OSU Sheep Team

Rory Lewandowski, Extension Educator, Wayne County and Crossroads EERA

As I have driven around the county the past few weeks, I have noticed some patches of poison hemlock on roadside banks and also in some fields.  This is a concern because all parts of this plant including leaves, stems and roots are poisonous when ingested.  This is a good time to scout both hayfields and pastures for this weed and take steps to control it.  This is not a weed that livestock owners can afford to ignore.

Poison hemlock has an appearance similar to wild carrot and is a member of the parsley family.  The plant has compound leaves made up of multiple leaflets that are finely divided and have a triangular shape.  Some descriptions say the leaf has a lacy appearance.  One of the key identifying characteristics is the stem.  The stem of poison hemlock is smooth, hairless, and hollow and is colored with purple blotches.

The plant is a biennial and can be overlooked in its first year when it produces only vegetative growth.  It becomes very noticeable during the second year when, after early vegetative growth it bolts and produces a flower stalk that can be 3 to 8 feet in height.  The small white flowers are arranged in an umbrella-like cluster.  Up to forty thousand seeds per plant can be produced.  As the seeds mature in August and September they are easily spread by moving water, animals, people and mechanical activity such as mowing.  This is an invasive plant that can take over open areas and crowd out beneficial plants.

As mentioned at the beginning of this article all parts of poison hemlock are toxic.  According to a Purdue University Extension fact sheet; “Lethal doses can be small, so it is important not to let animals graze or feed on poison hemlock. In the case of horses, 4 to 5 pounds of the leaves may be lethal. One to 2 pounds can be lethal for cattle and 4 to 8 oz for sheep. Young animals are more susceptible. Symptoms may appear within 1 hour of ingestion. This starts with a nervous stimulation and can progresses in 2 to 3 hours later into respiratory paralysis. In rare cases the animal may have convulsions. In many cases symptoms include, bloating, incoordination, intestinal irritation, dilation of pupils, rapid and weak pulse, loss of appetite, salivation, and blue coloration about the mouth. Ingestion of poison hemlock in days 55 to 75 of gestation may result in birth defects.”

Control of poison hemlock needs to occur while the plant is in the vegetative state, so early spring is a good time to control second year plants and fall a good time to control first year plants.  Herbicides can be effective in killing poison hemlock.  Recommended herbicides and herbicide products include 2,4-D, dicamba (Banvel/Clarity), Crossbow (2-4,D plus triclopyr) and glyphosate.   The 2012 Ohio and Indiana Weed Control Guide rates Crossbow and glyphosate as a little more effective than 2,4-D or dicamba products.  Be aware that all of these herbicides are broadleaf weed killers, which means if these products are applied in a pasture they will kill desirable broadleaf plants such as clover, and in an alfalfa field will kill alfalfa plants.  Spot spraying is recommended when infestations are small and limited in scope.

We realize that you may have not been able to make all four sessions of the 2012 Sheep & Goat WebEx Series.  We were able to record all of the sessions and are posting them here for your convenience.

•  “Lambing and Kidding Management and Newborn Health Issues”   by Dr. Bill Shulaw, OSU, (forthcoming).

• “Internal Parasites Chemical Resistance and Life Cycle” by Jeff McCutcheon, OSU Extension Educator

• “Sheep and Goat Internal Parasite Management” by Rory Lewandowski, OSU Extension Educator

• “Udder Health and Mastitis” by Dr. Leo Timms, Iowa State University

• “Recognizing, Treating, and Preventing Major Diseases of Sheep and Goats” by Dr. Eric Gordon, OSU

The ASI Annual Convention was held in Phoenix, AZ, January 24-28, 2012.  The Association has a number of committees as well as a list of policies and directives many of which are pertinent to animal health.  http://www.sheepusa.org/ASI_Positions

The Animal Health Committee met from 3-5 pm on Thursday, January 26.  Dr. Diane Sutton of USDA/APHIS reviewed the current highlights from the National Scrapie Eradication Program.  The numbers of scrapie cases in sheep have been steadily declining as a result of selective breeding programs and slaughter trace back efforts.  She also discussed proposed changes in the Scrapie Flock Certification Program that will be announced this spring.  In the last ten years, 25 cases of scrapie in goats have been diagnosed with an increase in the annual numbers in the past 3-5 years.  (check out the “monthly report” link on the right at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_health/animal_diseases/scrapie/ )  It is likely that the increased numbers are related to increased surveillance.   New sampling minimums for slaughtered goats will be coming soon.

Dr. Katherine Marshall provided a preliminary report on findings from the 2011 NAHMS Sheep Study which will reflect about 70% of US sheep operations and 85% of the national ewe inventory.  Interestingly, results from the on-farm sampling portion of the study indicated that 47% of sheep operations were positive for exposure to toxoplasmosis; 52% of operations were positive for campylobacter, a cause of abortions and human foodborne illness; and 47% of operations were positive for salmonella bacteria.  Samples were also taken for Q fever.  Of 563 participating operations, samples from 16% tested positive by ELISA.  These samples will be further tested by the more specific immunofluorescence assay (IFA).   A series of reports will soon be available at their website: http://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_health/nahms/sheep/ .

Dr. Margaret Highland of the Animal Disease Research Unit at Pullman, WA, gave an overview of what is currently known about severe pneumonia outbreaks in bighorn sheep and their possible association with contact between bighorns and domestic sheep on public range land.  ASI estimates that ~23% of domestic sheep production in the USA utilizes at least some public land grazing.  Suggestions for further research were presented.  This topic has created considerable controversy and will remain a very important issue for the US sheep industry.  Some recent references related to this issue are below.^1-3  You can see the abstracts at the National Library of Medicine online search engine http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez .

Dr. Don Knowles, Research Leader for the Animal Disease Research Unit at Pullman, WA, provided an update on research into a possible genetic marker for susceptibility to ovine progressive pneumonia virus (OPP).  A candidate marker, TMEM154, has been identified which appears to be present more frequently in infected animals.⁴  Further work needs to be done to validate the findings, but this work suggests that it may be possible to select sheep that are less susceptible to OPP and gradually reduce the prevalence of this disease.  

 During the meeting of the Production Education and Research Council on Friday, Dr. Keith Inskeep of West Virginia University presented an informative review of appropriate uses of CIDR devices, and Dr. Dan Morrical of Iowa State University demonstrated the use of some new ration balancing software for sheep, Sheep BRaNDS, that appears to be user friendly and that utilizes the 2007 NRC Nutrient Requirements of Small Ruminants data.  Dr. Morrical would be a contact for inquiries about this software.

For those of you who do not know, ASI publishes the Sheep Production Handbook which would be an excellent source of information for some of your clients.  http://www.sheepusa.org/Order_Materials   ASI also publishes the Sheep and Goat Research Journal, and the articles, including those in back issues, are available online at  http://www.sheepusa.org/Sheep_and_Goat_Research_Journal .

Respectfully submitted, William Shulaw, ASI Animal Health Committee Member, AASRP Board Member Region 1

             1.         Dassanayake RP, Shanthalingam S, Herndon CN, et al. Mannheimia haemolytica serotype A1 exhibits differential pathogenicity in two related species, Ovis canadensis and Ovis aries. Vet Microbiol 2009;133:366-371.

2.         Dassanayake RP, Shanthalingam S, Herndon CN, et al. Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae can predispose bighorn sheep to fatal Mannheimia haemolytica pneumonia. Vet Microbiol 2010;145:354-359.

3.         Lawrence PK, Shanthalingam S, Dassanayake RP, et al. Transmission of Mannheimia haemolytica from domestic sheep (Ovis aries) to bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis): unequivocal demonstration with green fluorescent protein-tagged organisms. J Wildl Dis 2010;46:706-717.

4.         Heaton MP, Clawson ML, Chitko-McKown CG, et al. Reduced Lentivirus Susceptibility in Sheep with TMEM154 Mutations. PLoS Genet 2012;8:e1002467.

In a coordinated effort, the Ohio Sheep Improvement Association and Ohio State University Extension are pleased to sponsor and announce the 2012 Sheep and Goat WebEx Series. The Sheep and Goat WebEx Series will replace the “District” Sheep and Goat Program series which was started in 2001. The 2012 Sheep and Goat WebEx Series will concentrate on Sheep and Goat Health Programs and we will be offering a wide variety of health related topics and speakers in several extension offices across the state of Ohio. In 2012, we are offering fourteen (14) Sheep and Goat WebEx sites, one (1) live site and thirteen (13) remote sites which sheep and goat farmers can attend to get updated on sheep and goat health programs.

The Sheep and Goat WebEx series will assist sheep and goat farmers become better managers of their operations and provide advice that those interested in entering a growing industry need to succeed. The four (4) session sheep and goat WebEx series can be viewed 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. (EST) on February 6, 13, 20, and 27, 2012 at various Ohio State University Extension program sites. Check with your county extension office to find the location nearest you.

“There are a lot of beginner and experienced sheep and goat producers in Ohio, and this WebEx Series will give them information on health related subjects to assist them in being successful with their sheep and goat operations” states Roger A. High, OSU Sheep Extension Program Specialist and coordinator of the WebEx program series. The WebEx series was developed in response to getting more information to sheep and goat farmers as well as reducing the expenses related to programming due to travel and other cost recovery expenses. “We can conduct these WebEx programs at a much lower cost than sending multiple speakers running across the state of Ohio to speak to our sheep and goat farmers” states High.

The first session, to be held Monday February 6, 2012 will cover “Lambing and Kidding Management and Newborn Health Issues” presented by Dr. Bill Shulaw, OSU Preventive Veterinary Medicine. The second session, to be held Monday February 13, 2012 will cover “Internal Parasites”, presented by Rory Lewandowski and Jeff McCutcheon, both OSU Extension Educators with a wide variety of experiences in managing internal parasites in sheep and goats. The third session, to be held Monday February 20, 2012 will cover “Udder Health and Mastitis”, and will be presented by Dr. Leo Timms, Professor, Iowa State University, who specializes in the ruminant mammary health. The fourth session, to be held Monday February 27, 2012, will cover “Recognizing, Treating, and Preventing Major Diseases of Sheep and Goats”, presented by Dr. Eric Gordon, OSU Veterinary Medicine, Marysville.

With each of the programs sites we have included contact information for the key OSU Extension Personnel or contacts responsible for the WebEx educational program. Please contact that OSU Extension Personnel or the contact in your area with any questions or concerns regarding the program that you are interested in attending, especially in the case of inclement weather. Cancellation due to inclement weather may also be announced on local radio stations.

• Live WebEx Location:
o Knox County, Troy Cooper, Knox County Extension, Coordinator, (740) 397-0401
Site Location: Knox County Career Center, Mt.Vernon

•Remote WebEx Locations:
o Athens County, Athens County Extension, Coordinator, (740) 593-8555
Site Location: USDA Building, The Plains.
o Auglaize County, John Smith, Auglaize County Extension, Coordinator, (419) 739-6850
Site Location: Auglaize County Extension Office, Wapakoneta
o Clinton County, Tony Nye, Clinton County Extension, (937) 382-0901
Site Location: Clinton County Extension Office, Wilmington
o Coshocton County, Tammy Rogers, Coshocton County Extension, (740) 622-2265
Site Location: Coshocton County Extension Office, Coshocton

o Coshocton County, Don Brown, Coordinator, (330) 897-4320
Site Location: New Bedford TMK Feed Store, Fresno (corner of SR 643 and SR 651) Attendees must bring their own chairs
o Hancock County, Ed Lentz, Hancock County Extension, Coordinator, (419) 422-3851
Site Location: Hancock County Extension Office, Findlay
o Hardin County, Gene McCluer, Hardin County Extension, Coordinator, (419) 674-2297
Site Location: Ada Community Health professional Building, Ada
o Holmes County, Kate Shumaker, Holmes County Extension, Coordinator, (330) 674-3015
Site Location: Holmes County Extension Office, Millersburg
o Huron County, Mike Gastier, Huron County Extension, Coordinator, (419) 668-8219
Site Location: Huron County Administration Building, Norwalk
o Muskingum County, Mark Mechling, Muskingum County Extension, Coordinator, (740) 454-0144
Site Location: Muskingum County Extension Office, Zanesville
o Union County, Jon Rausch, Union County Extension, Coordinator, (937) 644-8117
Site Location: Union County Extension Office, Marysville
PRE-REGISTRATION REQUIRED to attend the Union County Remote Site
o Wayne County, Rory Lewandowski, Wayne County Extension, Coordinator, (330) 264-8722
Site Location: OARDC, Room 130 Research Services, Wooster
o Williams County, Flo Chirra, Williams County Extension, Coordinator, (419) 636-5608
Site Location: Williams County Extension Office, Bryan

Were you interested in the sheep nutrition topics presented at the 2011 Buckeye Shepherds Symposium but could not attend? Did you attend and wish you could remember something that was said? Well, you are partially in luck.  We did manage to get two of the breakout sessions recorded and they are now available for you to watch.  The two sessions were:

Dried Distillers Grains and Sheep Nutrition by Dr. Steve Loerch  (http://go.osu.edu/DDGSandSheepNutrition )

Storing Forages by Dr. Bill Weiss  ( http://go.osu.edu/storingforages )

Clicking on the links will take you to the presentation. Each presenter does an excellent job of covering their respective topics.  We hope these recordings are useful.

The 2011 Buckeye Shepherd’s Symposium will concentrate on “Small Ruminant (Sheep and Goat) Nutrition”. This year’s annual event will be held on Saturday, December 10, 2011 at the Agricultural Technical Institute (ATI), Skou Hall, 1328 Dover Rd., Wooster, OH 44691.

With the diversity of the sheep and goat industry, we have made this an intense small ruminant nutritional education program, with all segments of the sheep and goat industry in mind during the planning process. The keynote speaker of the program will be the ever popular Dr. Francis Fluharty, Ruminant Nutritionist, Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center, The Ohio State University. Dr. Francis Fluharty will be discussing many diverse areas of small ruminant nutrition. Dr. Fluharty’s keynote address will be titled “Meeting the Challenges of Supply and Demand and Consumer Expectations for Food Animal Products”. In addition, Dr. Steve Loerch and Dr. Bill Weiss, Ruminant Nutritionists, also of the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center, The Ohio State University will be a major part of this educational program. Andy Korb, Feed Sales Representative, Kalmbach Feeds, will also be a breakout speaker during the program; Andy brings experience from the mainstream feed industry to the program. The small ruminant nutrition topic speakers have expertise in Basic Ruminant Nutrition, the Small Ruminant Digestive System, Feeding Alternative Grains such as Dried Distiller’s Grains, Feeding Stored Forages to Small Ruminant Animals, and Practical Ration Balancing for a small ruminant animal. The program is designed for sheep and goat farmers that are involved in every segment of the industry.

The 2011 Buckeye Shepherd’s Symposium will also offer a Youth Program session for the first time in several years, led by Dr. Carrie Pickworth, Ruminant Nutritionist, formally with The Ohio State University, Agricultural Technical Institute. This youth session will include nutritionally related topics aimed for a youth learner. This will be a great opportunity the youth to catch up their basic small ruminant information and even prepare for upcoming skill-a-thon activities. Recommended ages for the youth program is 7-18. Pre-registration is required, but there is no additional costs for the youth program.

“High quality speakers and intense small ruminant educational topics are what will make this symposium unique. The 2011 Buckeye Shepherd’s Symposium may be the only time you have a chance to see these speakers and topics discussed in one setting!,” states Roger A. High, Executive Director, Ohio Sheep Improvement Association.

The Ohio Sheep Improvement Association Annual Meeting will also be held on Saturday December 10, 2011. The OSIA Annual Membership meeting will be the first item on the agenda prior to the program beginning. During the OSIA Annual meeting, the election of the OSIA officer team will be held, as well as other important items for the OSIA membership to discuss.

A lamb lunch will be served at lunchtime, followed by the awards program in which the Charles Boyles Master Shepherd Award, Distinguished Service Awards, Friend of the Ohio Sheep Industry and Environmental Stewardship Awards will be presented. Youth recognition will be given to the State FFA Sheep Proficiency Award Winner, State 4-H Sheep Award Winner, and the Ralph Grimshaw Memorial Scholarship winners for 2011.

OSIA members will be receiving registration packets in early November. Please pass the information along to other sheep producers in your area. We will also be offering our annual tradeshow. And of course, the silent auction will be held to raise funds for the Ralph Grimshaw Memorial Scholarship Fund. If you would like more information about the Buckeye Shepherd’s Symposium, please contact Roger A. High at (614) 246-8299 or by email at rhigh@ofbf.org. Detailed information about the 2011 Buckeye Shepherd’s Symposium will soon be placed at our website at www.ohiosheep.org.

Do you have questions about parasite control in your flock?  Did you miss the parasite management program titled “Small Ruminant Pastures, Parasites, and Profits: Putting it all together”, that was held this past August?  Did it interest you but the dates or times just not work?  Would you be willing to watch a recording of each session?

If you answered yes to these questions then you are in luck. Each session was recorded and is now available to view at your leisure.  You still need an internet connection and any video media program that can play flash files.

The three sessions and the links to each recording are:

Basic Parasite Biology and Control Concepts  http://go.osu.edu/parasitebiology

Topics covered in this session include:

life cycle description focusing on H. contortus
why/how dewormer resistance develops
concept of refugia and selective treatment; the FAMACHA System
complementary strategies:
plants with antiparasitic properties
use of “clean” pastures
dry lot rearing of lambs
Presenter – Dr. Bill Shulaw

Parasite Management: Lessons Learned and Farmer Applications  http://go.osu.edu/parasitelessons

Topics covered in this session include:

use of annuals or alfalfa for lambs or lambs and ewes in spring
strip grazing with a back fence
chicory and BMR use
selective deworming of thin, triplet-bearing, and twin-bearing ewes to reduce pasture contamination
Presenters – Curt Cline & Rory Lewandowski

Management Tools and Techniques http://go.osu.edu/Parasitetools

Topics covered in this session include:

Using the FAMACHA system (when to start, frequency, using in large flocks, using as an animal selection tool, keeping records)
What do fecal egg counts tell us?
How to detect dewormer resistance
Worm egg count reduction testing
DrenchRite Assay
Presenter – Dr. Bill Shulaw

Small Ruminant Pastures, Parasites, and Profits: Putting it all together is sponsored by OSU Extension, North Central Region Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education, Ohio Sheep Improvement Association, and Ohio Heartland Sheep Association.

Do you want to learn to shear sheep or know someone who does?  Do you want to learn to shear sheep so that you can either shear your own flock or you want to learn for a little extra cash? Here is your opportunity!  We are once again offering a Statewide Sheep Shearing School which will be held Saturday and Sunday, October 1-2, 2011 from 9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. at the Dave Cable Farm, 10491 Canal Rd., Hebron, OH 43025.  There will be no class size limit and the cost is $40 per student to help defray the costs of the school.  Payment must be returned with registration form by Friday, September 23, 2011.  If you decide to register after that date, please call Roger A. High at (614)246-8299 or via email at rhigh@ofbf.org .  If you have questions, please call Roger A. High at (614) 246-8299 or via email at rhigh@ofbf.org.  The instructor for the sheep shearing school is professional sheep shearer, Bob Taylor.  Bob Taylor has been a professional sheep shearer for many years and has lead many of the sheep shearing schools in Ohio for many years.  Registration forms can be located at www.ohiosheep.org or by calling the Ohio Sheep Improvement Association office at 614-246-8299.

Lunch will be provided to those registrants that we have registered by the deadline date of Friday September 23, 2011.

The Statewide Sheep Shearing School is sponsored by the Ohio Sheep Improvement Association and OSU Extension.

Delaware County will play host to Sheep-O-Rama – a one-day educational event to promote the development of the Sheep Dairy Industry in Ohio. Set for Saturday, October 1, 2011, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Delaware County (OH) Fairgrounds, this event was organized by the Heart of Ohio RC&D and the Ohio Sheep Milk & Cheese Initiative and sponsored in part by Innovative Farmers of Ohio.

The day’s events will focus on the business of sheep milk production including financing, facility and equipment requirements, genetics and grazing. This event should be of interest to those already raising sheep for meat or fiber that want to add value to their herd or for those considering embarking on a new farming venture.

Keynote speaker will be Claire Mikolayunas, Ph.D., Dairy Sheep Specialist from the University of Wisconsin. She is also an advisor to the Wisconsin Dairy Sheep Initiative — a partnership with the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture and the Dairy Business Innovation Center which provides technical and business planning support to dairy sheep producers and processors and connects them with viable markets. She has also served as President of the Dairy Sheep Association of North America. Not only can Dr. Mikolayunas answer virtually any sheep-related question, she is well versed in the demands and requirements of establishing a successful sheep dairy.

Also scheduled to speak is Bob Hendershot, USDA/NRCS State Grazing Specialist and 2010 Charles Boyles Master Shepherd Award winner. He is a long-time member of the Ohio Sheep Improvement Association, of which he has served as president, and also currently serves as a representative for the Ohio Sheep and Wool Program. He can speak to many sheep production issues, but will focus mainly on management-intensive grazing and forage-based nutrition.

Other speakers will include Lisa Sippel, she and her husband, Ben, are owners of the first ODA licensed Sheep Dairy in the State of Ohio, who will outline their journey from business idea to working, inspected facility and Jim McGuire, Wichert Insurance, who will identify the risks inherent in a sheep dairy operation and how to effectively manage them using “Risk Management” techniques. Plans are in the works to have sheep dairy and sheep handling equipment on-site so that participants have a first-hand view. Artisan cheese makers from around the state will be on hand to offer samples of sheep cheeses and other sheep dairy products. There will also be a presentation on how to fund your farming venture and a discussion about how dairy by-products, such as whey, can be used as a supplement and improve your bottom line. Morning coffee, breakfast and lunch will be available for a small fee from the Fairgrounds concessionaire.

For more information, contact Traci Aquara, Heart of Ohio RC&D, tkaquara@netzero.net or visit www.heartofohiorcd.org or http://ohiosheepdairy.wordpress.com/. Cost is $20 in advance, $25 after 9/26/11.  To register, please send check or money order for $20, payable to Heart of Ohio RC&D, and mail to 557 Sunbury Rd., Delaware OH 43015, ATTN: Sheep-O-Rama.

Management Skills For Organic Small Ruminants Workshop  is scheduled at October 14, 2011 from 1 to 5 p.m. at Ohio Agriculture Research and Development Center in Wooster, Ohio.   Sheep and goat producers who are certificated organic, in transition to being organic or just interested in organic methods will benefit from attending this event.

This workshop will focus on the management knowledge needed for organic small ruminant production.  Joan M Burke, PhD, Research Animal Scientist, USDA, Agricultural Research Service from Dale Bumpers Small Farms Research Center in Arkansas will be one of the featured speakers.   Joan has done extensive work in small ruminant parasite management and organic practices for small ruminants.  Francis Fluharty, PhD, is a Ruminant Nutritionist Researcher at Ohio State University’s Ohio Agriculture Research and Development Center (OARDC) in Wooster, Ohio.  He will share the importance of nutrition on animal growth, as well as animal welfare concerns.  A staff person from the Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association (OEFFA) will discuss the new NOP Pasture Rule and the record keeping associated with organic small ruminant production.

The workshop will be held at the Research Service Building, Room 130 at the Ohio Agriculture Research and Development Center located at 1680 Madison Ave, Wooster, OH 44691.  The cost for the workshop will be $15.00.  This workshop is sponsored by the Organic Food and Farming Education and Research Program (OFFER) at OARDC and the Small Farm Institute.  For more information contact Kathy Bielek at Bielek.4@osu.edu or  330 202-3528.