"The way its animals are treated"
- Mahatma Gandhi on how to judge the greatness of a nation and its moral progress.
At FarmRaise, we believe there is nothing more jaw-droppingly cute than baby farm animals. These are just the facts and we are sticking to them!
It's birthing season. But why spring?
Because the weather is mild, days are longer and spring pasture grasses are more packed with protein and nutrients for both mama and baby.
Kids needs milk.
Goat babies that is. Colostrum is an antibody, hormone and protein rich substance usually found in a mother mammal's milk before and after birth. It's important for your newborns' digestive tracts and immune systems, so we'll give you some tips to make sure they're getting enough colostrum.
Rule of thumb:
Make sure your new calves, kids and piglets get 10 to 12 percent of their birth weight in ounces of colostrum.
✅ Keep an eye out for your calves' health: Ear tagging, transport and changes in routine can stress calves and cause scours or diarrhea.
✅ Separate housing and ventilation for calves and adults:It reduces the risk of spreading disease to the newborns.
✅ Disinfect to prevent disease:Dip the navel or umbilical cord in chlorohexidine solution or seven percent iodine after birth.
Healthy kids typically start to nurse within 30 minutes after brith, but be sure they're nursing within two hours of birth. If the doe isn’t producing milk, there are commercially available colostrum replacers.
✅ Help does (female goats) bond with their kids:
Put expecting does in clean and dry stalls a few days before birth. Upon delivery, place kids that are active with the doe.
✅ If a kid appears dull or lifeless...
Remove mucus from its nose and mouth with a piece of straw or twig and place it in a sitting position to allow optimal oxygen flow. If the kid isn't breathing rhythmically, vigorously rub it with straw or towel.
✅ Regulate chicks' environment:
For the first two weeks after hatching, keep their environment at 95 - 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Then, reduce by five degrees each week until they're a month old.
✅ Fresh bedding daily:
Line the bottom of the brooder environment with newspaper and cover with two to three inches of pine shavings, chopped straw or oat hulls. Then, every day simply roll up the soiled newspaper and bedding, throw it away and replace with fresh materials.
✅ Chicks should never be without fresh water daily:
If a chick is not drinking water, gently hold it and dip its beak into the water until it starts to drink.
✅ Regulate temperature with two different "microclimates":
For sows (the mama pig), set her environment to 60 - 65 degrees Fahrenheit. For piglets, 85 - 95 degrees in the first few days of their lives, then a reduction to 70 - 80 degrees.
✅ Watch their behavior:
Piglets lying flat on their tummies and gently touching each other are happy, warm and comfy. If they're all piled up on each other, they may need warmer quarters.
Welcome to the FarmRaise Community, little ones. A decent amount of calves, kids and chicks have already started life on our farms. Way to goat, animal moms!
It never gets boar-ing taking care of piglets, kids, chicks and calves. Share the Morning Briefing with a friend so they can join in on the fun, too.
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