Preparation for Lambing

                                                           Preparation for Lambing

 It is probably erroneous to suggest that one period of the sheep year is more important than another. There is no doubt that lambing time should be the climax of the years' work. 

Unfortunately, in many flocks, this isn't always the case; often because of inadequate preparation and lack of attention to detail throughout the year.

   Birth is the most hazardous period in any animal's life. Since the sheep is a seasonal breeder, a large number of births take place over a relatively short time, putting extreme pressure on both the shepherd and the sheep. It is the shepherd's responsibility to minimize losses of both lambs and ewes and to ensure that neither are subjected to any unnecessary stress or hazard Apart from welfare considerations, it makes economic sense to rear as many fit and healthy lambs as possible. 

   At Karras Farms, we put extreme infuses in keeping our East Friesian dairy sheep and our Awassi dairy sheep in tip top shape year round! 

  HAPPY LAMBING FROM THE KARRAS FARM FAMILY! 

                                                           http://karrasfarm.com

                                                        http://eastfriesiansheep.com

                                                           http://awassisheep.com

                                                      email @ karrasfarm@gmail.com

Thought for the Day

It is the duty of the shepherd or anyone who is in charge of sheep to identify sick or injured animals promptly and to give appropriate treatment immediately or obtain veterinary advice as soon as possible.
It is a simple matter to spot a sheep or to decide that a sheep which is not eating or that constantly walks around in circles is unwell, but it takes considerable skill, experience and massive commitment to detect animals in the early stages of many diseases.

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http://eastfriesiansheep.com

http://awassisheep.com

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Fullblood Awassi .... Or Not? MythBuster Andy Karras Here With Another Stop The Naysayers Video :-)

Okay... Okay....

We know there are people in the USA and overseas who are, well... not real happy that Karras Farm took a huge leap forward and decided to be the first farm in the United States to import fullblood Awassi dairy sheep.

It's often out of jealousy, intimidation or fear of loss that people result to spreading false information or simply speculate without researching facts. This Awassi importation and breeding program is the result of a vision to enhance the dairy industry in the United States and quite frankly it's a massive undertaking mentally, physically and financially. I love being a shepherd, I love these animals and I will go to my grave knowing these animals are of the very best quality available for importation to the US. Karras Farm has built a highly recognized and trusted name in the dairy sheep community and I personally value everyone involved with advancing the cause of dairy sheep in the United States.

Here is a quick video that should give some insight to our New And Improved Awassi Dairy Sheep bloodline and some other fun facts along the way. The video is not the best quality and all of our original documentation can be viewed on our website or we are happy to pass along copies upon request.

Needless to say, Karras Farm has the highest quality pedigreed Awassi dairy sheep in the USA. It's unfortunate that even after sharing all the official documents and importation paperwork there will be some people who will question the heritage of these amazing sheep. We can't stop that and really feel sorry for those who have nothing better to do. But, if misery loves company you will have to look elsewhere for your company because Andy Karras is not interested in your invitation. This will be the only video I ever make to this effect and I will leave it up to the rest of you to make your own logical conclusions. So with out any additional delay lets get on to the low budget Karras Farm movie.....  3....beep....2....beep....1.... beep!!


We encourage any healthy discussion about dairy sheep or Awassi and encourage you to post comments, send emails or call Karras Farm.  We will post all comments on the blog ..good .. bad or indifferent. It's helpful to have a fourm where everyone is invited and can feel free to express their opinions. Have a Very Merry Christmas The Karras Family

http://karrasfarm.com

http://eastfriesiansheep.com

http://awassisheep.com

karrasfarm@gmail.com

Karras Farm - Weak Lamb At Birth - Sheep CPR

Weak Lamb at Birth

A lamb weakened by a by a protracted or difficult birth may be suffering from Anoxia (lack of oxygen) or have fluid in the lungs. The first few minutes are crucial to the lams survival. If the lamb gurgles with the first few breaths or has difficulty breathing, dry off the nose; grasp the lamb momentarily on the return end of the upswing with your free hand so the lamb is stopped abruptly in the vertical position. This accomplishes two things. The centrifugal force aids the movement of fluid from the lungs and the weight of the Viscera presses on the diaphragm causing a forced expiration. When you catch the lamb on the upswing, the weight of the Viscera falls in the opposite direction causing a forced inspiration. Normally two or three swings will get the vitals performing normally. If the heart is beating and the lamb is still not breathing after this exercise, artificial respiration is mandatory. Grasp the lamb by the nose so your thumb and fingers are slightly above the nostrils and respirate until you see the chest expand. Repeat this procedure until the lamb begins breathing. Please be cautious not to blow too hard as the labs lungs are quite small and can be ruptured by excessive pressure. If your attempts are still unsuccessful sometimes a cold water shock treatment will do the trick. Dunk the lamb in cold water, such as a drinking trough. The shock may cause the lamb to gasp and start breathing. Sometimes a finger inserted gently down the throat will stimulate a coughing reflex and get things going. After the lamb starts to breath, be sure to keep it warm and have it checked by a livestock veterinarian asap. 

Sincerely,

Andy Karras
http://karrasfarm.com
http://eastfriesiansheep.com
http://awassisheep.com
karrasfarm@gmail.com

Assaf Ram - F1 50/50 cross 

Assaf Ram - F1 50/50 cross

Livestock Pinkeye (Keratoconjunctivitis)

Pinkeye is an inflammation of the surface of the eye and of the inner surfaces of the surrounding conjunctival tissue. This often produces redness in the tissue, hence the name.

Pinkeye may affect one or both eyes. Redness and swelling of the tissue surrounding the eye and excessive tears are noticeable side effects. Pinkeye is often caused by a Chlamydial agent, but may be caused by bacteria or mycoplasma organisms as well.  If left untreated, it may damage the cornea by ulceration; this can lead to permanent blindness. Pinkeye can spread by direct contact or via flies. Reported outbreaks have affected over 90% of the flock.  

Treatment: Tetracycline antibiotic ointment is placed in the eye everyday for several days. The Chlamydial agent in pinkeye is especially sensitive to this drug. Sever outbreaks may require the subconjunctival injection of antibiotics by a veterinarian to provide more prolonged treatment. If the lower lid rolls in directly onto the eye, it must be corrected by a veterinarian before causing permanent damage to the cornea.

Separate infected animals, reduce dust and control flies to reduce new cases.

Andy Karras
Karras Farm
http://eastfriesiansheep.com
http://awassisheep.com
http://karrasfarm.com
andy@karrasfarm.com

Health Benefits of Eating Lamb

Lamb is a good source of high quality protein with 60.3% of the daily protein requirement. The meat also provides Selenium, a mineral whose deficiency is associated with asthma attacks. Lamb is rich in Iron, an integral component of hemoglobin and aids formation of red blood cells. The Iron form in lamb meet is easily absorbed by the body. Zinc is found in lamb meat as well and promotes a healthy immune system. Vitamin B12 is present in moderate levels and help to prevent a dangerous molecule called homo cysteine from harming the body. Vitamin B3 is known to protect against Alzheimer's disease, promote healthy skin and keeps age related cognitive decline at bay. More over, it retards the risk of developing  osteoarthritis by as much as half. Lamb is an excellent alternate meat for health conscience people and is a great source for "good fat" with lower saturated fat than most other meats.

Karras Farm wishes you all a very Merry Christmas.

God bless
Andy Karras
Karras Farm Inc.
http://karrasfarm.com
http://eastfriesiansheep.com
http://awassisheep.com
andy@karrasfarm.com

dairy sheep - East Friesian

Liver Fluke in East Friesian Dairy Sheep

The adult stage of this parasite lives in the bile ducts in the liver of sheep.

A very small number can pose a detrimental effect on the host. Larvae hatch eggs passed in the feces, but they must be ingested by a snail to move to the next stage of development. Flukes are usually found in damp meadows or wetlands where snails are present.

Prevention can be directed at drying up wetlands or fencing sheep away from them. Two available medications, Clorsulon and Albendazole are effective if given after the first of January when the larvae have developed into adults in the liver. After 2-4 years of use the number of eggs and larvae on the pasture should be greatly reduced and pose little threat. Continued use of these medications is necessary to prevent resurgence.

Have a wonderful weekend~

Andy Karras
Karras Farm
http://eastfriesiansheep.com
http://awassisheep.com
http://karrasfarm.com
andy@karrasfarm.com

Coccidiosis - Parasitic disease of the intestinal tract

Coccidiosis is an acute contagious parasitic disease spread between sheep through fecal contamination of feed or water. Strict sanitation and proper arrangement of feed/water containers will greatly reduce the probability of contamination. Lambs must be prevented from tracking manure into feeding areas. Coccidiosis in lambs can be very deadly. This parasite causes severe diarrhea, sometimes bloody, usually dark in color resulting in extreme dehydration or death.

We recommend frequent fecal checks to ensure healthy Coccidiosis free animals. At Karras Farm we feed our East Friesian dairy ewes and lambs pellet feed medicated with Deccox or Bovatec (lasolocid) continually to control Coccidiosis and improve feed efficiency. Ewes should receive this continually from thirty days prior to lambing through shortly after the lambs are weaned.

Have a wonderful Columbus Day and Thanksgiving to all our friends in Canada~

Andy Karras
Karras Farm

andy@karrasfarm.com
http://karrasfarm.com
http://eastfriesiansheep.com/

http://awassisheep.com/

Sheep Stocking Rate

A number of factors are involved in deciding how many sheep can be kept per acre.

These factors include:
1. Soil type (rocky - sandy - clay)
2. Species of plant (grass- weeds - clover)
3. Rainfall or irrigation
4. Climate
5. Fertility of soil
6. Topography (hill - slope - marsh)
7. Pregnant Ewes - Ewes in lactation - Dry Ewes
8. Can pasture be rotated?

Sheep don't do as well when pasture is overstocked. Older ewes suffer most as their poor teeth make it harder for them to cut on overgrazed pasture. The short grass results in less feed per bite. Even teeth of younger ewes will suffer from having to cut short grass as more dirt and sand enters the mouth resulting in accelerated tooth ware.

At Karras Fram we estimate four sheep per acre off good pasture, with grade A hay and some grain in the winter. Poor pasture would cut the stocking rate in half with roughly two sheep per acre and supplement feed in the winter. If you are new to sheep farming we would advocate keeping the stocking rate low the first year to determine how the pasture holds up?

Wishing you all a fantastic weekend and good grazing!

Sincerely,
Andy Karras
Karras Farm

andy@karrasfarm.com
http://karrasfarm.com
http://eastfriesiansheep.com/

http://awassisheep.com/

Ovine Progressive Pneumonia

Ovine Progressive Pneumonia (OPP) is caused by a slow growing virus that infects lambs and manifests itself as a disease after the lamb has reached two years of age. It primarily affects the lungs and udder, but may also involve other tissues.

OPP causes chronic weight loss despite a good appetite; labored breathing; and a well formed udder that produces little to no milk. Opp can spread from older animals to lambs through the ewes’ milk.

Some producers have established OPP-free flocks, but this can be very difficult and expensive to accomplish. Don’t confine young sheep in close quarters with infected adult animals. Cull affected animals early in the course of the disease. A blood test can be used to determine if a sheep is infected, but may not be 100% reliable. A Necropsy is the only way to determine with certainty if an animal is infected with OPP. There is no known effective treatment for OPP and the disease slowly leads to death.

At Karras Farm, all our East Friesian Dairy Sheep are OPP- free flocks. We strive to produce the healthiest dairy sheep in the world.

Thank you,

Andy Karras

Karras Farm

andy@karrasfarm.com

http://eastfriesiansheep.com/

http://awassisheep.com/

Life Expectancy of Sheep

The life expectancy of sheep is similar to a large dog breed of about ten to twelve years. Some sheep breeds are known to have a longer life cycle such as the Merino. According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the oldest sheep lived to be 23yrs. She was a Merino however; the length of a sheeps productive cycle is much shorter. A ewes offspring production is highest between three and six years of age and usually starts to decline after age seven. As a result, most ewes are removed from our flock prior to reaching their natural life expectancy. It is necessary to remove the older ewes in order to make room for the younger animals. As we mature our genetic line of sheep we must provide an adequate environment for the younger sheep to thrive. In harder environments, where forage is sparse, ewes are usually culled at an even younger age due to tooth ware and break down.  It can become difficult for sheep in these conditions to maintain proper body condition and consume enough forage to feed their lambs. It is possible for a ewe to be productive past ten years of age and stay healthy but this is typically the exception to a natural sheep life cycle.

Hope all your lambs are happy and healthy!

Sincerely,

Andy Karras
Karras Farm
karrasfarm@gmail.com
http://eastfriesiansheep.com/
http://awassisheep.com/

East Friesian Dairy Sheep Photos - Spring 2012

Here are a few photos of our prised East Friesian Dairy Sheep. Karras farm has had a successful lambing season and we wanted to share some photos of these beautiful sheep.






Thanks for taking the time to view our blog. Feel free to contact us with any dairy sheep needs or questions.

Sincerely,

Andy Karras
Karras Farm
karrasfarm@gmail.com
http://eastfriesiansheep.com/
http://awassisheep.com/

East Friesian Dairy Sheep - Photos

It's a rainy Saturday here at Karras Farm so I wanted to take a moment to share some photos of our prized East Friesian Dairy Sheep. Hope all of your lambs are arriving healthy and strong.

Many thanks to all of you and we appreciate your comments.

Sincerely,
Andy Karras
Karras Farm
karrasfarm@gmail.com

US Presidential Shepards

George Washington raised sheep at his Mt. Vernon estate. Thomas Jefferson kept sheep at Monticello. Presidents Washington and Jefferson were bot inaugurated in suits made of American Wool. James Madison's inaugural jacket was woven from wool of sheep raised at his home in Virginia. President Woodrow Wilson grazed sheep on the White House lawn.

God bless the USA and all our wonderful sheep!

Sincerely,
Andy Karras
Karras Farm
karrasfarm@gmail.com

First East Friesian Lambs of 2012

East Friesian lambs only minutes after birth. We will be posting a few videos over the coming weeks as our East Friesian ewes give birth. It is an exciting time of year watching these beautiful lambs enter our world. Best wishes to all of you in 2012.

Sincerely,

Andy Karras
Karras Farm
karrasfarm@gmail.com
http://eastfriesiansheep.com/
http://awassisheep.com/

East Friesian Dairy Sheep Vaccinations

Karras Farm administers an annual booster of abortion vaccine to our dairy ewes. Both (chlamydia and campylobacter) as well as CD/T (tetanus toxoid + CL. perfingen CD). Our East Friesian dairy sheep receive their abortion vaccine annual booster just prior to breeding. The Midwest, East and upper Midwest have the moisture and temperature range which allow the abortion disease organisms to propagate. In theses areas we feel it's a must for ever flock to vaccinate for abortion disease. Use both vaccines Campylobacter (vibro) and Chlamydia (enzootic) on ewes. Both of these vaccines are killed so you will not bring in the disease through vaccination.

Karras Farm also administers an annual CD/T booster to our East Friesian dairy ewes 3-4 weeks pre-lambing. By making this a pre-lambing vaccination you receive dual benefits. The ewes get their annual booster and the lambs are born with high immunity. The pre-lambing CD/T will provide the lambs with several weeks of immunity to allow a 5-6 week delay on providing the lambs with their first CD/T vaccination. If the ewes don't receive the pre-lambing booster on time; lambs will be at risk shortly after birth. Also, the ewes colostrum contain antibodies from pre-lambing booster which facilitates protecting the newborn lamb. The flock will receive three injections. Two abortion vaccines and the pre-lambing.

We wish you all a successful lambing this year with a healthy flock of sheep.

Sincerely,
Andy Karras
Karras Farm

East Friesian - Tetanus ( Lockjaw )

East Friesian tail docking and castration can put lambs in danger of Tetanus. We boost our East Friesian dairy ewes with Covexin 8. Karras Farm administers 300-500 units units of tetanus antitoxin at the time of tail-docking or castration. The antitoxin will protect the lambs for about two weeks while the wounds are healing. Since there is no known cure for Tetanus, protecting your sheep by taking preventative proactive measures is worth the effort.

East Friesian - Colostrum Benefits

Colustrum is the first milk a ewe produces after lambing. Containing high levels of important nutrients, colostrum is a key factor in newborn lamb health starting just minutes after birth. Colustrum provides antibodies against a variety of infectious agents. At birth the lamb does not carry any antibodies as the ewes blood stream doesn't cross the placenta. It is critical for the lamb to receive colostrum during the first 24hrs of life to ensure adequate absorption of colostral antibodies.

Antibodies are large protien molocules that can cross the intestinal wall and enter the blood stream of the lamb. This occures only during the first 24-36hrs of life. At Karras Farm we closely monitor our newborn lambs to make sure they are receiving colostrum for a healthy immune system.

Happy New Year!!
Karras Farm

Preparing for Embroy Transplant - CIDR Insert

Here is a quick video we shot 10 days ago while inserting CIDR for synchronising and inducing oestrus in production animals. The CIDR insert was performed by an expierenced veteranarian.

The CIDR insert uses only naturally occurring progesterone. These unique treatment programs take control of the oestrous cycle by mimicking normal physiological events.

Here are some of the approved uses for CIDR.

• Oestrus synchronisation during the breeding season.
• Ovulation control in ewes/does for artificial insemination, (AI), embryo collection and transfer programmes.
• Advancing the breeding season in sheep.

We use the CIDR product annually to help control the heat cycle and ensure successful embryo implantation.

 

Sheep Bells - East Friesian, Assaf and Awassi Sheep

Thank you all for viewing/commenting on our YouTube videos.

We have had several comments regarding the bells we use so I thought I would take a moment to touch base on this subject.

Growing up on a sheep farm in Greece we had always used bells on the herd.

Here is a list of to top benefits to using bells.

1. Keeps the sheep at a calm disposition for proper grazing.

2. Alerts you and your guard dogs in case of danger.

3. You always know where your animals are located.

4. Helps to deter wild predators away. Predators don't like strange sounds!

Note: We put bells on half of our herd and on Ewes only. No bells on Rams or lambs under 1 yr old.

Karras Farm has made arrangements to import some more bells directly from Greece due to a number of you requesting them. If you are interested in purchasing some bells for your sheep please call or email us and we can provide you with some additional details.

karrasfarm@gmail.com