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

Dairy Sheep - Boils or Abscess

A boil or abscess is a localized accumulation of infectious tissue and fluid in response to a bacterial infection. The most common infection in sheep is caseous lymphadenitis (CL), which localizes in the lymph nodes.

A variety of bacteria may cause an abscess, but the cause (CL) is corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis. It often causes multiple abscesses in the lymph nodes around the head, neck and shoulders. It may also affect internal organs, such as the liver, kidneys and lungs. It may result in chronic weight loss or death in extreme cases. Caseous lymphadenitis can spread between animals. When an external boil ruptures, the bacteria are dispersed. This can be a particular concern at shearing time.  It may take several months for lesions to develop in newly infected animals.  Individual abscesses can be lanced and drained or surgically removed. When Lancing or removing a lesion, you must exercise great caution to not further spread organisms to other sheep.  There may still be internal abscesses that cannot be seen or removed. Antibiotics are generally of little benefit as they struggle to penetrate the thick capsule of tissue that forms around the infected area.

Maintain fences, feeders and corrals to minimize injuries. Shear the youngest sheep first and take great care to not rupture any abscesses. A vaccine is available but it must be administered when lambs are very young to promote immunity prior to exposure.

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



Dairy Sheep - Cute lambs



Sheep Feed and Digestion

To understand how to properly feed your flock, you need to know a bit about ruminant digestion. Ruminants have a four chambered stomach as opposed to a single stomach like humans, dogs, horses, pigs and many other animals. When sheep eat grass or hay, the food slips down the esophagus into the largest chamber , a fermentation and storage organ called the Rumen. Sheep don't do much chewing as they forage, that activity comes later. When the sheep finds a quiet spot to rest and regurgitate the under-masticated vegetable matter, it will then do some real chewing or ruminating, before again swallowing its "cud" for final digestion. Even with all this rumination, the cellulose in fibrous plant feed is difficult to digest. Fortunately, ruminants have billions of helpful protozoa and bacteria residing in their Rumen that flourish on high fiber diets. These microbes produce protein as a by-product of the fermentation process, another perk for the sheep. Further digestions occurs in the Abomasun or true stomach, which secrets acids and enzymes similar to the human stomach. The basic components of a healthy sheep diet include water, forage, grain, vitamins and minerals.


Have a blessed Holiday ~ Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family

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

 

East Friesian Sheep - Nasal Bots

Nasal Bots are the adult stage of the female fly. They lay tiny eggs on the nose of sheep, then the larvae crawl up the nose and into the sinuses where they mature into large larvae. Eight to ten months later the bots come out of the nose, drop to the ground and develop into flies. While in the sinus, the larvae may cause severe irritation. Ivermectin products are most effective against the larvae stage but sheep may be repeatedly affected as new larvae migrate to the sinuses.

Andy Karras - Karras Farm

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



East Friesian Dairy Sheep Grazing



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/