What are the precautions for raising sheep in summer? These are the points farmers need to know

1. Environmental hygiene:

The floor of the sheep shed should be dry, hygienic and well ventilated. The exercise yard should be cleaned frequently and disinfected regularly.

Pay attention to heat dissipation and heatstroke prevention and cooling for the sheep. Summer weather is muggy and humid, so heatstroke prevention and cooling work must be done well. When grazing, choose places with tree shade, and avoid grazing during the hot midday period. Do not drive the sheep too quickly when setting out to graze or bringing them back, to avoid strenuous exercise; let the sheep walk and move slowly so their bodies cool down and dissipate heat.

2. Drinking water and feeding:

For drinking water, more water should be provided and salt supplemented. In high summer temperatures, fresh, clean water should be kept in the sheep's waterers so the sheep can drink freely. At the same time, pay attention to adding salt at 0.2 grams per kilogram of the sheep's body weight to maintain the acid-base balance in the sheep's body. As for feeding, do not feed moldy, spoiled, toxic or foreign-material-contaminated feed.

3. Regular deworming:

There is more grazing time in summer, making it easy to become infected with various parasites, so internal and external parasites should be removed regularly. Avermectin and ivermectin are commonly used against external parasites; albendazole, levamisole and others are commonly used against internal parasites. In summer, pay special attention to removing liver flukes, and do not graze in swampy areas. Generally, niclofolan, albendazole, clioxanide sodium and others are used.

4. Pay attention to protection against wind, rain and lightning strikes:

There are many thunderstorms in summer. Once a flock is caught in one, the sheep are prone to wind-cold and colds. Being frightened by lightning can also easily cause stress responses in the flock, lowering body immunity and leading to the occurrence of other diseases. Therefore, grazing in summer should avoid thunderstorm weather, and grazing must never be done when there is lightning and thunder.

5. Introduction of sheep:

When introducing sheep, they must be brought in from non-epidemic areas. Newly purchased sheep must undergo isolation and observation for a period of time, and can be mixed into the flock only after the animals are confirmed to be healthy.

6. Prevention and treatment of sheep diseases:

According to the immunization program, vaccines such as sheep quadruple vaccine, foot-and-mouth disease, sheep pox, sheep brucellosis, peste des petits ruminants and encephalitis should be injected regularly. Always pay attention to the condition of the flock, observing the sheep's mental state, appetite, feces and so on. Once an infectious disease or suspected infectious disease is found, isolate immediately and promptly ask a veterinarian to provide treatment. Dead carcasses must be deeply buried or burned, so as to cut off the pathogen, control the epidemic and promptly cull. Jia Chunlei