What's the most challenging part of caring for animals in your region?

[BellaM]

Every region comes with its own unique challenges when it comes to animal care. From extreme weather conditions and seasonal feed shortages to predator threats and limited access to veterinary care, every farmer and pet owner faces obstacles that test their skills and resilience.

What’s the biggest challenge you deal with in your area? Is it the harsh climate, local wildlife, or something else entirely? Share your experiences, struggles, and solutions so we can learn from each other and find new ways to tackle these regional challenges together!

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I'm in South Africa. We don't have anything like extension offices or access to hands on information about anything homesteading, be it growing vegetables or animal husbandry and everything in between. For a while there was a publication called The Smallholder but unfortunately COVID killed that. It was great and is sorely missed.

So my challenge is finding reliable information specifically for the South African homesteader. I have to adjust anything I read to our climate and other conditions, which can be very challenging.

I've also found that people here aren't really happy to share their experience and knowledge so finding mentors is also difficult. And our vets don't know livestock. Horses, yes but goats and sheep ... nothing.

This forum has been a life saver (literally) for animal husbandry. I rely heavily on the information I find here, as well as the assistance I receive from the members regarding goats and birds (and occasionally pigs).

 

[Baymule]

I'm in South Africa. We don't have anything like extension offices or access to hands on information about anything homesteading, be it growing vegetables or animal husbandry and everything in between. For a while there was a publication called The Smallholder but unfortunately COVID killed that. It was great and is sorely missed.

So my challenge is finding reliable information specifically for the South African homesteader. I have to adjust anything I read to our climate and other conditions, which can be very challenging.

I've also found that people here aren't really happy to share their experience and knowledge so finding mentors is also difficult. And our vets don't know livestock. Horses, yes but goats and sheep ... nothing.

This forum has been a life saver (literally) for animal husbandry. I rely heavily on the information I find here, as well as the assistance I receive from the members regarding goats and birds (and occasionally pigs).

Really? No vet care for goats and sheep? South Africa is the birthplace for black head Dorper sheep, a very successful breed worldwide. I raise Katahdin sheep and have found a clinic of 3 vets that know and understand small livestock.
I live in East Texas, not a lot of small livestock here, sheep and goats are mostly in West Texas where it’s drier and the terrain is challenging.

 

[BellaM]

Really? No vet care for goats and sheep? South Africa is the birthplace for black head Dorper sheep, a very successful breed worldwide. I raise Katahdin sheep and have found a clinic of 3 vets that know and understand small livestock.
I live in East Texas, not a lot of small livestock here, sheep and goats are mostly in West Texas where it’s drier and the terrain is challenging.

I suppose I should say no vet care in my region ... I'm surrounded by vets but none of them can treat livestock. Pets only.

There's a dairy goat farm 2.5kms from me and when I asked which vet they used I was told to do what I can or euthanise?! So I have an emergency kit, I read everything I can get my hands on and I rely on this forum as well.

I practice good animal husbandry so I don't really have issues, but I'll never forget a year or two ago one of my does who was just a week from the window for kidding started screaming and was lying on her side kicking frantically. I called our local vet and he said to bring her in!
HOW I honestly couldn't tell you?!?!?! (I was more than prepared to pay upfront for the call out (knowing he might not be able to assist) but anyhoo.
And then my hubby asked if it wasn't heartburn? Now, having experienced heartburn during my own pregnancies I could relate. So I mixed up some bicarb with water and administered that with a syringe. The effect was immediate! She was up on her feet and carrying on as if nothing had happened.
I learnt a lot that day but the harshest lesson was that no help was coming. I'd have to figure things out pretty much on my own.

 

[Blue Sky]

Merck Veterinary Manual. Storey’s Guides to Raising (chose animal). Keeping Livestock Healthy N. Bruce Haines. Good catch on that heartburn.

 

[BellaM]

Merck Veterinary Manual. Storey’s Guides to Raising (chose animal). Keeping Livestock Healthy N. Bruce Haines. Good catch on that heartburn.

I have loads of Storey's guides

 

[Ridgetop]

I suppose I should say no vet care in my region ... I'm surrounded by vets but none of them can treat livestock. Pets only.

There's a dairy goat farm 2.5kms from me and when I asked which vet they used I was told to do what I can or euthanise?! So I have an emergency kit, I read everything I can get my hands on and I rely on this forum as well.

That was the way it was in so CA for us. When we first moved there we only knew what I learned in books but had an old vet. He retired and moved away. We had to learn to do everything ourselves from books and word of mouth (this was before the web and U-tube) from stitching cuts, setting legs, drawing blood, and sewing up prolapses. Just before we moved, we found a traveling vet but she was in another county so it was not cheap for a farm call. There were 3 female vets and they were all great with small stock. Loved them and hated to leave them behind. Now there is a good vet practice in Suphur springs about 20 minutes away. They do everythiing including AI, etc. We take the animals to them unless we need a farmwide vet call for the flock. We are just within their 20 mile limit. They do lab work, necropsy, and sell prescription drugs to current clients. They also do pet care so our dogs go there as well. We lucked out here.

Problems: High expense of fencing (for rotational grazing), feed supplements since we feed grass hay, equipment, and vet costs. Too much water or too little water depending on the season and year. Low sale prices on livestock when mine are ready for auction! LOL

 

[BellaM]

That was the way it was in so CA for us. When we first moved there we only knew what I learned in books but had an old vet. He retired and moved away. We had to learn to do everything ourselves from books and word of mouth (this was before the web and U-tube) from stitching cuts, setting legs, drawing blood, and sewing up prolapses. Just before we moved, we found a traveling vet but she was in another county so it was not cheap for a farm call. There were 3 female vets and they were all great with small stock. Loved them and hated to leave them behind. Now there is a good vet practice in Suphur springs about 20 minutes away. They do everythiing including AI, etc. We take the animals to them unless we need a farmwide vet call for the flock. We are just within their 20 mile limit. They do lab work, necropsy, and sell prescription drugs to current clients. They also do pet care so our dogs go there as well. We lucked out here.

Problems: High expense of fencing (for rotational grazing), feed supplements since we feed grass hay, equipment, and vet costs. Too much water or too little water depending on the season and year. Low sale prices on livestock when mine are ready for auction! LOL

Ahhhh yes ... Nothing simple about the simple life

 

[SageHill]

Um yeah - vet -- no luck here that I've found so far. Calls out - either no call back, or "I don't do sheep".