Holistic livestock management is a natural extension of rotational grazing and sustainable farming. At its heart, it is nothing more the creature portion of the details that sustainable farming and land management ask of us.
Holistic livestock management is the conscious consideration of all possible needs of livestock from individual nature to how that nature, environment and specie's specific needs interact and can be positively impacted upon. Inherent in this management style is the willingness to look beyond the notion that animals are simply some form of production machines that can be tuned through set formulas and maintenance programs.
At Firth of Fifth we work first and foremost from the perspective that the animals we work with are due all the same respect with which we approach the rest of our dealings. Recognizing and responding to personality is a very large first step to encouraging great health.
General handling: Sheep are really a prey animal and this must be a serious consideration when dealing with them. They can be easily frightened, thus easily stressed. To minimize this we work in the traditional style of management of moving them through increasingly smaller paddocks at a measured pace. All our sheep are trained to come into a holding paddock at night and most seem relieved by this reassuring constancy. Keeping stress to a minimum will encourage strong immune systems and this is essential when working with alternatives to chemicals.
Sheep are ruminants: By definition they are foraging animals that are best served first and foremost by eating living grasses, forbs and other graze. Grain feeding is one method of feeding livestock but we do not believe that it can ever truly meet what evolution has prepared them for - the processing of chewing cud from living vegetable matter. Our sheep are fully rotational grazed and, during lean winter months, provided with what we believe is the next best living food: Baleage.
Minerals: In an ideal pasture the grasses will provide all the minerals a ruminant needs. This is our goal at Firth of Fifth and we work with MidWest Bio-Ag (soon to become Mineral Balanced Agriculture), soil testing and natural mineral admendments to the soil to help us reach it. In the meantime our sheep have the following constantly available; Sea Kelp, two different blends of loose salts, a loose mineral mix, Dynamin and DE. We also provide our sheep with a special blend of loose pro-biotics, select minerals and herbs before, during and after such high-stress times as breeding, birthing, spring return to pasture and weaning.
Gestational needs: Pregnancy is a very special time and we do additional testing of our (then) current balage to determine what additional proteins, minerals and energy sources the ewes may need. A special blend is offered the last 6 weeks of pregnancy that utilizes Beet Pulp as the base. Additions such as grains and vitamins particularly essential to this time (many of the B's, E, D and selenium) may be added to the rehydrated beet pulp as determined necessary.
Parasites: Worms are an issue with all creatures and always a challenge when working with farm livestock. We work with a variety of herbs, DE, Dynamin and a great deal of fecal testing to assure intestinal health. Rotational grazing and culling stock that reveals low resistance are without question the largest portion of a successful plan. We are very aggressive about bio-security. By limiting our livestock movement to only that which is essential, isolating new stock for prolonged periods as well as thorough parasite cleansing prior to movement of new stock into our larger flock, we assure the greatest flock health. Our program is in it's 6 year and we continue to work with alternatives and research to improve the health of our livestock.
Veterinarian and Alternative Care
We work with several veterinarians in our area and believe that most shepherds will find that multiple sources are the norm. There are few well-trained sheep verterinarians left in our area of the country and our experience is typically echoed by folks that write to us. Working with alternatives will take you even further into isolation unless you are willing to reach out and dig deep. What follows is our circumstance and a possible example for your own journey.
The University of Wisconsin-Madison offers us a wealth of information when things become unusual and we are grateful for the willing help from Dr. David Thomas and Randy Gottfredson. Dr Dave has been a steady voice for sheep and travels extensively throughout the US for seminars. His papers on sheep research are abundantly available online. Randy is a wizard with sheep and can generally be counted on to find a simple, realistic solution to even the very odd situation. One of our premier midwest AI technicians, Randy has helped develop some of the very best flock improvements possible.
Our general healthcare is managed in conjunction with Dr. Paul Dettlof, a holistic, homeopathic ruminant vet. Dr. Paul is a marvelously well-experienced practitioner who arrived at the homeopathic route after a career which was entirely described by the more typical animal management route. Two years of working with Dr. Paul have given us a very real sense of peace about not only his skills, but a reminder of what Cynthia learned over a lifetime of work with humans; natural remedies applied with a full consideration of the individual one works with pays big dividends in health and happiness. (Dr Paul's book can be purchased through: www.acresusa.com)
Finally but by no means least is our local vet. Dr. Donovan is a wonderful old-school vet. Doc has been a fixture here in Cazenovia for over 30 years, coming here after his first half-life in a more urban setting. He is a sensitive and kind man who believes that all animals deserve the chance for a good life. As is true for so many vets today, he does not have a great deal of experience with sheep (cows are our local livestock) but is an energetic learner; a trait that we very much appreciate and financially compensate. It's Doc who produces the Transport Certificate for the sheep you purchase, thus he has known all our sheep and has grown to enjoy them tremendously.
Be inventive, trust yourself, let your beliefs lead your way. Holistic management is not a fairytale or myth, it is the end result of hard work and truth in the ability of nature and nurture.