clippings
• Pesticides

USDA NRCS
72
Other tips for animal safety

• Toxic plants
• Toxic bedding
• Moldy hay or grain
• Trash
• Lawn clippings
• Pesticides

www.farmpicture.com
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Dispose of dead animals properly
http//defendingfarmanimals
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Caring for your animals

• Provide good quality nutrients year-round
• Establish a preventive healthcare program
• Implement health care and safety measures

www.ars.usda.gov
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What impacts can animals cause?
UNCE, Reno, Nev.
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What parts of animals cause impacts?
mouths
bodies
hooves
manure
A. Miller
77
Impacts from hooves

• On pastures
• Compaction
• Trails
• Reduced productivity
• On stream banks
• Trampling
• Erosion
• Pollution

UNCE, Reno, Nev.
78
Impacts from mouths

• Overgrazing plants can weaken their root
  structure plants dont recover
• Pasture productivity decreases
• Soil erosion increases

www.farmphoto.com
UNCE, Reno, Nev.
79
Impacts from bodies

• Objects in the pasture are damaged
• Trees, posts, irrigation works, fences
• Weed seeds and pests are transported

UNCE, Reno, Nev.
UCCE
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Impacts from manure

• Polluted runoff
• Odor
• Dust
• Insects and parasites

UNCE, Reno, Nev.
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How to avoid impacts?

• Good grazing management avoids hoof and mouth
  impacts
• Good facility design avoids animal body impacts

www.usda.gov
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Good manure management

• Keeps livestock healthy
• Returns nutrients to the soil
• Improves pastures and gardens
• Protects the environment

OSU Extension Service
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Poor manure management

• Livestock become sick
• Conditions are unsanitary
• Neighbors complain
• Insect and parasite populations increase
• Environment is harmed

USU, Logan, UT
84
How much manure do animals produce?

• How much manure do you think two horses kept in a
  small stable for three months in the winter will
  produce?

www.usda.gov
85
Tons of horse manure!

• 2 horses, 1,000 pounds each
• WEIGHT 50 lbs/day X 2 100 pounds
• VOLUME 0 .81 cubic feet/day
• WEIGHT 50 lbs/day X 30 days/month x 3 months
  4,500 pounds of manure
• VOLUME 0.81 cu ft/day X 30 days/month x 3 months
  73 cubic feet of manure

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How much manure will your animals produce?
Amounts produced per 1,000 pounds of each type of
animal
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Nutrient value of manures
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Manure can be a resource

• Livestock remove nutrients from land while
  grazing
• Returning manure to soil promotes soil fertility
  and plant growth
• Important nutrients
• Nitrogen (N)
• Potassium (K or K2O)
• Phosphorus (P2O5)

USDA NRCS
89
Can I use all my manure?

• How much will you have?
• Where can you safely store or compost it?
• Where can you safely incorporate it in or on your
  property?

whatcom.wsu.edu/ag/compost
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How much manure is enough?

• To provide annual phosphorus needs for a one-acre
  pasture
• one 1000-pound cow
• one 1400-pound horse
• three market (150-pounds) hogs
• twelve 100-pound sheep
• 225 laying hens

USDA NRCS
91
Effective management depends on

• Collection
• Storage
• Application
• Removal

www.farmphoto.com
92
Manure collects in

• Pastures
• Cages
• Bedded stalls or barn
• Dry lots/confinement areas, paddocks, corrals or
  other sacrifice areas

UNCE, Reno, Nev.
93
Pasture collection

• Requires the least amount of effort
• Natural weathering reduces volume by up to 60
• Nutrients are directly recycled
• May require occasional dragging of pasture to
  break up and distribute the manure

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Cage collection

• Small animals such as rabbits or fur animals and
  poultry or birds
• Manure drops through the cage and is removed
• Waste may include bedding material such as straw
  or wood shavings

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Bedded stall or barn

• Horses, cattle, swine and poultry
• Manure and soiled bedding are removed by manual
  cleaning

www.nationalhorsestalls.com
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Dry lots, corrals or other confinement areas
UNCE, Reno, Nev.
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Manure storage considerations

• Distance from streams, ponds and wells
• Prevailing wind direction
• Slope of ground
• Soil type

www.milfordanimalhospital
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Manure storage - avoiding runoff

• Install buffer strips
• Vegetated areas between storage and stream
• Install berms or ditches
• Prevents water from entering or leaving storage
  area
• Cover manure

www.milfordanimalhospital
WSU Extension
99
Composting

• Reduces volume
• Kills parasites
• Reduces weed seeds
• Reduces odor
• Provides slow- release fertilizer
• Provides soil amendment

www.farmphoto.com
100
Composting requirements

• Oxygen
• Moisture
• Correct carbon-to-nitrogen ratio (301)
• Temperature (120 to 160 F)

101
What do I do with the manure?

• Apply it to your property
• Arrange with gardeners, landscapers, or farmers
  to remove it
• Prefer composted manure
• Haul it yourself
• Most expensive
• Landfilling (bury on your property)
• Not recommended expensive and potential for
  runoff increases

102
Tips for safe manure or compost application

• Maintain a minimum separation distance of 100
  feet from water sources on flat ground
• Greater distances are needed for sloping ground
• Keep away from natural drainages
• Incorporate as soon as possible

www.nhq.nrcs.usda.gov
103
Tips for safe manure or compost application

• Monitor the soils nitrogen content to avoid
  overapplication
• Complete the composting process to prevent
  spreading weed seeds
• Consider seasonal conditions winter, wet
  conditions, etc.

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The bottom line (no pun intended)

• Manage manure to maintain healthy animals and
  healthy land
• Applying manure to your property increases the
  nutrient value and organic content of your soil
• Managing the impacts caused by animals will
  improve your land, your neighbors land and
  wildlife habitat

105
Summary

• Animal water and feed needs vary depending on
  species, breed, age and reproductive cycle
• Animals require preventive health care
  individual requirements vary
• Balancing the production of food with animal
  needs requires adjustments throughout the year
• Develop management plans for animal impacts
  before they become a problem

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Homework

• Finish the Feeding Requirements Activity Sheet.
• Check your property for any of the safety issues
  discussed in this lesson.
• Develop a manure management plan for your
  property.
• Monitor the wildlife present on your property and
  make a list of nuisance wildlife that cause
  problems and beneficial wildlife you would like
  to encourage.