There are many people who love the rainy season. Whereas the farmers either tend to be happy for effects or tend to lament for the negative effects of the rain. Therefore, it becomes very important for the farmers to take proper care of their cattle which they intended to sell. Well, here are some important tips for the cattle raising farmers which they need to follow during the rainy season in order to protect their cattle.
Leaking shades
As soon as the water leaks into the shade, it is likely to affect the animals comfort. It does not matter whether you are keeping chicken, goats, pigs or cattle, etc. If the shade remains dirty then the leaking water leads to production of many chemicals such as ammonia, which may affect the eyes of animals, especially if there is no proper ventilation. The presence of such chemicals causes irritation in the body and thus the eyes of animals tend to swell. Another disease is likely to occur which is called coccidiosis which is the result of the leaking water onto dirty shades. If you are keeping goats as your cattle then you need to take even an extra effort to keep their hooves away from water because it causes rotting hoof diseases among goats.
Prepare dry bedding
Just making a shed is not enough. Therefore, it is essential to make a proper shed so that it does not leak. Apart from the shed, it is also very essential to make a warm bed for the cows because a moist, soiled or dirty bedding leaves can cause serious health issues to these animals. Hence, a bed of dry sand is the best or you can even opt for dry straws or animal mattresses.
Supply drinking water
The monsoon season does not imply that there is sufficient drinking water. If you have cows then it must be adequately fed with clean and potable water to avert a reduction in consumption of feed by the cows. However, you must ensure that the water you supply is neither too cold nor at a freezing temperature.
More grass is not so good
With the arrival of the monsoon, new young grass sprouts up. This is very good for the animals and they easily pick at the soft grass and eat it up in big quantities. You must note that this grass has a lot of water and little fibre, and it is not good for the animal. Animals need fibre for proper digestion. The water fills up the stomachs and yet it is virtually useless. Therefore, before giving this young grass sprouts to your cattle you must dry it up in the sunshine so that the water in it is reduced and hence it turns out to be a good feed for your cattle.
More moisture, more bacteria
In this season, the presence of the moisture on the ground produces a lot of bacteria and it can cause many disease, and worms are the one among them. During the wet season, farmers must stock a broad spectrum of de-wormers. Worms must be treated otherwise it can affect the animals general performance. You must always keep in mind that de-worming must be done at the beginning of the rainy season and throughout the season because worms multiply more during this period.
Ticks have a field day in the wet
Ticks are one which are used for destabilizing cattle pests and are economically. Ticks are also likely to spread faster during the rainy season. If the ticks are not properly treated then it can suck cows dry and eventually lead to death because it spreads a disease called east coast fever. There are also more flies in the wet season and they do not bite but simply fly around. However, there are also some flies such as tsetse flies and this are deadly flies. These flies do not only suck blood from the cows but also their bite tends to be painful. Such flies spread a disease called nagana to the cows and if it is not treated early then it leads to death. It is the farmers who should make sure that they spray their animals regularly and cut all bushes near their shades.
Disease of the udder
During the monsoon, the udder disease also becomes more prevalent. If the animal is infected with this disease then you are likely to lose the animal. Such disease is called udder mastitis. The udder tends to swell and the animal stop producing milk. However, the good thing is that it can be treated and that too by using general antibiotics. You should also make sure that there are disinfectants to disinfect the farm all the time.
Avoid mouldy feeds
If water gets into stored feeds then they will develop moulds and when they are fed to animals in this state, it will carry bacteria. Therefore, the mouldy feeds are likely to cause cancer. You must make sure that the feeds are stored in a dry place.
Avoid grazing in the open field
You should not let animals graze in irrigated fodder fields. As after the long summer, the sudden growth in the fodder due to the onset of monsoon is likely to lead to the presence of poisonous cyanide in it. This is especially in the Jowar crop. These fodder crops should, therefore, not be harvested before time or fed to animals.
Other common conditions
During this season, the ground is soft and wet, cows tend to slide and break their limbs. In addition, external elements like stones and soil converge and entangle in between the hooves of animals, hence making it difficult for them to move. You must make sure that all these are checked regularly.
During the monsoon, it is very important to protect the farm animals. Therefore, it will lead to the well-being of the animals. The farmers are likely to get economic benefits through maintenance of production of farm. Hence, it is very important to remember the problems as well as the preventive measures so that the livestock owner can prevent the animals from being stressed due to the inclement weather conditions.