​Management Practices Adopted by Farmers of Budgam in Rearing Kashmir Merino

Background: Kashmir Merino is a very important synthetic sheep breed of J and K. It is widely adopted across the Valley. It is an important source of income for the poor and marginalized farmers. An attempt was made to understand the management practices adopted by farmers of Budgam in rearing of Kashmir Merino sheep. Methods: A survey was undertaken in Budgam district understand the management practices used by farmers for rearing Kashmir Merino sheep. Result: Majority of the sheep farmers (68.42) housed Kashmir Merino sheep in Pucca house made of brick structures reinforced with either cement or mud whereas only (31.58%) housed sheep in Katcha houses. Breeding season ranges from April to May and August to December. Majority of the respondents (75.00%) reported autumn season as the main breeding season and only 25% reported spring as main breeding season. The sheep farmer was either having in possession small or marginal land holding. Sheep were reared on semi-intensive feeding systems during early spring and late autumn, intensive system during winter from December to April and extensive system from May to November. The vaccination against infectious diseases, dozing against prevalent parasites and treatment as per morbidity was carried out by expert veterinarians of Department of sheep Husbandry. Poor economic and low technical proficiency are main hurdles for farmers of Budgam to have good housing facilities to manage the breed. Management has significant effect on performance of sheep.

Mind the Gap: Animal Protection Law and Opinion of Sheep Farmers and Lay Citizens Regarding Animal Maltreatment in Sheep Farming in Southern Brazil

We aimed to study the gaps between the law and sheep farmer and citizen opinions regarding animal maltreatment by discussing the risk of sheep maltreatment in regular farming practices in Southern Brazil. We surveyed the perception of 56 farmers and 209 citizens regarding general animal and specific on-farm sheep maltreatment issues. The main themes from these two groups about the key components of animal maltreatment were similar: failing to provide for the basic animal needs (27.0%; 96 of 355 total quotes) and aggression or physical abuse (23.9%; 85/355). However, citizens (19.8%; 60/303) were more sensitive than farmers (9.6%; 5/52) to animal stress, suffering, fear, pain or painful procedures (p < 0.05). The perspective of citizens was closer than that of farmers to expert definitions for three situations: emaciation, movement restriction and tail docking without anesthetic use (p < 0.05). More citizens (71.6%; 116/162) than sheep farmers (49.0%; 24/49) believed that animal maltreatment occurs in sheep farming (p < 0.05), but nearly half of the farmers recognized sheep maltreatment within regular production practices. Most citizens (86.4%; 140/162) and all farmers (100.0%; 0/51) were unaware of any Brazilian animal protection law. Most citizens (79%; 131/167) stated that they would not purchase products from animals exposed to maltreatment. We suggest painful procedures as a major risk of animal maltreatment in sheep farming and a priority issue. With the many decades of animal protection laws and scientific recognition of animal sentience and welfare requirements, the level of cognitive dissonance and practical contradictions observed in our results indicate that mitigation policies are urgently needed.

Impact of Flock Health Clubs

Sheep farming is an important part of UK agriculture with significantly more breeding females than either the pig or cattle sectors. Whether grazing alongside arable rotations or utilising the marginal uplands, sheep farms arguably play a key role that is embedded within UK rural society. However, research led by University of Nottingham has identified various challenges and barriers that have affected relationships between UK sheep farmers and the veterinary profession. In response to these findings, Flock Health Clubs were developed as an initiative that aimed for improved and cost-effective sheep farmer–veterinary interaction. We report quantitative and qualitative data that assess the impact of Flock Health Clubs and indeed show tangible improvements in both farmer–veterinary surgeon relationships and measures of flock health and welfare.

Highs and Lows of Lambing Time: Sheep Farmers’ Perceptions of the First Outbreak of Schmallenberg Disease in South West England on Their Well-Being

The outbreak of a previously unknown and new disease in the United Kingdom, known as ‘Schmallenberg disease’, a disease associated with abortions, stillbirths and fetal deformities in naïve ewes, was reported for the first time in South West England during the 2012/13 early lambing season. Epidemiological studies confirmed that the Schmallenberg virus (SBV) had a severe negative impact upon animal welfare and the productivity of affected flocks. By contrast, there was a specific lack of research on the impact of SBV on sheep farmer well-being. This study aimed to improve our understanding of sheep farmers’ experiences of Schmallenberg disease, and the impact of the first outbreak on sheep farmer well-being during the 2012/13 early lambing season in South West England. Face-to-face, semi-structured interviews with six farmers with small flocks of pedigree and purebred sheep in South West England were conducted in 2013. The data were analysed via thematic analysis. The main themes regarding the impact of disease on farmer well-being included: (i) emotional highs and lows are part of a normal lambing season; (ii) negative emotions and memories associated with the Schmallenberg disease outbreak; and (iii) resilience and coping with the unexpected disease outbreak. These novel data present preliminary findings from a small number of sheep farmers, and indicate that for some farmers, an unexpected outbreak of a new and emerging disease for the first time during lambing, and dealing with high levels of dystocia, deformities and deaths in their animals, had a negative impact on their emotional well-being during the peak period of the sheep production cycle.

Homo Economicus and the Shepherd: the Traditional Sheep Farmer Facing the Modernisation (or Intensification) of European Livestock

The economic importance of sheep farming is somewhat reduced from a macroeconomic point of view and only makes up a small part of agrarian income and employment. The quantitative macroeconomic evidence shows that the activity of traditional sheep farming is not profitable enough, while the trends seem to be moving toward a reduction in the number of farms, in their concentration and in their intensification. The paper presents the research results with the focus on voactional motiations of farmer.

PENDAMPINGAN KELOMPOK TERNAK DALAM PEMBUATAN MINERAL BLOK HERBAL DI DESA MARENU KECAMATAN AEK NABARA BARUMUN KABUPATEN PADANG LAWAS

This activity has been conducted in February to March 2017 in the village of Marenu sub-district of Aek Nabara Padanglawas District with partnersAdvanced Livestock Group Jaya with the aim to increase knowledge of the breeder about the processing of feed sheep and lamb weight disorders as well as mineral technology blocks transfer herbs.A special target in this program is producing herbal mineral products to accelerate weight gain local sheep. The product is potentially for patents, publications, appropriate technology, and textbook enrichment and increases the income of local sheep rancher above the UMR. The approach method does include phases: (a) Dissemination of herbal mineral technology program in an effort to overcome the local sheep weight disorders; (b) the preparation of the social preconditions, namely the strengthening of local sheep farmer groups, either group or forum as a media meet and problem solving-problems encountered breeder; (c) mineral technology program execution herbs both technical and nontechnicalfor the breeder community, supported by related agencies (local government and higher education (Faculty of animal husbandry, Muhammadiyah University of South Tapanuli); (d) Monitoring, evaluation and reporting. The results obtained are very satisfactory known breeders, among others, as follows: 1.) all cattle like the mineral blocks, 2) livestock appetite grew, 3)herding cattle so much faster, 4) livestock quieter moments infree-range, 5). cattle drinking increased and 6)the addition of the weight of the body of livestock. Keywords:Local Lamb, Mineral Blocks, Appetite, Body Weight.