Animal Health Starts Here

Late summer means one thing for many livestock families: state fair season has arrived. Months of early mornings, careful feeding, daily exercise and endless practice all lead to a few exciting days in the show ring. While ribbons and banners may be the ultimate goal, the biggest challenge often begins long before the judge steps into the ring. For our family, and I assume many others, a daily countdown and weekly weigh-in are just a few of the management tools to ensure the animals we have poured into all summer are dialed in.

Summer brings longer days and abundant grazing opportunities, but it also creates one of the biggest seasonal challenges for producers: heat stress in sheep. While sheep are often considered hardy animals, prolonged exposure to high temperatures and humidity can negatively impact growth, reproduction, feed intake, and overall flock performance. 

Matt Williamson, Saint Joseph, Missouri, and TJ Campbell, Brownsburg, Indiana, are the newest hires to the BioZyme® Inc. leadership team. Williamson is the Vice President of Business Development. Campbell is the Director of Sales Diversification. In their roles, they will work with the global animal nutrition and fermentation company to help grow sales and develop strategies across the BioZyme family of brands.

It seems like nearly every year Mother Nature wreaks havoc on various regions with drought. Drier than desirable conditions challenge livestock producers who depend on forages for their cattle to graze during the summer months. Grain producers who rely on adequate moisture at the right times see their crops suffer again and again. However, with proper drought management for cattle, your herd and your bank account can survive the drought.

Livestock shows are the highlight of summer for many youth exhibitors. They provide the opportunity to showcase months of hard work, travel to new destinations, see old friends, make new friends, and receive recognition for their efforts. However, along with the excitement of summer shows comes summer temperatures, travel stress, new environments, changing routines, and busy schedules that create challenges for both the animals and exhibitors.

Finding the best mineral for sheep is about more than filling a feeder with the same salt and mineral every few days. A properly balanced sheep mineral supports reproduction, immune function, digestion, hoof integrity, and overall flock performance throughout every season.