Mastitis in Small Ruminants

Mastitis often reduces animal performance and productivity as well as farm profitability. The purpose of this article is to help small ruminant producers to identify, treat, control, and prevent mastitis in small ruminants. Written by Izabella Toledo and Justina Dacey, and published by the UF/IFAS Department of Animal Sciences, September 2021.

Optimization of Profit for Pasture-Based Beef Cattle and Sheep Farming Using Linear Programming: Young Beef Cattle Production in New Zealand

In New Zealand, surplus dairy-origin calves not needed as replacement or for beef cattle farms requirements for finishing are commercially slaughtered within two weeks of age. This system has perceived ethical issues which can potentially negatively affect the dairy industry. Therefore, a young beef cattle production system to maximize the use of excess calves within the land size constraint is considered as an alternative to a traditional 18 to 33-months slaughtering system. The current study examined the effects of young beef cattle production with slaughter ages at 8 to 14 months on pasture utilization, farm profitability and selling policy on class 5, intensive finishing sheep and beef cattle farms in New Zealand. A linear programming model that had previously been developed for this farm class (optimized traditional beef cattle system) was modified to include a young beef cattle slaughter system and identified the carrying capacity for young and traditional beef cattle and the selling policy required to optimize pasture utilization and farm profitability. Systems with young beef cattle slaughtered at 8, 10, 12 or 14-months of age were simulated without (Scenario I) or with (Scenario II) decreasing the number of traditional beef cattle. Daily per head energy demand for maintenance and live weight change was estimated and converted to kg DM/head on a bimonthly basis. Carcasses from young beef cattle were processed as one class under manufacturing beef price (NZ$4.50). The modified young and traditional beef cattle slaughtering system maintained an extra 6% and 35% beef cattle in Scenario I and Scenario II respectively, and finished 90% and 84% of traditional beef cattle before the second winter. Pasture supplied 98% of the feed demand for the beef cattle activities and 79–83% of that was consumed. Mixed young and traditional beef cattle finishing scenarios returned 2% less gross farm revenue per hectare (GFR/ha). However, earnings before tax per hectare (ETB/ha) in Scenario I and Scenario II were 15–25% greater than that of the optimized traditional beef cattle system, respectively. Young beef cattle production increased pasture utilization and farm profitability and increased selling options for finished beef cattle. Therefore, the young beef cattle system is a viable option for farmers and will help to reduce the need to slaughter calves within two weeks of age.

Enzootic abortion in sheep: a review

Enzootic abortion of ewes (EAE) is the most commonly diagnosed cause of abortion in sheep in the UK. This document will review disease background, how to reach a diagnosis of EAE, and recent developments in diagnostics and preventative approaches. It also explores the scope for progress and how that may be achieved. There is significant scope for more widespread screening and vaccination against EAE to yield benefits to animal health, human health, antibiotic stewardship, individual farm profitability and the UK sheep sector.

Sustainability, productivity, profitability and soil health with conservation agriculture based sustainable intensification of oilseed brassica production system

Conservation agriculture (CA) practices are getting space world-wide to answer many emerging challenges like; declining factor productivity, deteriorating soil health, water scarcity, climate change, and farm profitability and sustainability. Oilseed brassica (Indian mustard, Brassica juncea L.), a winter oilseed grown under rainfed agro-ecosystem is vulnerable to low yields, high production cost, degrading soil and water quality, and climatic vagaries. The present study was undertaken on CA-based sustainable intensification of Indian mustard for enhancing inputs efficiencies, farm profitability and sustainability. Permanent beds with residue retention (PB + R) improved mustard equivalent yield (11.4%) and system grain yield (10.6%) compared with conventional tillage without residue (CT − R). Maize–mustard rotation (Mz–M) increased system grain yield (142.9%) as well as mustard equivalent yield (60.7%) compared with fallow-mustard (F-M). Mz–M system under PB + R increased sustainable yield index (376.5%), production efficiency (177.2%), economic efficiency (94%) and irrigation water productivity (66%) compared with F-M under CT − R. PB + R increased soil organic carbon (SOC) stock at 0–15 cm (17.7%) and 15–30 cm (29.5%) soil depth compared with CT − R. Addition of green gram in rotation with mustard improved SOC at 0–15 cm (27.4%) and 15–30 cm (20.5%) compared with F-M system. CA-based cluster bean-mustard/GG-M system increased N productivity, whereas, P and K productivity improved with Mz–M system compared with F-M under CT − R. Thus, CA-based Mz–M system should be out-scaled in the traditional rainfed fallow-mustard system to improve the farm production and income on holistic basis to make the country self-sufficient in edible oils.

Impact of deferred grazing on profitability of a hill country farm in north-western Waikato

Deferred grazing is a common management practice in which pastures are rested from grazing between mid-spring and the end of summer/early autumn. It has been used to rejuvenate pastures and better manage the spring pasture surplus although its impact on farm profitability is unknown. FARMAX was used to explore the impact of deferred grazing on profitability on a north-western Waikato beef and sheep hill country farm based on experimental data and likely management responses. The Base Scenario modelled farm profitability assuming spring surplus in a typical year. When 15% of the farm was deferred and it was assumed that the increased grazing pressure on the rest of the farm led to greater control of the spring feed surplus and improved pasture quality, there was an increase in ewe performance and the number lambs sold at target weight. Per head and total farm gross margins increased by 8%. Results demonstrate how the use of deferred grazing as a pasture management tool to increase resilience can also enhance livestock performance and profitability at the whole-farm level.

Evaluation of Mung Bean Germplasm [Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek] for Yield in Transitional Plain of Inland Drainage Zone of Rajasthan, India

Background: Pulses are leguminous crops which not only increase the soil fertility, its fitness and maintain soil health but also essential to meet the nutritional demand of burgeoning human population particularly in developing countries. Mungbean is a major pulse crop of Zone IIa (Transitional Plain of Inland Drainage Zone) of Rajasthan state. Farm profitability can also be enhanced by augmenting farm productivity. Selection of high yielding genotypes may play a vital role to achieve sustainable high agricultural yield at farmer’s field. Therefore, it is prerequisite to identify the suitable genotypes for this zone since the available varieties were not tested for its adaptability. The current study was aimed to evaluate twelve mung bean genotypes for seed yield with four checks in Zone IIa of Rajasthan.Methods: The mung bean crop was raised during Kharif 2018 and 2019 at Agricultural Research Station, Fatehpur- Shekhawati, Sikar (Rajasthan). Seed yield and its ancillary characters have been observed by following standard protocols. Present experiment was conducted in randomized block design with three replications. The material was sown in a four row plot of 4 m length with a spacing of 30 cm between rows and 10 cm between plants.Result: The performance of genotypes RMG 1098, RMG 1132, RMG 1134, RMG 1139 and RMG 1147 were superior to the zonal, state checks and other tested genotypes. The selected high yielding mung bean genotypes can increase farm output per se and farm profitability by sustaining soil health, fitness and productivity of this region.