C6-Lancastor Farming, Saturday, October 18,1986
Sheep Management Tour Travels To Four Berks Co, Farms
BY ROBIN PHILLIPS
Berks Co. Correspondent
OLEY - Over 30 sheep and wool
enthusiasts gathered in the Oley
Valley last Saturday for a tour of
sheep farms and a review of their
management practices.
Discussions centered on current
management practices to control
parasite infestation in herds and
feeding techniques to avoid ex
cessive vegetation in wool.
Demonstrations were conducted at
each of the four farms toured as
the group covered sheep hobby
farms as well as farms of com
mercial producers.
“What is a problem in the fleece
is leafy alfalfa, timothy and or
chard grass seed,” stated Mama
Mackay, in regards to vegetation
in the wool. “If you get leafy hay
down there it is in to stay,” she
continued.
Mama and lan Mackay operate
Mac-High Sheep Farm near
Boyertown. They breed purebred
Romneys and maintain a herd of
ten animals.
To control the vegetation in the
wool that Mac-High Farm
produces, the Mackays stick to
feeding first cutting alfalfa which
tends to be coarser. They also like
a “good shiny wheat straw" for the
bedding material.
“We’re a crude opeiation, but
we’re efficient,” Mama said,
describing their management. For
their operation the Mackays have
found it more practical to buy their
4 hay and pasture their land. With
the pasture they feed a standard
fitting ration to their sheep.
“I try to keep them as natural as
possible and maintain a good
worming schedule,” Mama stated.
The sheep are kept outside as
much as possible and when they
are confined, the bam is opened up
to provide ample natural ven
tilation.
Because she likes to keep her
herd outside, the Boyertown sheep
farmer also tries to have all the
lambs come in the springtime. “I
am not a fall lamb producer. I like
them all to come in the spring,”
she states. She cites less parasite
problems and good growth on the
lambs because of this.
Highlighting the tour of the Mac-
High Farm were two unique ideas
that Mama gave to fellow sheep
breeders. “Rams need exercise,”
she began. To house their rams
and keep them under control, the
Mackays use a corral with tires
flat on the ground throughout the
corral. The rams must step over
the tires to move around. The tires
also make it difficult for a suc
cessful fight between rams. When
the rams want to crash heads, they
fall over the tires when attempting
to run at each other. A wether is
also penned with the rams for non
aggressive companionship.
Mama also displayed an item
that she uses to restrain her
animals when medicating or
FISHER'S PAINTING FISHER'S PAINTING
& RESTORATION RETAIL OUTLET STORE
BALL TYPES OF ■ TOP QUALITY
INTERIOR & EXTERIOR PAINTS AT LOW «r=s|
PAINTING PRICES ft*
I 100? I COATING " WE BUY IN LARGE
VI up ! S?c 0 T F n C D°iS G ». QUANTITIES & PASS THE SAVINGS
J ■ KcSTUKATION a ON TO YDII
WATERPROOFING ON STONE &
BRICK BUILDINGS * ROOF COATINGS IN VARIOUS
We Specialize Ini Farm Buildings, mWE HAVE lots of factory
Churches, Feed Mills, Wafer Tanks, discontinued colors,
CiM li/UL mismatches and job leftovers
ere. wm / tenai equipment at very low prices
FREE DELIVERY WITHIN 20 MILES
STORE, SHOP AND OFFICE LOCATED IN OLD STONE BARN AT:
4056 A Newport Road, Kinzers, PA 17535
(Across From Pequea Valley School) 717*768-3239
shearing. Called the “gamble
restrainer,” the hard plastic tool
resembles an S yoke. It is placed
over the shoulder of the animal and
the front legs are brought up aside
of the head to fit into the curve of
the yoke. A rope holds it in place
and keeps the head of the animal in
the center of the yoke.
After the animal was restrained,
Debbie Price, special intern with
the Berks County Extension
Service this past summer and
instrumental in organizing the
tour, demonstrated how to give
subcutaneous and intramuscular
injections to sheep.
For subcutaneous injections a 20-
gauge, one inch or three-fourth
inch needle is advised. Inject
under the loose skin beneath the
elbow or under the neck of the
sheep. There is less wool and the
area is easily disinfected beneath
the elbow. Intramuscular in
jections should be given in the
front shoulder. Inject quickly and
do not give more than five cc’s at
one spot.
Learning to determine the age of
sheep was addressed at the Oley
Acres Sheep Farm of Elmer
Petersheim, Oley. The Peter
sheims raise market lambs from
their mixed herd of 40 Suffolks.
Mama introduced a handy instrument to the group that she
uses to restrain her animals when shearing or medicating.
Called the “gambler restrainer" it resembles a yoke and
holds the animal while being handled. She is assisted by
Clyde Myers, extension agent.
Sheep producers should check
the front jaws of each animal to
determine the quality of the jaw of
the animal and whether it will be
able to survive on pasture.
“Sheep do not need grain all
year,” stated Clyde Myers, Berks
County extension agent conducting
the tour. “They are a ruminant
animal,” he proceeded to explain
the determination of age as well as
health related teeth problems. The
overshot jaw, teeth jutting out over
the dental pad, or the undershot
jaw, teeth jutting into the dental
pad, determines how well a sheep
will be able to consume forage and
pasture. It is a very heritable trait.
Teeth should meet the dental pad.
Sheep producers should check
the eight front teeth of an animal to
determine the approximate age.
Lambs have eight narrow incisors
in the front. At 8 to 14 months of
age, the two center teeth fall out
and are replaced with two broad
permanent teeth. At 2 years of age
the next two front teeth drop out
and are replaced with the larger
permanent ones. At 3 years of age,
the next two are replaced, and by 4
years of age a sheep will have a full
set of broad permanent teeth. With
advanced age, the permanent
teeth wear down and spread out,
(Turn to Page C 7)
I
ll
pot .ry . ippi
when lambing begins. She keeps alcohol, cotton and scissors
handy in the pouch. Mama also uses a bander to dock tails.
The rubber band stops circulation and causes the tail to die
and drop off without an open wound. She cautioned
producers to make sure the tail is clean before the band is
applied.
Mr. and Mrs. Marvin Wade work together on the carding
machine to separate the wool fibers.
SAVE
40%
on
New Replacement
Belt! For Farm
Machines
• Bale Thrower Belts
•70.00
• Grove-Gehl-Int.-S.U.
Wagon Box Belts
*l2O to *l5O
Also Available: Bean Picket Belts & Big
Round Baler Belts
Any flat belt can be custom made for your
farm machinery (cleats installed). Belts
shipped same day by UPS.
For more information, write:
Rt. 16, Chaffee. New York 14030
CALL TOLL FREE: 1-800-537-3003
Phone Collect: 716-496-6025
COW MATS
Use our unique methdd of install
ing a one piece mat under a row
of cows. Prevents movement
of mat and bedding from
creeping underneath
All "row" and single
mats are cut from
heavy one inch
rubber belting