Livestock rearing during the rainy season
The rains are here, what a breath of fresh air and huge relief for all of us. They signify a new lease of life for our crops, not only on the horticulture and field crops front but pastures for our livestock. They also mean we all (our livestock and us) have water for drinking as well as other uses.
However, the rains come with their own challenges. Let us explore a few of these challenges in order for farmers to be aware of and take appropriate steps to ensure the rains do not affect our livestock’s productivity.
- Worm infestations now become more prominent as the animals are prone to eat the worm eggs as they graze in the pastures/fields. The proliferation also comes from the high fly population; poultry in cages are not spared. Regular deworming with the recommended products and at reasonable frequency is important. Faecal egg counts are a good tool to determine the burden and type of worms and enable targeted treatment of these worms.
- Ticks flourish during this period and bring with them the challenges of tick-borne diseases. Dipping effectively becomes a necessity to ensure the cattle, goats, sheep and dogs are well protected from the variety of tick-borne diseases that affect each of the named species. Prevention always trumps cure.
- Fleas, mosquitoes, flies are also found in abundance during this period and affect all livestock across the board. They are nuisance pests and result in animals not feeding well. They also transmit diseases and cause poor production. Use of fly traps, chemical sprays to get rid of these pests is essential. The sheds where the animals are housed will also need to be treated to ensure the eggs of the pests are destroyed. Stagnant pools of water around the farm must be removed as these encourage breeding of most of the pests.
- Wetness in the animal shed due to rains entering the shed is another cause for concern. Most animals do not like being rained on and especially staying in wet conditions. This affects not only their hooves/feet but their coats/feathers when the need to lie down. It is important to ensure that our livestock sheds are built to ensure no rains can enter, repairs to the roofs is also key. In the case of calves, piglets, kids and all the young animals this can add to diseases such as scours also known as diarrhoea, respiratory distress. For cattle in the kraal, regular removal of the cow dung will help create livable spaces for the cattle and reduce issues with their hooves.
- Unexpected cold weather is also experienced during the rainy season and farmers need to be on top of their game especially when rearing poultry, piglets and any of the young animals which usually need warmth for best early growth. A good supply of charcoal, gas or infra-red light heaters must be kept close to allow quick response to changes in weather, particular when it gets cold.
- Hot weather can also be experienced and farmers need to watch out for these episodes that could cause heat stress in the animals. Feeding the animals during the hot periods is not recommended, the animals will prefer to drink water and feed during the cooler times of the day including evenings. Farmers do well to take this into consideration to ensure the animals get adequate feed for growth and production purposes.
Livestock farming is an activity that needs one to be adaptable as well as observant to ensure the animals under one’s care are well managed despite changes in season as they will still be expected to produce within target parameters and profitably. A farmer whose feet are on the ground and assessing his animals regularly does well because response to the animals’ needs is immediate. For details on specific chemicals and drugs to use for some of the challenges mentioned above kindly refer to your local veterinarian.
Contact a Capital Foods customer support person on +263 772 133 272/4 or customercare@capitalfoods.co.zw