Oklahoma State University: Veterinary Viewpoints - Old McDonald Had A Farm

Press release from Oklahoma State University:

August 17, 2021

Media Contact: Derinda Blakeney, APR | College of Veterinary Medicine | 405-744-6740 | derinda@okstate.edu

Old McDonald did indeed have a farm and what made his farm so entertaining to us as children, and perhaps now as we sing it with the children in our lives, was all the different animals he had. Multispecies farms are common around Oklahoma, and they do bring joy as the song indicates. There are, however, a few considerations when multiple species of animals are housed in proximity to one another. Certain medications, feeds and feed additives that are advantageous to the health of one species can actually be detrimental to other species.

Here are the top five dangers on a multispecies farm:

Remember, anything that is eaten shows up in the feces. So, the manure of these higher copper-tolerant species is also high in copper. I consulted once on a case of several sheep deaths on a farm that was adjacent to a swine operation. The sheep were in a pasture below the swine barn and there was runoff to the sheep pasture. The grass along the fence between the two was lush from all that fertilization and the sheep would graze down that fence line and die from copper toxicity.

Feeds are not the only sources of copper on an operation. Loose and block trace minerals, injectable trace mineral supplements, copper boluses, algaecides (copper sulfate), and other farm chemicals may also contain copper and be toxic.

I recently saw one of the worst cases of rumen acidosis I have ever seen in a beloved pet goat because she broke into the feed room and ate a large amount of waterfowl feed. She came in to us on Christmas morning unconscious and required a week of hospitalization to recover. The fine corn grind used in poultry and wild bird feeds is extremely dangerous to cattle, sheep and goats.

Here are some safety tips for caring for multiple animal species:

About the author: Meredyth Jones, DVM, MS, DACVIM, is an associate professor in food animal medicine and surgery at Oklahoma State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine. A Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (Large Animal), she also owns Large Animal Consulting & Education.

Veterinary Viewpoints is provided by the faculty of the OSU Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital. Certified by the American Animal Hospital Association, the hospital is open to the public providing routine and specialized care for all species and 24-hour emergency care, 365 days a year. Call 405-744-7000 for an appointment or more information.

OSU’s College of Veterinary Medicine is one of 32 accredited veterinary colleges in the United States and the only veterinary college in Oklahoma. The college’s Boren Veterinary Medical Hospital is open to the public and provides routine and specialized care for small and large animals. The hospital offers 24-hour emergency care and is certified by the American Animal Hospital Association. For more information, visit https://vetmed.okstate.edu or call 405-744-7000.

This press release was produced by Oklahoma State University. The views expressed here are the author’s own.