UMO Agricultural Grants (Bangor, Wells, Washington: university, live in, agriculture)

[BrokenTap]

As you probably heard, the University of Maine recently got awarded some agricultural grants recently to the tune of 1.5 million dollars. Typically we hear about the money but never know what it is used for who who it helps. Well I am proud to say that I have teamed up with the University of Maine Cooperative Extension in this regard and we are going to try and devise some ways to rid my flock, and other flocks in Maine, of foot rot within sheep.

Sheep have been a staple of Maine Agriculture for years, and while diminished now, I think they are poised for a major comeback. Lamb is delicious for one, the ethnic market is huge, and with farm size getting smaller, you can get more weight of meat per given acre then you can with beef cows. We got a ways to go before sheep are a major commodity in Maine, but its good to see the UMO Cooperative Extension starting to realize this and dedicated to the lowly ole Maine Sheep Farmer!

I figured it out, and this year alone I have spent something like 20 grand on trying to rid my flock of sheep of foot rot, so the grants the UMO is honest to goodness going to help real Maine farmers. With genetic testing, vaccination testing and some other measures, the money from some of these grants will put UMO on the map as being very progressive in some cutting edge sheep care. If I can rid my flock of foot rot, I will certainly be able to turn a profit and maintain, not only a Maine Family Farm (who sells locally mind you) but also promote sheep farming to others in Maine.

This is very good news and I just wanted Mainer's to know, these grants aren't just government waste, it should truly help Maine Agriculture!

[Maineah]

I'll take only 1.2 million and tell you to put little sheep boots on your sheep to keep their feet dry. No foot rot!

[tcrackly]

Kudos to you, Broken tap for being a good part of the system! I think people need to be told that a lot of obscure funding really does have good impact in the community.

[arctichomesteader]

Originally Posted by Maineah

I'll take only 1.2 million and tell you to put little sheep boots on your sheep to keep their feet dry. No foot rot!

Sheep waders come mud season.

[BrokenTap]

Originally Posted by Maineah

I'll take only 1.2 million and tell you to put little sheep boots on your sheep to keep their feet dry. No foot rot!

There isn't any mud on my farm! I live way on top of the hill and can see Mount Washington and the City of Bangor standing in the same spot and I live in Waldo County! Water only has one choice here, run down hill, but it can choose two different watersheds when it does...the Penobscot or the Kennebec. :-)

Actually foot rot is a bacteria infection that affects the hoof. Their are different strains and unfortunately I have the insidious cross between the two strains making it very tough to combat. I have been doing some pretty intensive stuff to rid me of it from the farm, but so far have not found the right combination. That is why this research stuff will be of such help to me. With a little help (I farm alone) I think I can get a handle on this issue I hope. If nothing else the genetic testing will enable me to make some important cull decisions.

[tcrackly]

Is it a bacteria from the soil or airborne. Here is Wells the sandy soil has a huge variety of fungi that grow. I've noticed several forms,that never produce mushrooms they are just a bloom on the ground's surface for a week or two. I've often wondered if it is something that might be a benefit or a hazard. I think my dog is allergic to some kids of terrestrial fungi.

[Submariner]

That is neat!

Maine does have a lot of bacteria and fungi that infect things.

We have had four raised beds of mushrooms that this year became engulfed with a black-rot spore that only focuses on mushrooms. There is no known fungicide that will rid it, our entire garlic operation is gone.

Back to the foot-rot bacteria, I too had assumed that it was fungi related [being a rot]. I would be interested in hearing your results.

[Maineah]

Originally Posted by BrokenTap

There isn't any mud on my farm! I live way on top of the hill and can see Mount Washington and the City of Bangor standing in the same spot and I live in Waldo County! Water only has one choice here, run down hill, but it can choose two different watersheds when it does...the Penobscot or the Kennebec. :-)

Actually foot rot is a bacteria infection that affects the hoof. Their are different strains and unfortunately I have the insidious cross between the two strains making it very tough to combat. I have been doing some pretty intensive stuff to rid me of it from the farm, but so far have not found the right combination. That is why this research stuff will be of such help to me. With a little help (I farm alone) I think I can get a handle on this issue I hope. If nothing else the genetic testing will enable me to make some important cull decisions.

Naturally I was just funnin' with ya. I'm sure it's a serious problem. We had a similar problem with our turkeys. They got blackfoot which was a form of foot rot in poultry. It was a hard thing to get rid of and involved sanitizing all of the pens and making sure we used only pine shavings in their pens. Pine is a natural disinfectant and helps kill the bacteria. The effort paid off and we raised some nice birds after the infection was gone.

[Northern Maine Land Man]

Couple of pertinent facts to this thread:

About a third of all the biomass on earth is fungus of one kind or another.

Good luck with increasing sheep farming in Maine. Maybe you can promote a renewal of the coyote snaring program because until the coyote population is brought back under control the sheep population in Maine will continue to decline.

[Maineah]

Originally Posted by Northern Maine Land Man

Couple of pertinent facts to this thread:

About a third of all the biomass on earth is fungus of one kind or another.

Good luck with increasing sheep farming in Maine. Maybe you can promote a renewal of the coyote snaring program because until the coyote population is brought back under control the sheep population in Maine will continue to decline.

I heard a coyote howling while I was on stand deer hunting today at noon. I have never heard one during the day before.