What are the most important herd equipment/supplies to have ON-HAND at all times?

[Support]

When it comes to caring for our herds, there are things that are considered as essentials.

So tell us, what do you consider the most important herd equipment or supplies that is a MUST for every backyard herder? What are the things you must have ON-HAND all the time?

If your answer isn't listed, you can vote for "Others" and reply to this thread with your answers.

 

[babsbag]

Food and water is a given.

Inside that first aid kit needs to be a thermometer and an antibiotic (oxcytet is my "go to" if I can only have one). If I can have more than one drug # 2 is Banamine, #3 is Tylan, and #4 is Pen G.

 

[Southern by choice]

Water /hay is a given

First aid kit

CMT (California Mastitis Test) kit-

I say a CMT because if you own dairy goats and something seems off, a CMT kit can make all the difference of catching something before it becomes a full blown issue.

Even detecting "trace" can make a huge difference. Milking an extra time or two that first day can take care of it without it going into a very bad infection.

 

[samssimonsays]

1. Wheel Barrow to bring manure to the compost pile from the barn.

2. First aid kit (my first day with my first 2 goats, one spooked and ran into the fence cutting right below her eye. I knew at that moment life would always be something interesting with goats! I keep Vetrycin, Tea tree oil, antiseptic wipes, syringe with and without needles, Vit. B injectable, and a rabbit antibiotic for bloat in the young ones.

3. Feed, water and hay of course

4. Fencing tools because something may need to be fixed at any given moment in time.

5. Other- A leash for the goats. Just in case they don't listen or I need to get them somewhere without them taking a detour.

6. Dietematious Earth for dusting their pens and putting in their water to reduce parasite growth in it (Mosquito are horrid in my area and after 1 day they were in there)

7. My Firmeadows supplements to aid in digestion, Immune health and gut health.

8. With my rabbits I always have extra fur that moms have pulled when making nests or while grooming them in small totes for Emergency nest boxes in case a mom doesn't know what to do or doesn't pull enough fur.

 

[greybeard]

Other.
Knowledge and experience--your own or someone close that you have access to 24 hrs/day. More animals are lost every day from a lack of both (or an excess of bad experience and erroneous knowledge) than all other causes combined.

 

[soarwitheagles]

For us, first would be food and water.

Second, rifles to stop any predators!

Third, first aid kit just in case we miss the predator and accidentally hit the sheep.

Fourth, good fencing tools.

 

[animalsRawsome]

I always have probiotics and electrolytes on-hand!

 

[1crazybird]

Wheel barrel, and my dog kona! If I didn't have these two very needed things I would not be able to do what I do by myself.
Sometimes my DH is not around to help me lift and carry something far, or herd the goats in.
Kona is my right hand girl! A foster fail that turned out to be a blessing because she needed so little training! She is the little dog on the right. She is a great dog!

 

[ducks4you]

This thread assumes that you are living on a developed property. I want to post to those of you who are considering moving to the country.
You have to have access to water or keeping livestock won't happen. Most of us buy feed and bedding, but I bought a place that had a barn to store it in. I have known horse owners to struggle with a small building that only stores 35-50 bales of hay. I can store up to 500 bales in my barn's loft, I have 3 stalls/3 horses and a 16'x19' shelter adjacent to the back of my barn, that a previous smart farmer built. I have owned the property since 1999.
When you are looking to buy, you HAVE to factor in shelter and storage, and if it isn't there you will really need to build it, or your animal husbandry will be a constant struggle and you will have NO place to house your sick animal. Housing during the winter where I live is mandatory. I have had no horse get sick from exposure in 31 years of keeping them. I always pray for the folks who lose their herds when there is a blizzard, but many of them have no shelter for their herds and leave them vulnerable. Such is their gamble and some cattle owners gambled and lost out west many years ago. Do NOT expect your livestock to live off of a small pasture 12 months out of the year. Mine graze 4-6 months, and I supplement in the Fall, when necessary. I am currently babying one of my pastures because several droughts and grazing have it recovering. My horses longingly look over the fence, but they won't have access to it until at least next month. I plan to buy 100 extra bales of hay in May and will monitor their grazing. It is 3 acres. My 3/4 acre pasture needs a complete overhaul. They will soon be off of it for about 1 year, while I deweed, move my stall leavings pile for fertilizer and reseed it.
Since this site is primarily for hobbyists, I wanted to share my experiences. I studied a LOT before I moved to a 5 acre property with the house, the barn, and the other buildings. I suggest if you board your horse and want to move, that you put in the time and study up on those things that you actually need.

 

[Roving Jacobs]

Hog/cattle panels, baling twin, zip ties, plywood, screws. Half of my farm is held up with some combination of those things.

You can never have too much gravel, hay or fencing in my opinion.

Also a good, knowledgeable vet who is willing to work with you.