MU Extension Guide Covers Management of Small Ruminants During Drought

Producers of small ruminants have had to deal with drought in nearly every part of Missouri this year trying to keep their animals healthy.

“The biggest concern in drought for sheep and goats is lack of feed for the animals,” said David Brown, the University of Missouri Extension’s new livestock field specialist in small ruminants. Drought conditions affect nutrient quality of forage, leading to weight loss in sheep and goats because body reserves are being depleted.

Brown said most animals during drought are predisposed to diseases, and some even die, so it’s important to prepare animals for strategies that will help them cope and maintain body condition.

Brown has written a free guide, “Management of Sheep and Goats Through Drought,” available . He shares some key takeaways here:

Management strategies

Selling.

Sell the older stock first, especially those with poor reproductive performance.

Relocating.

Options to minimize grazing pressures on drought-stressed pastures include moving the animals to new grazing land with available forage or to terminal markets for slaughtering, providing cash to support other animals.

Early weaning and parasite control.

Nursing does/ewes require higher energy and protein than dry does/ewes.

Herd grouping.

Producers should consider grouping livestock based on their physiological status.

Drought feeding.

The main goal of drought feeding is survival or maintenance. Producers should employ a body condition scoring system (BCS) to determine which animals require supplemental feeding during drought.



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