Unit 10: Sheep Feeding
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Transcript Unit 10: Sheep Feeding
Unit 10: Sheep Feeding
Chapter 10
Unit 10: Sheep Feeding
Unit 10 Objectives:
Outline life-cycle feeding programs for sheep
Knowledge of nutrient needs and additive
options
Understand nutrient related diseases and
disorders
Unit 10: Sheep Feeding
Largest single cost of production in all
types of sheep operations
Must support optimum production,
promote efficiency, be economical to feed,
minimize metabolic problems
Breeding Flock
Ewes are most important to sheep operations
Produce wool
Raise lambs
Both greatly influenced by nutrition
Unit 10: Sheep Feeding
Genetics are important, but the feeding
program is crucial
Sheep producers can realize more income over
investment than all other meat animal
producers
Recommended flock size is 100 or more ewes,
minimum of 35 (1 ram)
Choosing a Lambing System
Early Lambing (Jan-Feb)
Lamb prices are highest in May & June when most early
lambs can be marketed
More labor available to tend to the flock
Unit 10: Sheep Feeding
Parasite problems are less and less severe
Stocking rate can be higher
Don’t need expensive facilities
Late Lambing (Mar-Apr)
Roughages can provide most of feed for ewes and
lambs
Lambing facilities don’t need to be as good for early
lambs
Less care and management needed before and during
breeding season for good conception
Lambs can be marketed w/out feeding much
concentrate
Lamb prices are substantially lower in fall & early
winter
Unit 10: Sheep Feeding
High quality pastures are a must
Parasite control is critical, risk for infestation is high
Feed Requirements
1 ewe and her lambs
4 bu grain & 800 lbs of hay/yr
5-6 mos good pasture grazing, 2 mos winter pasture
(or 800 lb more hay)
Poor quality hay = more grain supplementation
Feeding for Maintenance
Mature ewes (3-8 yrs)
Feed enough to maintain physiological function from
weaning until 15 wks gestation
Prevent weight loss in previous lactation
Unit 10: Sheep Feeding
Pasture is adequate for maintaining ewes, if good
quality is available
Feeding & Care at Breeding Time
Remove ewes from pasture ~2 wks before breeding
season
Some research indicates hormone interferences with
reproductive success while on legume pastures
Begin to condition the ewes in order to bring them
into breeding about the same time and shorten
lambing window
Unit 10: Sheep Feeding
Feeding after Breeding
Gestation = 147-150d
First 3.5 mos
Maintain body condition with good pasture and/or hay
Last 1.5 mos
Poor care at this point can result in:
Lambing paralysis or pregnancy disease
Weak lambs
Drop in milk production
Low wool clip
Light wool clip
Energy requirements are increasing during this period
Protein, min/vit as well
Unit 10: Sheep Feeding
Rations may vary due to time of lambing
Pasture Ewe Nutrition
Present and previous stocking rate of pasture greatly
affects nutritional content
Overgrazed pastures are unproductive and unpalatable
Pasture forages
Grass plants
Utilize a mixture of cool/warm season grasses
Legumes
Can provide higher protein source than mature
grasses
Unit 10: Sheep Feeding
Pasture supplementation
Depends on condition of the pasture
May have to supplement:
Energy, CP, P, Vit A, water
Use care to not increase cost too much
Pregnancy Disease
Lambing Paralysis or Ketosis
Caused by lack of usable CHO’s
Usually affects older ewes (especially those carrying
twins/triplets)
Most cases occur with ewes in poor condition
Acetone smell on the breath, lagging behind flock,
staggering, paralysis
Unit 10: Sheep Feeding
Prevention
Increase energy content prior to lambing
Maintain proper body condition
Treatment
Administer molasses, propylene glycol, or dextrose
solution
If exhibited by a group of ewes, add ¼ to ½ lb of
molasses to diet
Feeding the Lactating Ewe
Nutritional requirements are 2-3x greater than
maintenance
Ewes w/ twin lambs produce 20-40% more milk than
singles, nutritional requirements adjust accordingly
Unit 10: Sheep Feeding
Milk production peaks ~2-3 wks after lambing and
lasts until ~8th wk
Milk production of 3-6+ lbs daily
Milk provides primary source of nutrition for lambs
for 1st mo or 2
Don’t force the ewe to eat right away after lambing
Provide lots of clean/fresh water
Little bit of feed
Increase slowly about day 3
Splitting the amount fed/feeding decreases acidosis
Nursing 1 lamb = feed 1x/d
Nursing 2 lambs = feed 2x/d etc.
Unit 10: Sheep Feeding
Ensure proper mineral supplementation
Feeding Lambs
New life
Must nurse w/in first hr
Most do w/in 30 min
Ensure proper antibody transfer to ewe to lamb
Consume at least 6-8 oz of colostrum
Bottle feed, if necessary
Largest portion of lamb loss due to starvation in 1st wk
Orphan lambs, milk production problems, etc.
Triplets, and weak lambs
Unit 10: Sheep Feeding
Using milk replacer
Should switch quickly after birth
House in clean/dry area w/ other lambs
Goal is ½ to 1 lb milk replacer consumption/d
2 feedings
Wean ~3wks to reduce feeding cost and increase rate
of gain in the lamb
Access to dry feed & water
Feeding Market Lambs
Early lambs
Healthy lambs will begin eating dry feed at 10d of age
Creep feeding is recommended to increase weaning wts
Unit 10: Sheep Feeding
Weaning
25lb wt at 25-30 d artificially reared
18-19% CP diet fully fortified until 50lb BW
Lambs normally reared – no weaning necessary
as ewe takes care of it ~40lbs
Reduce stress
Maximizing gain & conversions
10-16% CP diets
Should gain rapidly & efficiently until 75100lbs (especially crossbred lambs)
After 100lbs BW, reduce to 13-14% CP diet to
save cost
Some producers will feed the same feed from
creep until ~100lbs BW
Simplifies feeding
~15% CP diets
Unit 10: Sheep Feeding
For grow/finish lambs: shelled corn, hay, and
supplement
BMP’s
Start lambs on complete pellet to ensure
intake
Vaccinate for enterotoxemia 2x
Make gradual ration changes (7-10d)
Feed 2x/d at regular times
Feed high quality hay
>12” bunk space/lamb
Free choice salt, plenty of water
Unit 10: Sheep Feeding
Feeding methods
Self-feeding
Saves labor
Increases the grain feeding amount
Hand-feeding
Feed 2x/d
Easily identify lambs not eating/sick
Most used method when feeding silage
Pasture
Several options – can use early, then finish
lambs on grain; pasture until finished
Takes longer to finish lambs on 100% pasture
Unit 10: Sheep Feeding
Reduces cost/lb gain
Keep rations vit fortified to reduce diseases,
improve immune response
Late
lambs
Good pasture is key
Top lambs can be marketed right off pasture
remaining lambs can be fed
Enterotoxemia in Nursing Lambs
Overeating
disease
Usually affects the largest, fastest gaining
lambs
Unit 10: Sheep Feeding
Clostridium perfringens bacteria
Treat w/ antitoxin
Effective for 2-3 wks
Vaccination
effective for 5-6 mos
Some vaccinate ewes 1 mo before lambing
Vaccinate early weaning lambs 2x prior to
weaning
Vaccinate older lambs when moving
Feeding Replacement Ewe Lambs
Breeding
ewes as lambs to lamb at 1 yr of
age (7-8 mos old)
Unit 10: Sheep Feeding
Advantages
Gets ewes in production sooner
Shortens generation interval, increases genetic
progress
Increases lifetime production
Identifies most productive ewes
Keep replacement lambs off possible finished-type diets
Control diet to minimize over conditioning
Unit 10: Sheep Feeding
Miscellaneous
Urea
Can be fed up to 1.5% of diet
Don’t use in creep rations, range rations, lamb
rations w/ low energy
Grow/finish only
Mix carefully
Additives & implants
Chlorotet/Oxytet in creep rations for nursing lambs &
finishing rations improves gain & efficiency
Best response under stress conditions
Be aware of feeding rates
Unit 10: Sheep Feeding
Bovatec for Coccidiosis control
Ralgro
Results inconsistent
3-5% improvement in gains in nursing & feeder lambs
Ammonium sulfate or chloride
.5% inclusion minimizes urinary calculi