Remember three taboos and three reinforcements when raising sheep in summer
Summer is the peak season for forage production and also the peak season for goat growth and reproduction, but summer has high temperatures, high humidity, many mosquitoes and insects, and rapid reproduction of viruses and bacteria. If management is neglected, it can easily cause goat diseases and even death, severely restricting the development of goats.
"Taboo one" is grazing at noon, to prevent sheep from heatstroke. Grazing time should be chosen in the morning or evening. Note that morning grazing should not be too early, because sheep eating dewy grass are prone to sore mouth. For grazing time, morning in the southwest and evening in the northeast, that is, in the morning graze on the southwest side of the slope and in the afternoon on the northeast side of the slope, to avoid direct sunlight and guard against heatstroke in sheep.
"Taboo two" is disinfecting and deworming with the sheep present, to prevent sheep poisoning. Because summer is the peak season for the breeding and reproduction of bacteria, viruses, and parasites, many farmers, for convenience and speed and to save time, disinfect and deworm with the sheep present. Improper handling causes mild or chronic poisoning in the flock, affecting the growth and reproduction of sheep. "Taboo three" is dirty sheep sheds, to prevent induced diseases. In summer, sheep manure and urine ferment quickly and produce a lot of ammonia gas, which easily causes sheep conjunctival keratitis, forming cataracts and in severe cases leading to blindness, directly affecting sheep feeding; it can also induce respiratory and other diseases.
Reinforcement one: strengthen flock management. First, supplement refined salt. In summer high temperatures, keep the flock supplied with sufficient clean drinking water, and at the same time supplement each sheep with 5-9 grams of table salt to regulate the acid-base balance in the sheep's body and prevent sheep from eating salt-containing items such as plastic bags and stockings. Second, carefully supervise the flock. Carefully observe the dynamics of the flock in the early morning, during grazing, and at night. Use "one listen and three observe," that is, listen to whether breathing includes coughing, observe whether the sheep's mental state is normal, whether there are external parasites, and whether sheep feeding and manure and urine are abnormal. If there is any abnormality, seek diagnosis and treatment in time, so as to achieve early detection and early treatment. Third, graze on high ground. Avoid grazing in low-lying and damp areas. Grazing should choose areas with higher terrain, facing away from the wind and toward the sun, and with vigorous forage production.
Reinforcement two: strengthen environmental sanitation. Sheep sheds and pens should be kept dry, sanitary, and ventilated. Sheep sheds and exercise yards should be cleaned once a day and disinfected once a week. Disinfectants should be used alternately.
Reinforcement three: strengthen epidemic prevention and deworming. Formulate a scientific and reasonable disease immunization and deworming program according to the region, environment, and other conditions of the sheep farm. According to the program, carry out immunization injections for vaccines such as sheep foot-and-mouth disease, sheep triple and four-prevention, sheep pox, and contagious ovine pleuropneumonia. The interval between injections of each vaccine is 7 to 15 days, and keep records and carry out timely supplementary immunization. If an epidemic occurs, isolate and seek diagnosis and treatment in time. Dead sheep must be subjected to harmless treatment, and it is strictly forbidden to throw them away or discard them randomly. Deworm regularly, once every quarter, and use avermectin or ivermectin and albendazole alternately, with appropriate adjustment according to the flock. If sarcoptic mange occurs in the flock, treat it in summer. Choose a sunny day and use a mixed solution of acaricide and trichlorfon for medicated bathing, and inject avermectin or ivermectin. It can be done once every half a month, and 3 to 4 times can radically cure sheep sarcoptic mange.