- - AGRICULTURE CORE CURRICULUM - - (CLF3000) Advanced Core Cluster: ANIMAL SCIENCE (CLF3250) Unit Title: LIVESTOCK BREEDING AND GENETICS ____________________________________________________________________________ (CLF3260) Topic: ENVIRONMENT AND CARE Time Year(s) OF REPRODUCING ANIMALS 4 hours 3 / 4 ____________________________________________________________________________ Topic Objectives: Upon completion of this lesson, the student will be able to: Learning Outcome #: (D-20) - Describe the proper environment for the female during gestation, parturition, and lactation. (D-21) - Describe the proper maintenance and care of male breeding stock. (D-24) - Perform the appropriate husbandry practices when handling newborn animals. Special Materials and Equipment: VEP filmstrips: "Brood Sow and Litter", "Ewe and Lamb Management", "Swine Reproduction, Breeding, and Farrowing", and "Beef Reproduction". References: Ensminger, M.E. (1983). THE STOCKMAN'S HANDBOOK. Bundy and Diggins. (1968). LIVESTOCK AND POULTRY PRODUCTION. Evaluation: Quiz by instructor. TOPIC PRESENTATION: ENVIRONMENT AND CARE OF REPRODUCING ANIMALS A. Environment During Gestation 1. Swine a. Exercise: 1) Brood sows need exercise as overly fat sows are more prone to dystocia. 2) Feed them away from housing so that sows must walk to the feeding and water areas. b. Shelter: 1) During the summer, sows (especially white colored breeds) need shade for protection against sunburn. 2) In the winter, the type of shelter used depends on the climate. a) In temperate climates, portable sheds with open doors are satisfactory. b) In colder climates, warmer houses may be necessary. 3) Several sows may sleep in the same shelter, but should not be over-crowded. For example: ========================================================== Bred Gilts Bred Sows __________________________________________________________ summer 15 - 22 sq.ft./gilt 20 - 30 sq.ft./sow winter 11 - 14 sq.ft./gilt 16 - 20 sq.ft./sow ========================================================== 4) Sows should not be kept in the same lots or buildings as other types of stock. Pregnant sows may be injured by cattle or horses. 2. Beef Cattle a. Exercise: 1) Most range cows and heifers get plenty of exercise in their open environment. 2) However, cows kept in drylot situations should not be allowed to get too fat or they will become more prone to dystocia. b. Shelter: 1) Beef cattle are not very sensitive to weather changes. 2) Warm, expensive barns are not needed except when cows calve during severely cold weather. 3) The non-reproducing herd may be wintered without any shelter except a good windbreak. 3. Dairy Cattle a. Exercise: 1) Dairy cows need some exercise. When a loose housing system is used, cows get plenty of exercise. 2) However, too much traveling results in food nutrients being used for body maintenance rather than milk production. b. Shelter: 1) Most dairy farms provide adequate shelter for the milking herd and calves. 2) Replacement heifers on pasture have the same requirements as range beef cows. 3) In areas where the weather is very warm, shade should be provided. 4. Sheep a. Exercise: 1) Lack of exercise during gestation contributes to lambing difficulties including lambing paralysis. Exercise may be required in the farm flock situation that does not have a range. 2) Feed animals away from their resting areas as this forces them to move about and exercise. b. Shelter: 1) Ewes need shade during very warm weather. 2) A dry place is essential during cold weather. c. Protection from other animals: Do not allow pregnant ewes to run with cattle or hogs.Cattle may kick the ewes and cause abortions while hogs may bite the ewes. B. Environment During Parturition 1. Swine a. Farrowing situations 1) Farrowing pens: a) The pens should be 7-8 ft. wide and 8-10 ft. long. b) They must be cleaned and disinfected before each farrowing. c) The sow should be put in the farrowing pen a few days before she is due, so she can become familiar with her surroundings and will be less nervous while farrowing. d) Bedding can be wood shavings or fine straw but too much bedding may result in the loss of pigs (4 inches deep is satisfactory). e) Heat lamps may be used to keep piglets warm, but they do not protect baby pigs from drafts, which can be deadly. (Note the pigs will move to the lamps for warmth which keeps them from sleeping next to the sow who may crush them when she rolls over.) 2) Farrowing crates: a) Similar to farrowing pens, but the sow is more confined. b) Crates are normally 24 inches wide and 8 feet long. c) Guard rails prevent the sow from laying on the pigs, so the pigs have an area outside the guard rails to lay next to the sow. d) Most farrowing crates are made from metal, are raised above ground level, and have slat floors through which and urine. e) Heat lamps are usually attached to the crates to keep baby pigs from getting chilled and encourage them to sleep away from the mother. __________________________________________________________ ACTIVITY: 1. Show VEP filmstrip "Brood Sow and Litter." __________________________________________________________ 2. Beef Cattle a. Usually cows calve on pasture with minimal assistance, but cows may require shelter during calving if the weather is bad. b. First calf heifers may be brought into a corral for closer observation, since the frequency of calving problems is greater in cows calving for the first time. 3. Dairy Cattle a. Maternity pens: 1) are separate pens where cows may be placed for calving. 2) should be dry and have clean bedding. 4. Sheep a. Lambing pens: Individual lambing pens may be used to prevent losses of lambs. 1) Ewes producing twins may wander away with the stronger lamb, leaving the other twin to die. 2) Ewes placed in lambing pens have a chance to accept both lambs. b. Range lambing: 1) With large flocks, it would not be feasible to have ewes lamb in pens so they should lamb in open pastures. 2) "Bagging out" (prebirth filling of the udder) may be ascertained by by touch to determine how close to lambing she is. She may be placed in a separate pasture for closer observation. __________________________________________________________ ACTIVITY: 1. Show the VEP filmstrip "Ewe and Lamb Management." __________________________________________________________ C. Treatment of Newborns 1. General Treatment a. Human Interaction: 1) Clear the newborn's nostril area of fetal membranes so that there is no excess of fluid in the upper respiratory tract. Try tickling the nose with straw for a sneeze or cough to help clear any fluid. 2) Umbilical cord - tincture of iodine should be used on the umbilical cord of newborns which this causes the cord to dry up and decreases the chance of bacteria entering the body through the umbilical cord. b. Environment: 1) Cleanliness is essential - dirty, bloody, or wet bedding should be removed as it contains disease-causing bacteria. 2) Dry area - dampness causes chilling which lessens the newborn's ability to resist disease. 3) Draft-free - drafts cause chilling also. c. "Mother-up" (recognition/identification of the dam): 1) Recognition - a) The newborn's mother should show interest in her offspring shortly after parturition by licking her young (not in swine). This stimulates the breathing system and clears the young of fetal membranes. b) In difficult or prolonged births, the mother may abandon her young at birth. In this case, fostering or hand-raising may be necessary. 2) Standing - a) The young should stand and begin moving about within 30 minutes of birth. b) If no attempts are made at standing, the newborn may be assisted to stand and nurse. 3) Nursing - a) Colostrum is the first milk produced by females and it provides newborns with immunity from disease. b) Colostrum is only produced for 24 hours following parturition and the newborn loses the ability to absorb antibodies (directly into the system without digesting them) after 24 hours. Therefore, it is essential that the newborn suckles as soon after birth as possible, or the newborn may become too weak to nurse on its own. c) Calves and foals need 10 percent of their body weight a day in milk. D. Maintenance and Care of Male Breeding Stock 1. The boar: a. Pen size - 1/4 to 1/2 acre lot with a moveable house at one end is ideal. b. Exercise - many times boars become non-breeders due to overweight caused by lack of exercise. 2. The beef bull: a. Should be kept in good condition before breeding season because he will lose weight during breeding. b. Herds with young bulls need to be separated from herds with older bulls.Since older bulls are dominant and will breed most of the cows the best way to be certain the young bulls are servicing cows is to separate them. c. Bulls will fight if kept together during breeding season. 3. The ram: a. Eyeing - shearing the wool from around wool-faced breeds before breeding will prevent wool-blindness. b. Shearing - if the breeding season occurs during warm weather, the ram will be more fertile and more active if he is shorn. c. Ringing - refers to shearing around the penis to ensure proper contact during mating. d. Hoof-trimming - usually range sheep wear down their hooves naturally. Farm flocks may need hoof-trimming 1-3 times per year. This is important so that the ram can walk normally and breed easily. e. Shelter - the ram needs a dry shelter with room to exercise. Usually rams are only allowed to run with the ewes for 6-8 weeks and then they are separated from the females. __________________________________________________________ ACTIVITY: 1. Have students complete Supplemental Worksheet #7, "Environment and Care of Reproducing Animals." __________________________________________________________ Supplemental Worksheet #7 ENVIRONMENT AND CARE OF REPRODUCING ANIMALS NAME_____________________________________ DATE_____________________________________ PER._____________________________________ Complete the following table (if no answer was given in lecture, write N/A): GESTATION ENVIRONMENT ============================================================================ Species Exercise Shelter Special Considerations ____________________________________________________________________________ Sow ____________________________________________________________________________ Beef Cow ____________________________________________________________________________ Dairy Cow ____________________________________________________________________________ Ewe ____________________________________________________________________________ Answer the following questions: 1. Describe the proper environment for newborn young: 2. Why is the navel cord treated with iodine? 3. What is colostrum? Why is it important? Complete the following tables: PARTURITION ENVIRONMENT ============================================================================ Species: Environmental Considerations: ____________________________________________________________________________ Sow ____________________________________________________________________________ Beef Cow ____________________________________________________________________________ Dairy Cow ____________________________________________________________________________ Ewe ____________________________________________________________________________ ============================================================================ MALE BREEDING STOCK ENVIRONMENT ____________________________________________________________________________ Species Shelter Exercise Special Considerations ____________________________________________________________________________ Swine ____________________________________________________________________________ Sheep ____________________________________________________________________________ Beef Cattle ____________________________________________________________________________ Dairy Cattle ____________________________________________________________________________ 5/2/90sg #%&C