Record keeping is an important aspect of sheep production. It helps to identify which lambs should be kept as flock replacements, which ewes should be kept in your flock or culled, and which rams sire the best lambs. The National Scrapie Eradication Program requires producers to keep records on all animal dispositions (sheep that leave your flock) for five years. As a 4-H … [Read more...]
Sheep Showmanship: A Basic Guide
Now that it is fair time in New Jersey, it is important to know how to display the lambs or sheep you have worked so hard to raise. Showmanship is the ability of an exhibitor to present an animal effectively and competitively in the show ring. A good showman can actually improve his or her placing in a breed class just by good handling skills. It sounds simple, but the best … [Read more...]
Understanding and Treating Sheep Hoof Ailments
Lameness in sheep is not uncommon and can be caused by a range of issues in the hoof. A sheep may favor a hoof due to a small injury or improperly trimmed hooves, but in most cases, lameness indicates an infection. Animals with hoof infections such as footrot suffer from lameness, decreased weight gain, and poor wool growth. Many hoof ailments are contagious and require quick … [Read more...]
Good Nutrition – the Key to Lambing Success
Investing in proper nutrition for pregnant and lactating ewes saves both time and money in the long run. Ewes in good body condition prior to delivery have healthier lambs and fewer complications than underweight or overweight ewes. As 70% of fetal lamb growth occurs in the last five weeks of pregnancy, it is important to increase feed for ewes at this time. After lambing, it … [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...]
Feeding Young Lambs
When lambs are born, usually on the one of the coldest days of the year, they need to get nourishment within the first hour of birth. The mother’s first milk (colostrum) “comes in” by the time the lamb(s) are ready to nurse. If not, be prepared to supplement with a powdered colostrum from your local feed store. They may drink about 4-6 oz. By the time they’re hungry again, … [Read more...]
How do I know if I am offering quality STEM activities?
How do I know if it is working for my youth? As we talked about last month, the Internet is chock-full of sites claiming that their activities will turn your young people into scientists and engineers. We know however that all STEM activities are not created equal and it can be challenging to find the right fit for your club or program. Execution, or how you facilitate the … [Read more...]
What is quality STEM learning? … more than just fun activities.
Are you interested in adding more STEM activities to your animal science club? If so, you may be wondering what to look for in a quality STEM activity? We all know the power of the Internet to search and find anything. We all use Google searches or ask Siri or Alexa for help finding information. However sorting through the thousands of links we get back can be overwhelming. … [Read more...]
Your Animal Science and Agriculture Projects are STEM! Here are National Resources to Showcase the Connection
You probably already know that STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math. When people think of STEM, they picture a man in a lab coat mixing chemicals. Or perhaps a boy building a robot comes to mind. But as animal science educators, we know that STEM learning involves so much more! With every lesson we are connecting our youth to STEM. It's happening all the … [Read more...]