Getting started with animal health
When taking on an animal for food production, making sure your animal remains healthy is critical.
When you buy an animal, you are also getting its viruses, bacteria, and parasites. Purchasing animals carrying certain diseases—even if they look healthy—can spread diseases to other animals and contaminate a premises with disease-causing agents for a long time. One example is an increase in pigs imported the Midwest states to Washington State in response to meat processing disruptions due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Some pigs imported to Washington were infected with serious swine pathogens including Porcine Respiratory and Reproductive Syndrome (PRRS virus) and the porcine circovirus, neither of which were previously present in Washington pigs.
Consult your veterinarian for recommendations of sources of healthy, high-quality animals.
All species can and do eat some forage, like hay and grass, but monogastrics cannot survive and thrive on forage alone—they do best when high fiber forage is no more than 10 percent of their diet.
On the other hand, ruminants actually require forage in order to keep their digestive system functioning normally and providing them with required nutrients. Grain can be fed to ruminant animals to increase their rate of gain, but that also increases feeding costs. It is simplest and safest to feed ruminants commercially-available concentrates and supplements because they are well researched and provide the nutrients indicated.
All animals should have free-choice trace mineral salt and fresh water at all times.
Appropriate body condition, activity levels, good rates of weight gain and overall good health generally indicate that the animal is receiving an adequate quality and quantity of nutrition. Again, a veterinarian or extension educator can advise you on what, how much, when, and how to feed animals.
Obtaining Livestock
The source of your original animals will be critical in determining the success of your meat-raising efforts. Be cautious if you choose to purchase animals from markets and online sources. These are potential sources of contagious diseases. If you choose to go this route, quarantine them for at least 30 days before introducing them to your other animals and consult with a veterinarian about what vaccinations to administer to reduce disease risks.When you buy an animal, you are also getting its viruses, bacteria, and parasites. Purchasing animals carrying certain diseases—even if they look healthy—can spread diseases to other animals and contaminate a premises with disease-causing agents for a long time. One example is an increase in pigs imported the Midwest states to Washington State in response to meat processing disruptions due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Some pigs imported to Washington were infected with serious swine pathogens including Porcine Respiratory and Reproductive Syndrome (PRRS virus) and the porcine circovirus, neither of which were previously present in Washington pigs.
Consult your veterinarian for recommendations of sources of healthy, high-quality animals.
Health Concerns
What diseases and parasites will you need to control? Each species has several viral, bacterial, fungal, and parasitic conditions of concern. Some can be prevented with vaccinations, others through biosecurity or management practices. It is essential to prevent as much illness as possible for purposes of animal welfare, rates of weight gain, and meat quality. Contact your veterinarian for information about each species’ health concerns. If you do not have a veterinarian, contact the Washington State Veterinary Medical Association at 800-399-7862 to find one in your area.Veterinarians
Veterinarians are animal health specialists. Their recommendations will reduce risks of animal injury and diseases, decrease costs and the time needed to produce quality meat animals. A valid veterinarian-client-patient relationship is a legal relationship that is also needed to obtain some medications. In Washington, this relationship requires an annual farm visit to be valid. Veterinary services are not something to be avoided—they are a cost of doing business when raising livestock and should be taken full advantage of for you and your animal’s benefit.Food Safety
How will you ensure the meat you are producing will be wholesome and free from residues or other risks? Your veterinarian can teach you about how long meat, milk, or eggs must be held from human consumption after certain medications or treatments have been administered. They can also demonstrate how and where to give injections to reduce complications and negative effects on meat. Deworming is an important consideration to reduce the risk of parasites in all animals, and to prevent trichinosis in pork, which is a zoonotic disease. Online quality assurance training is available for pork, beef, sheep, and goat producers.Nutrition and Feeding
Pigs, rabbits, and poultry are monogastrics (simple-stomached animals). Cattle, sheep, and goats are ruminants.All species can and do eat some forage, like hay and grass, but monogastrics cannot survive and thrive on forage alone—they do best when high fiber forage is no more than 10 percent of their diet.
On the other hand, ruminants actually require forage in order to keep their digestive system functioning normally and providing them with required nutrients. Grain can be fed to ruminant animals to increase their rate of gain, but that also increases feeding costs. It is simplest and safest to feed ruminants commercially-available concentrates and supplements because they are well researched and provide the nutrients indicated.
All animals should have free-choice trace mineral salt and fresh water at all times.
Appropriate body condition, activity levels, good rates of weight gain and overall good health generally indicate that the animal is receiving an adequate quality and quantity of nutrition. Again, a veterinarian or extension educator can advise you on what, how much, when, and how to feed animals.