Commercial Small Stock Farming Course

Both production systems on grazing/browsing and zero grazing will be covered. When you intensively feed small stock you then also have to intensively breed to make it economically viable.

 

Topic 1: Reproduction and Breeding

Week 1 Reproduction:

• Info about class organization

• Male & Female Reproductive System

Week 2 Reproduction:

• The effect of hormones on reproduction

• Manipulating them for oestrus synchronization, AI and egg transplantation

Week 3 Reproduction:

• Heat spotting and management aids

• Pregnancy Scanning

Week 4 Breeding:

• Common breeds used in commercial production

• Cross breeding and hybrid vigour

Week 5 Breeding:

• Extensive farming with the seasons

• Intensive breeding for intensive feeding situations

Week 6 Breeding:

• Selection and culling of breeding stock

• Physical evaluation

Week 7 Breeding:

• Genotype vs Phenotype

• Heritability of most important production traits

Topic 2: Welfare, Health, Handling & Diseases

Week 8 Welfare, Health, Handling & Diseases:

• The 5 duties of care in Animal Welfare

• Temperature management strategies

• Stocking rates in grazing/browsing situation

• Using stocking rates to control invasive species/weeds

Week 9 Welfare, Health, Handling & Diseases:

• Space requirements in the feedlots/zero grazing situations

• Through space

• Design principles of intensive stocking facilities

Week 10 Health & Diseases:

• Internal parasite control

• Resistance to oral drenches

• Biological control methods

• Signs & symptoms, prevention & control

• New technologies

Week 11 Health & Diseases:

• External parasite control

• “Blocking” and natural immunity building

• Signs, symptoms, Post mortem and what to look for

Week 12 Health & Diseases:

• Vaccinations & Immunity theory

• Zoonotic diseases affecting reproduction Health & Diseases:

• Notifiable diseases

• Common routinely vaccinated for diseases

Week 13 Health & Diseases:

• Metabolic disorders

• Poison plants

Week 14 Handling & Stockmanship:

• Routine husbandry procedures

Week 15 Handling & Stockmanship:

• Herd dynamics

• Low stress handling & moving of livestock

Topic 3: Nutrition, Digestion, Feeds & Feeding

Week 16 Digestion:

The Ruminant Digestive System

• Why does RUMINANTS have 4 stomachs?

• Organs and functions

Week 17 Nutrition & Digestion:

• What nutrients does the body need?

• What does each nutrient do in the body?

• Where and how is each nutrient digested?

Week 18 Nutrition & Digestion:

• Energy Digestion

• Energy requirements of different classes of smalls stock

Week 19 Nutrition & Digestion:

• Protein Digestion

• Protein requirements of different classes of small stock

• Supplementing protein (When, How and pitfalls)

Week 20 Feeds and their nutritional value:

• Nutritional values of some grasses and trees/bushes

• Feed ingredients for supplementation or zero grazing systems

Week 21 Feeding Systems:

• Basic Ration Balancing

Topic 4: Managing the breeding flock and marketing offspring

Week 22 Managing the breeding flock during critical periods:

Mating and early/mid gestation:

• Deciding when to lamb/kid

• Natural mating season length variance between breeds

• Preparation of rams/bucks for mating season

• Fertility & STD check ups

• Use of “Teasers”

• Use of harnesses with crayon markers

Week 23 Mating and early/mid gestation:

• Preparation of females pre-mating

• Condition scoring and flushing of female flock

  Last trimester and lactation:

• Nutritional needs for:

  • Maintenance

  • Last trimester of gestation

• Lactation Last trimester and lactation:

  • 3 Lambing/kidding in 2 years

  • Supplements for dry season/droughts

Week 24 Getting the offspring market ready for top sale prices:

• Getting a good birth weight

• Getting maximum milk from mothers AND solid feed ASAP

• Creep feeding (while still suckling on mothers)

• Weaning age and growth rate targets

• Supplying what the top end of the market wants for premium prices