> Someone commented recently that resistance to parasites drops in spring
(or at lambing?
> I am wondering if the known increase in parasites during spring and my
observation of the visits to the
> hotspring could be related.
> This has got me thinking that livestock might consume much greater
quantities of minerals in spring. I've
> never before thought to watch for this. What are your observations?
The mineral requirements of sheep change over the production cycle. The drop
in parasite resistance in ewes in spring is related to lambing. Higher
levels of rumen undegraded protein in the diet also help in maintaining
lower fecal egg counts. I would assume the drop is from the stress of
lactation and diet(nutrition). Our lactation mineral mix contains higher
levels of calcium then the gestation mix or dry ewe mix, the nutritionist I
work with basically provides a "recipe" based on the forage test and
then
production stage of the animal. The amount the flock consumes varies over
the year as well.
Are the Dall sheep at the springs in spring for mineral muds? Could be.
Gene Schriefer
Shepherd
Dodgeville, Wisconsin USA
Commercial Texel-x and Charollais-x Sheep
