NOVEMBER 2016 • COUNTRY LIFE IN BC Let your grass grow


Sheep producers flock to conference for info on forage, parasites


The BC Sheep Federation hosted their annual meeting and two days of speakers in Williams Lake in late


September, attracting over 75 breeders from all over the province.


Dr. Woody Lane, a nutrition and forage specialist from Oregon, led an interesting


level, they will not be constantly reinfecting themselves with a new load of parasites."


After ingestion by the sheep, it is these final stage larvae that complete their life cycle as worms, which lay more eggs and get dropped on the pasture to further the cycle and do ongoing damage.


Lane elaborated


Wool Gatherings JO SLEIGH


discussion that highlighted the importance of letting grass rest after grazing and not cutting until it had grown back to at least three inches, and up to eight in height. This, he said, "gives the grass enough top growth to utilize sun and warmth and send the resulting energy down to their roots so they can grow further, and in their turn, send more energy, minerals and vitamins into the top growth." "Worm larvae," he noted, “does not usually climb over three inches from the ground so if the sheep are eating from the leaf growth above that


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further.


“In hotter summer areas such as the Interior and further north, the larvae try to keep away from the midday summer heat and migrate downwards towards the cooler ground, whereas in cooler and wetter areas, such as the Fraser Valley, they may climb to and stay at that height."


Thus grazing above the recommended three inch level increases grass growth and the sheeps’ uptake of important nutrients, and also prevents or very much reduces the sheep reinfecting themselves with a new load of parasites.


Lane's and Dr. Stephanie Krumsiek’s presentations were


Brian Shaw from Canadian Co-operative Wool Growers demonstrated how to skirt, roll and pack fleeces during the BC Sheep Breeders convention in Williams Lake, September 30. Shaw also discussed the best sort of skirting table and the selection of breed types and crosses to maximize the quality of fleece. (Photo courtesy of Mike Doherty)


especially popular because of their engaging and energetic delivery, their down-to-earth practical approaches based on established research, their academic backgrounds and the way the information coming from both of them melded together: Lane’s from a nutritional and pasture management perspective; Krumsiek's from a parasite control viewpoint.


Conference guests Erin Wilson from Burns Lake and


Gord Blankstein from Langley also found Lane’s comments on pasture management particularly engaging. Wilson took notes. “To check your field’s holding capacity," Lane told his audience, “you might try this method. Take a 12x11.5” area in a typical area of the field. Cut the grass there down low to the ground. Dry it out (in the microwave or by other means), weigh it and multiply this by 100. Divide


the above result by the following: Multiply the number of sheep you want to graze there and the amount of dry matter intake they will need according to their body weight and condition using published tables to calculate this.


“This will give you the number of days you can keep the sheep there before moving them on to their next


See SHEEP page 42


41


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The Lower Mainland Sheep Producers Association is celebrating 40 Years in the community!


We would like to invite our members, past, present and past Presidents to join us for an evening of fun.


St. Georges Anglican Church Hall 9160 Church Street, Fort Langley 7:30pm | December 1st


, 2016 For more info or to join us please contact Marianne.


sheepproducers@gmail.com 604.530.8670 www.lmspa.ca


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