Once your ewes are getting close to their due date, which is approximately 4-1/2 to 5 months after being bred, you need to have your barn ready. You want to protect the newborn lambs from the elements for the first few days or weeks. They always seem to be born on the coldest day of the year! Approximately a month before lambing, it’s recommended to vaccinate the mothers … [Read more...]
Common Bacterial Diseases of Cattle
Leptospira bacteria (photo from the Center for Disease Control) There are several common diseases in cattle which are caused by bacteria that are important for 4-H members, their parents, and club leaders to understand because they can cause great harm to the animal if not treated properly. This blog post will describe the signs of these bacterial diseases to help members seek … [Read more...]
Got Chips? Have you Microchipped your horse?
There are many ways to identify your horse, including brands, tattoos, signalments, breed registry papers, DNA testing, and iris scanning. One of the newest forms of identification methods for your horse is microchipping. This method is becoming more popular, is easy and cost effective, and is now required for selected USEF events. What should you know about microchipping … [Read more...]
Understanding how to be a scientist: Exploring the Scientific Method
Odds are as an animal science club member, you have thought about a future career in animal science. Perhaps you are thinking about being a veterinarian? But even if you are not thinking about a STEM career, taking a scientific outlook on life makes the world a more interesting place. This month we are going to kick off a series of posts on what is it like to be a scientist … [Read more...]
Getting Your Sheep Barn Ready for Winter
A Shropshire sheep standing in front of an example of proper winter shelter. Are your sheep ready for winter? The most important thing you can do is to make sure they have enough wool for the cold months. If a sheep has enough wool, it will never be cold. Fortunately, sheep do not need a lot of wool to handle New Jersey winters. A couple of inches will be fine. Sheep shorn in … [Read more...]
What does a herpetologist do on their summer vacation?
For Dr. Sara Ruane, summer 2018 was a whirlwind of travel and science! Here’s her account of what being a professor specializing in herpetology is like. April/May-Lamanai, Belize The first big trip I did for 2018 was in April/May to Belize for two weeks, accompanying my former PhD adviser Frank Burbrink from the American Museum of Natural History, and a bunch of … [Read more...]
Snug as a bug in an Alpaca fiber rug….
Alpaca wool is just like sheep wool right? Well, not exactly. It is quite a misconception that the wool you get from an alpaca is the same as the wool you get from a sheep. Alpaca wool is usually called “fiber” or “fleece” instead of wool to help differentiate it from a sheep’s wool. So what’s the difference? In general, alpaca fleece is stronger, lighter, warmer, and … [Read more...]
Poisonous vs. Venomous – What’s the difference?
One of the most common questions asked to herp aficionados is, “Is that snake poisonous?” This is also one of the more frustrating questions, and the terminology “poisonous snake” is used all the time. With a few exceptions, the answer is emphatically NO. BUT – there are a number of venomous snakes! So, what’s the difference? VENOMOUS: It injects toxins … [Read more...]
How to be a Herpetologist
If you don’t mind the idea that you will get bitten, scratched, and defecated on by almost every type of reptile and amphibian…then you can learn how to become a herpetologist! Herpetology is the study of reptiles and amphibians, but many people asking “how” to become a herpetologist really mean, “How can I be involved in working with reptiles and amphibians,” rather … [Read more...]
Preparing for Show Season – Biosecurity
Now that spring is here, it is time to start preparing for the horse shows. One of the most important steps to prepare your horse is to schedule a spring health check and vaccinations with your veterinarian. There are several mandatory and recommended shots your horse must have to be able to compete in 4-H horse shows. For the most up to date information on these vaccination … [Read more...]