As we find ourselves moving back to basics on and around the farms, more people that have had no livestock ever also have no clue how to feed them or how to take basic care of them, are getting them. In the past two years, I have personally rescued and placed 115 horses and assisted in numerous other rescues. I can’t stress enough about proper care and feeding. It is easier to maintain a healthy weight then to put it back on an animal. For each 100 pounds lost, it takes three months to put it back on the right way, without injuring or killing the animal. Water intake is crucial, the amounts are based on age/weight, type and breeding status. When the SHTF, there will be little or no access to bagged feed, bulk/surplus hay and supplements.
When you are looking into buying horses, cows, sheep and goats, take into consideration that – the smaller the animal the less it needs to eat and it will yield less meat, milk and in some cases offspring. The calculations in this article are taken from research done during my time working horses (almost 40 years), cows and farm living. For those raising young stock – powdered milk, Carnation canned milk and Karo syrup are a must for orphans. If you can find powdered colostrum get it and vacuum seal it. Stock up on wormers and antibiotics for your animals too, because they can and will need them. Common veterinary antibiotics include Penicillin, Amoxicillin, Erythromycin (“E-mycin”), Keflex and Sulfonamides. Tetracycline and Doxycycline can also be used, but are more disease specific. A Merck Veterinary Manual
Here is a standard feed calculation for horses :
W = HG 2 X BL
______
330
Where:
W = Weight in pounds
HG = Heart girth in inches
BL = Body length in inches
Starting at your horses chest at the top shoulder point to the point of the buttocks (about an inch away from the tail) gives you body length, from the wither to the to the point of buttocks.
It is a maximum of 3.5% of their total body weight in grain and forage, with the maximum going to only foals to age of 1 year. Of that only .5 to 2% of it is supposed to be grain. That means if you have a 60’ x 150’ yard don’t get a horse unless your supply of hay is permanent and inexpensive. In the northern states where the grass dies off fairly early (late fall) then you need to have this down – each horse will consume 1-2 flakes of hay 2 times per day, each bale has 10 flakes. (DO NOT feed out a lot of alfalfa as your horse can colic or founder).
Let’s say your horse will eat 2 bales per week at a cost of $3-$10 a bale. Buy in large quantities when the hay is being baled and it will cost you less. Down in the southern states we feed out less hay as our grass doesn’t begin to die off fully until later in the year (based on heat and rainfall). Round bales are great BUT will mold if not covered properly and then can’t be fed out to special needs or stalled horses, some say you can’t feed it out at all, but those with horses mixed with their cows do know a little different. Round bales weigh from 400 lbs to 1200 lbs and are priced from $10-$75 each. With seven horses on 12 acres I will go through 12 round bales from December to May, average of 1 bale per pasture per week or every other week. Horses need some supplements so we need to have alternative methods to buying them. Grain does go bad and you do have to balance what you give them, lower protein for less active horses from 3-10. Use no cotton seed or cotton seed oil, as it can damage reproducing horses and can cause other health problems.
Your first horse requires at least 1.5 acres, and as you add more, you will need at least 1 acre per horse. Straight oats and corn can be given, but both are higher in protein and corn causes the horses to produce more heat so I would be careful how much feed to put to them. There is one kind of horse that will eat other protein: the Icelandic Horse will eat fish (dried salmon). Remember that horses need from 6-20 gallons of water per day per horse.
Cows the feeding is a little different due to creep feeding and hay consumption but on average they will eat up to 30 lbs of feed per growing animal at 1,200 lbs so about 2-3% of body weight and whether they are dairy, beef, pregnant, steers or calves. You will need about 1 acre per animal or you will have to supplement more. The nutritional needs vary based upon what you have and you need to plan accordingly. If you have had even 1 case of blackleg show up in your calves stock up on vaccines because it doesn’t die out in pastures, it will lie dormant and will kill infected calves. Cows need from 4 gallons per day to 23 gallons per day per animal.
Goats: You can have quite a few, but I would recommend only 8 per acre, maximum . They do need roughage and can have ¼ lb to 1 lb of grain per day, but no urea, natural protein only as it can make your goats sick or they can die. Goats will eat everything including poison ivy, your garden, blackberry and raspberry plants. Goats tend to jump and require better fences than other livestock. You can train them to tie out; I wouldn’t use a drag because they will drag it through your fences, bust the pipes and eat pipe insulation. Kids can die off quickly if exposed to rain and cold when very young. They can also suffer from floppy kid syndrome, which is just as it sounds and can be treated early with thiamine, penicillin and Vitamin B. Goats need from 1/10 gallon to 3 gallons of water per day, per animal.
Sheep need roughage, at ½ lb to 1 lb per day for babies and recommended creep feed adults from 2.5 lbs to 7 lbs or increase 2-4 lbs to 6-12 lbs haylage/corn silage but not for lambs, no copper. Protein supplements for late gestation ewes, lactating ewes, rams and feeder lambs. Use it only when you give no alfalfa with corn. Urea can be fed to adults at 1-3% of feed. Sheep need 1/10 gallon to 3 gallons of water per day per animal.
Pigs can do very well in pastures, but even a well fed pig will nibble on a sick or dying animal. Horses can and will hurt pigs, so when feeding, separate them. Farmers used to plant mangels (fodder beet), turnips or rape. This can be given to cows too. Boars can be killed without neutering if they are kept quiet for about 24 hours before slaughter. Pigs need ½ gallon to 6 gallons of water per day per animal.
Due to over grazing, no rotating, or tilling, we do rob the pastures of natural supplements and make it more necessary to add grains. With livestock pastures should be rotated, rested, tilled and replanted as needed.
Stack your pasture with cows and chickens (bug control) and geese with sheep.
Some people do give out store surplus stale bread to all their livestock and it does work. But if you give them a lot right off the bat they can get sick. Rice bran can be given; we use it on underweight horses. Wheat bran we feed out in the cold weather and to older horses that need a little extra. Mineral oil can be kept on hand for occasional colic.
Natural herbal worming – caraway 56%, parsley 20%, chicory 10%, chervil and dill 14%. You can also use wormwood, mug wart, chicory and common tansy. They have found that the ingredient in some plants and ferns that are effective against parasites is filicic acid. Willow has salicin and it is said if you feed horses the leaves they will not get worms and a decoction of the bark treats flukes and diarrhea. Tannin also works. But I would discuss the options with a vet or vet school and see what is toxic in your area and what will work on the parasites in your area. Never use tobacco as it can damage the lining of the stomach. Injectable wormers have a longer shelf life than paste wormers.
Fly control helps reduce parasites. In easy fly control method is ¼ cup apple cider vinegar twice daily over food. Larva and such in your troughs add algae eaters and goldfish. Keep chickens in your pasture. For fleas adding some guinea fowl keets (they are great watch birds too) and sheep will help. (When we have sheep I do notice a decrease in the presence of fleas). Muscovy ducks eat mosquito larva in standing water.
In a SHTF situation remember that prevention will be a huge thing and our ability to treat ailments in our animals will be limited. Find alternatives now, look for what you will need later and buy extra.