Planning for Success
As I write this article in mid-November, a slow drizzle is falling in San Angelo and has been for several days. For much of this region, fall rainfall patterns have returned to “normal”. At least that is how I hear it described… I’m starting to think normal weather is actually pretty dry! Either way, the moisture and lower temperatures have initiated some nice cool-season forage production which really benefit our small ruminants. This sets us up for a good start to 2024 and beyond, hopefully.
I have been in San Angelo for eight years and it continues to impress upon me how well suited sheep and goats are to this region. Only, 1 out of 8 years has this county not been in some type of drought status during the course of the year. Yet, during my entire 8 years, there hasn’t been any major dispersals of sheep and goats from this region. Which is a testament to how well suited sheep and goats are to survive and thrive in a semi-arid desert. To be honest, too much rain may bring upon more problems with parasites and low quality forage than normal or below normal conditions. Luckily with proper management we can circumvent these issues and capitalize on the favorable conditions.
As we finish 2023 with good rains, I’m optimistic about the 2024 lamb and kid crop. No, I’m not predicting above or below average rains in 2024. But I am confident that sheep and goats do very well on winter annuals and cool season forages, which can carry them through much of the year. I’ve been fortunate to travel to major sheep countries in the world (Australia, New Zealand, and UK). One thing that they all have in common is the majority of their native range and improved pastures are dominated by cool-season plants.
To be honest, it bothers me that so many people overlook the value of cool season annuals and grasses. Yes, the warm season plants are more productive but they also require more water. Or, at least, they grow when it is so hot that we need heavier rains and/or more freequent rains to support optimal growth. As these plants grow and mature they also lose some of their nutritional value, which isn’t as big of deal for beef cattle producers but it is for small ruminants who also tend to find taller grasses less palatable.
You’d probably get better information from a range or forage specialist on this topic than me as I am a bit biased. My preference is to grow feed for sheep and goats that they will do well on.
I’ve gotten a bit off my topic for this article, which is “planning for success.” Yes, we hope to finish the year with above average rainfall and grow alot of feed for our aniamls. We also hope that we see sustainable markets continue in 2024. But to a large degree both of these are out of our control. And I always hope that this article leaves you as the reader with something that can be of use on your sheep and/or goat operation.
For most of us December is a slower month at the ranch heading into the new year. I encourage you to take some time to do some strategic planning for your operation in 2024. This might require some thought into what went right or wrong this past year. I’d suggest that you take time to visit with people who can bring new ideas or perspectives to your yearly management plan, such as veterinarians, extension agents, nutritionists, and/or fellow ranchers. If you choose to do this, which I hope you do, be sure to plan ahead and ask some specific questions. Here are a few that I think would be important to discuss.
Is my predator management plan appropriate for today and into the future?
Is my parasite prevention plan appropriate for low, moderate, and high risk years?
Is my nutritional program optimizing performance and a net postiive return on investment?
Is my vaccination and disease prevention plan up to date?
Am I prepared to treat diseases that are common in sheep and goats now that antibiotics are no longer available without a prescription?
Am I ready for electronic tags and software to track animal health, herd performance, grazing management, and/or economics?
Asking ourselves these tough questions about our management is always a good idea, but its alo important to realize that we should be doing this regardless of if the weather is in our favor. In reality, if we cant capitalize on a “good year” (knock on wood about 2024), we certainly won’t turn a profit in a bad year when the margin for error is a lot narrower. Cheers to your 2024 and keep up the holiday rain dances, they seem to be working for now!
To provide feedback on this article or request topics for future articles, contact me at reid.redden@ag.tamu.edu or 325-657-7324. For general questions about sheep and goats, contact your local Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service county office. If they can’t answer your question, they have access to someone who can.