By Erastus Ngaruka
Many farming areas in Namibia have received significantly more rain in comparison to the previous season, recording above-average volumes. Moreover, rangeland productivity has improved in some areas, although the quality of the grazing materials is still not at its finest. Albeit livestock body conditions remain high (fat conditions).
Furthermore, it should be noted that the quantity and quality of the grazing materials consumed by animals now have an influence on their endurance until the next rainy season, which can also not be predicted.
Thus, farmers need to consistently ensure that the survival and performance of their livestock are not compromised.
As the normal dry season approaches, there are specific challenges that farmers will face, these are associated with livestock nutrition, health, and reproduction, amongst other factors.
On the topic of nutritional supplementation, livestock require a sufficient supply of nutrients throughout the year as a response to seasonal changes in rangeland conditions and body demands. Grazing livestock, such as cattle and sheep, are particularly vulnerable to nutritional deficiencies, especially mineral deficiencies.
This is largely because in sandy areas, the soil mineral concentration lies beyond the root zone of grass, making it difficult for uptake. During the rainy season or summer months, focus should be on mineral supplementation, with greater emphasis on phosphorus as it is deficient in soils.
Phosphorus plays a principal role in metabolism, amongst others, especially when animal feed intake is higher.
As winter approaches, the grasses stop growing and go into a dormancy period, where the nutrients are relocated to be stored in the root system as reserves for regrowth in the next season. During this time, grasses dry up and shed seeds, and, in the process, vitamin A and much of the protein are lost. Therefore, farmers need to inoculate their animals with vitamin A and provide protein lick supplements.
One of the critical ingredients needed in winter supplements is urea, as it enhances the digestion of dry forage materials through increased population and strength of the rumen microorganisms responsible for digestion in ruminant animals.
Later in the dry season, the animal’s demand for energy increases as the grass plants become depleted or scarcer or grazed to the maximum. Thus, energy supplements need to be added to the protein supplements, and in certain cases, especially when there is a grazing shortage, roughage feeds or hay will be needed to fill the rumen. Since many farmers have planted crops, they can affordably use processed crop residues as dry season feed supplements.
Winter is also the period during which goats and sheep will be giving birth for some farmers. This is a critical period that requires extra effort and care to ensure that the birth processes are smooth and that the lambs and kids survive. The greatest challenge facing lambs and kids is surviving the harsh winter, so farmers must build shelters to keep the newborns warm.
This includes houses, digging pits, and enclosures covered with heat-trapping material such as black plastic sheets, amongst others. The cold conditions can also result in respiratory infections, mainly pneumonia (Pasteurellosis).
Thus, the mothers must have been vaccinated already to pass the immunity to the young ones through milk (colostrum) at least in the first month, or the young can be vaccinated at least at two weeks of age. In addition, the lambs and kids need sufficient milk and feeds (creep feeds) to generate heat to keep warm and maintain optimal growth.
Therefore, mothers (ewes and does) need sufficient quality feed to produce sufficient milk for the young.Another challenge for the young ones will be parasites such as mites, fleas, and lice. These parasites will compromise the health and growth potential of lambs and kids; thus, they need to be controlled. One of the prudent methods of controlling such parasites is by dipping the young ones in an antiparasitic dip solution.
Furthermore, dirty (e.g., dusty, excessive dung) kraals will also pose health risks such as respiratory and eye infections, and harboring of parasites. Ultimately, a clean, healthy, and safe kraal environment plays a vital role in the survival of lambs and kids. Therefore, all potentially harmful conditions need to be eliminated.
In conclusion, your farm productivity depends on the animal, the environment, and your management. A successful production cycle is one where the animal is born and raised to survive until it reproduces or is marketed for return on investment. Therefore, farmers need to develop appropriate management plans that are responsive to the prevailing conditions in their production environments. These include seasonal feed and water shortages, diseases, and parasite infestations, among others. A closer and regular inspection of livestock will be needed to allow a prompt response to any abnormality or change in livestock health and behavioral conditions.
*Erastus Ngaruka is a Technical Advisor at Agribank
