>One has to ask how animals ever managed in the wild to survive to
>this day without man's intervention if they did not have the innate
>ability to select feed based on their requirements at the time.
One has to only look at the productivity, overall health, lifespan
and general condition of wild animals to know that balancing by
themselves doesn't work very well.
Take a current local example: Our deer herd is coming out of an
average winter, not a hard nor an easy one. They are ragged, skinny,
bones showing through their hides. Many does will lose their fawns,
not sure what it will be this year but the fawn survival rate is well
below 100% of does bred. If I let my sheep get to the state the
deer herd is right now I'd get turned in for inhumane care! I also
cannot survive as a farmer on less than 100% lamb survival rates.
If you are in an area where production is not critical then you may
be able to accept the lowered production of "natural" or
"wild"
models of animal care. We expect our sheep to produce 135% lambs
weaned of ewes bred this year. We are slowly targeting a rate of 175%
lambs weaned of ewes bred. Many flocks will need to be producing at
a rate of over 200% to be profitable if their land and equipment base
costs more. That level of production requires that we manage the
animals diet to optimize their health and provide for the increased
demands our domestic production requires.
Our domestic animals have been adapted and managed for thousands of
years with the assistance of humans to meet our needs for production
and behavior. That includes increased production over the centuries
as our knowledge of what they need has increased. Take a look at
medieval manuscripts, they were willing to accept a 30% death loss
over winter. Sheep were primarily for wool only, very few were eaten
because they were so hard to keep alive in the domesticated
environment. Movement to an understanding of parasite issues, managed
grazing, vaccines, dewormers, better nutrition and improved breeding
has allowed the increased production that we now consider normal. We
also have higher standards of what humane care looks like than in any
point in history.
--
Eugenie (Oogie) McGuire - oogiem@desertweyr.com
Weyr Associates - Consulting Services
Desert Weyr - CMK Arabian Horses, Black Welsh Mountain Sheep and Pilgrim Geese
http://www.desertweyr.com/
Paonia, CO USA
