Transcript Small Ruminant Production—An Overview
Small Ruminant Production: An Overview
Linda Coffey, NCAT
1-800-346-9140 www.attra.ncat.org
Small ruminant production
• A strong demand for lamb and goat meat has led to a resurgence of interest in sheep and goat production • Small ruminants (sheep and goats) work well for small acreages or as a supplementary enterprise with cattle • Sheep and goats offer many advantages to livestock farms • Goal: to learn at least five advantages of small ruminants and five challenges, and be able to decide which species to raise in a given situation
Sheep and goats
• Ruminants • Similar size • Gestation length • Similar diets • Fencing requirements • Facilities • Multiple births
Similar advantages
• Small size • Requires little feed or land • Prolific and productive • Strong market demand: good prices • Useful in vegetation control – weeds, brush, multiflora rose, invasive weeds, including sericea lespedeza, kudzu, others – good companion grazers with cattle; pasture improvers
Uses of sheep and goats
• Meat (many ethnic groups prefer goat or lamb, especially for holidays and festivals) • Milk • Fiber (wool, mohair, cashmere) • Weed and brush control • Skins/pelts/leather • Pets and hobbies (we might as well admit it!)
Similar problems
• Internal parasites • May be difficult to contain • Markets MAY be harder to locate • Predator problems • Prejudice from cowboys
But sheep and goats are not the same
Terminology
Sheep • ram • ewe • lamb • wether = = = = • lamb meat, mutton chevon Goat buck (or billy) doe (or nanny) kid wether = cabrito,
Grazing behavior
• Sheep – Prefer short, tender vegetation; graze very close – Eat a variety of weeds • Goats – Selective – Prefer to graze taller plants and browse – Intake drops quickly if forage is too short – Opportunistic (think of deer)
Chickweed Wild lettuce Pigweed
Multiflora rose Green briar Black locust
Black locust Paulownia Mulberry Mimosa
Question:
What is one advantage of the goat’s behavior in grazing?
Species Preference Food Variety Antagonistic Fighting Dominance
Behavior
Sheep Goats Grass Monotonous Butt head on Butt Browse Need Variety Sideways hooking Rear on hind legs Leader sheep; not strongly dominant Queen doe; clear heirarchy
Species
Observations
Sheep Newborn young Remain by mother Alarm signal Snort; stamp one forefoot Alarm response Bunch up Goats Freezing some distance away “Sneeze” Thin line Tail Beard Hangs down Absent Stands up Present in bucks and some does
Separate the sheep from the goats...
Grazing Preferences
Rationale for multispecies grazing
Browse Goats Sheep Forb Grass Cattle
Small ruminants in combination with cattle
• •
Complementary to cattle Can add one ewe per cow with no additional feed costs and no detrimental effects
•
May improve profitability per acre by 25% over cattle alone
Multispecies grazing – benefits to sustainability
• Maximize the use of resources (forage, labor, facilities) • Improve pastures by – encouraging diversity of plants – reducing clumps – controlling weeds and brush – reducing parasite infestations on pastures
Multispecies grazing – benefits to sustainability
• Meat production per species and per acre is higher • Increases flexibility and options –marketing –managing forages • Diversified income sources –reduce risk –improve cash flow
Multispecies grazing – methods
• Mob grazing--all run as one group • Leader/follower--matching animal with highest requirements to forages of highest quality • Alternate grazing--one portion of farm used for one species; switch later (or, stocker steers one year, stocker sheep the next)
Multispecies grazing – management concerns
•
Knowledge
• Fences--adapt cattle fences; 3 to 5 strands electric, 4,500 volts minimum • Minerals--avoid excess copper for sheep (goats can use cattle mineral) • Facilities--sheep will need some shelter if lambing in cold weather, goats like shelter in wet weather (not fancy) • Labor--availability and timing
Multispecies grazing – management concerns
• Ratios –dependent on type of forages available –1:1 to use extra weeds –6:1 (ewes to cows) to maximize pounds of meat per acre
Pasture type Excellent Pasture Brushy Pasture Brush eradication Brush maintenance
Stocking rate
Cows Sheep Goats 1 5-6 6-8 1 6-7 9-11 8-12/acre 1-3/acre Cows + goats 1 + 1-2 1 + 2-4 .5 + 6-8
• Order –Graze in a mob, or –Cattle first to use taller, coarser growth, sheep or goats to harvest weeds cattle rejected; or –Lambs, kids and calves to select the best, ewes, does and cows to clean up; or –Lambs and ewes followed by dry cows to utilize rejected forage
Must match nutrition to production stage
Recommendation: 1 to 2 goats per head of cattle
Multispecies grazing – management concerns
• Grazing height preferred for sheep: begin at 6-8 inches and move when grazed down to 2.5 to 4 inches
Caution!
Avoid over-grazing. Sheep can graze very close to the ground. Management is crucial.
Grazing management
• Question: what are two reasons to avoid grazing close to the ground?
• How could you prevent close grazing?
Grazing Management
Major considerations for grazing sheep and goats
Sheep and goats should have
4 to 5% of body weight
in dry matter (DM) available daily. (Requirements vary with production stage and size of animal; dairy goats have higher needs.)
Daily intake is most critical!
• Low intakes, excellent rations: average performance • High intakes, moderate rations: above expected performance
Grazing management
AVAILABLE FORAGE Excellent forage management will pay dividends in lowered production costs and increased gains and improved health. Daily intake is most critical !
Production stage:
• To lower costs, try to match needs of the animal to the production of the forage.
• Over-feeding is expensive and counter productive; fat ewes and does do not do well at breeding or lambing time.
• Under-feeding leads to low birth weights and poor milk supplies.
Major considerations for grazing sheep
Must
match
nutrition to
production stage
.
Major considerations
Production stage:
Breeding--flush with better nutrition prior to turning in ram or buck and for several weeks afterward
Major considerations
Production stage:
Early gestation--low requirements; fair to good pasture (15 weeks from breeding) Late gestation (last 6 weeks)--good pasture, 1/4 pound grain (assuming average condition) Caution:
avoid pure stands of infected fescue
for
late gestation
grazing
Major considerations
Production stage:
Lactation--first 6 or 8 weeks, high requirements; excellent pasture, or 4 to 5 pounds hay and 1-2 pounds grain. Taper off near weaning.
Ideally, feed ewes with twins on the best forage. Yearling ewes and does also need excellent forage as they are growing as well as lactating.
Major considerations
Production stage:
Dry--very low requirements; may use the ewes and does to clean up pastures at this point. Ewes and does may be dry for 3 or 4 months before breeding.
This allows ewes and does to easily gain weight; do not allow them to become fat!
Recommendations for lambs and kids on grass
• Lambs should graze clean pasture • Have salt/mineral mix, fresh water, shade available • Shear wooly lambs before hot weather • Use low stocking rates and clean up with cattle or dry ewes or does • Monitor for parasites and treat as needed (FAMACHA™)
Review
• Tell three benefits of small ruminants • What are three problems of small ruminants?
• Explain the nutritional needs of a ewe and doe and how they vary through a year • What are three advantages of multispecies grazing?
But, will they pay??
“It depends!” On. . . 1) Price per pound 2) Production costs 3) Price per pound of wool 4) Days to market
5) Weaning percentage
Factors affecting profitability
1) Price per pound of meat • Seasonal changes • Direct marketing • Auctions/buyers • Size and finish
Factors affecting profitability
2) Production costs •
Keep feed costs low by using forages
• Reduce vet costs through preventive care;
have a good working relationship with a veterinarian
• Need good nutrition for productive animals; over-feeding is wasteful and expensive
Cost of production, reproductive performance, and profitability
Kidding percentage Doe cost ($/head/year)
30 35 80% 90% 100% 125% 150% 200% 0.83 0.74 0.67 0.53 0.97 0.86 0.78 0.62 0.44 0.52 0.30 0.39 40 45 50 1.11 0.99 0.89 0.71 1.25 1.11 1.00 0.80 1.39 1.23 1.11 0.89 60 1.67 1.48 1.33 1.07 Assumed market weight: 45 lbs. 0.59 0.67 0.74 0.89 0.44 0.50 0.56 0.67
Factors affecting profitability
3) Price per pound of wool • Quality counts!
• Niche marketing is likely to result in best price • Wool pool/cooperatives • Value-added options
Factors affecting profitability
4) Days to market • Affects feed costs and efficiency • Labor costs • Depends on genetic capability and nutritional resources • Weather influences • Target weights depend on buyer
Advantages of direct marketing
• No transport cost • No shrink • Less stress for animals • Seller sets price • No commission, yardage, etc.
• Makes connections with buyers • May be more convenient • Buyer pays with cash on the spot
Disadvantages of direct marketing
• May be inconvenient (drop-ins) • May be time-consuming • Seller must be able to bargain • Buyer may not be prepared to haul • Buyer may want to slaughter at farm
Factors affecting profitability
5) WEANING PERCENTAGE • Influenced by lambing percentage • fertility season flushing • newborn lamb survivability • Influenced by flock health • nutrition • predator control • preventative health care
Effect of Weaning Percentage on Potential Income*
Price/ Pound
.90 1.00 1.10 1.20 1.30
Pounds lamb sold per ewe 1 100
$90 100 110 120 130
140
$126 140 154 168 182
160
$144 160 176 192 208
180
$162 180 198 216 234 1 Assumes 100 pound average selling weight * From
Cost of production, reproductive performance, and profitability 30 35 40 45 50 60 Doe cost ($/head/year) 80% 90% 100% 125% 150% 200% 0.83 0.74 0.67 0.53 0.44 0.30 0.97 0.86 0.78 0.62 1.11 0.99 0.89 0.71 1.25 1.11 1.00 0.80 1.39 1.23 1.11 0.89 1.67 1.48 1.33 1.07 0.52 0.39 0.59 0.44 0.67 0.50 0.74 0.56 0.89 0.67 Assumed market weight: 45 lbs.
Major considerations
Production stage:
To lower costs, try to match needs of the animal to the production of the forage.
Challenge: when should you be lambing the ewes?
It depends
!
• How and when are you marketing lambs?
• How do you intend to protect lambs from parasite infestation? • What is your climate like?
• What forages can you provide for lambs?
• Do you have shelter and labor available to lamb in a barn (early?) • Are purchased feeds cheap in your area?
Major considerations
1) AVAILABLE FEED
2) Markets Auctions or buyers Direct market Pooled sale 3) Parasites 4) Climate/weather influences 5) Predators
Annual Summary of Productivity and Price
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Grain Prices - (low price)
Forage Availability High Temperatures
Labor Availability
Parasites (high load) Lamb Prices
Feeder Calf Prices Stocker Prices Cull Cows Highest or Best periods Transition period Lowest or Worst periods
Choosing which small ruminant
• Goats or sheep?
• Is there a difference?
Major consideration
Do you like sheep?
Differences in productivity
• Meat: growth potential – Lambs on pasture with mothers gained about .5 pounds/day from birth to weaning (Schwulst, 1995, KS data; Rambouillet, Tunis, Romanov, and Katahdin rams used on crossbred ewes) – Lambs fed 16% protein ration in drylot gained .72 pounds per day for 45-day trial. Another trial later in the summer, .67 pounds per day. (Katahdin-sired lambs, North Dakota data, Moore, 2001)
More lamb gains
• Lambs grazing alfalfa gained .43 pounds per day, while lambs confined and fed hay and grain gained .46 pounds per day. (feed cost lower for alfalfa-grazed group, Poore and Green, NCSU, 1995) • Lambs grazing fescue and eating a small amount of creep feed gained .57 pounds per day (Coffey, 2003, Feb. through March)
More lamb gains
• Ross (1972, MU) studied summer gains in drylot; unsheared lambs gained .33 pounds per day, shorn gained .48. • Lambs in KSU study (Rambouillet, Tunis, Romanov, Katahdin sires) gained .6 pounds from weaning to market; feed/gain about 5.2 pounds/pound of gain; feed intake about 4 pounds a day
So how much can a lamb gain?
• Brief review of literature found a range of – .33 pound/day to .86 pound/day – with .5 pound/day being reasonable • reductions in gain during summer heat, higher gains when supplemented with grain (also higher cost)
Goat gains
• Depends greatly on breeding and on management • In North Carolina, TN Stiffleg-sired goats were fed hay or hay plus .25 pound/head of 16% supplement. Gains averaged .065 or .091 pounds per day; pounds of feed per pound of gain, 25.6 or 19.3. (Poore and Green, 1995) • Does it make sense to feed this type of goat?
More goat gains
• Boer influence increases feed efficiency and gains.
• During a 66-day trial where goats were self fed a 14% protein pellet, ADG; • Spanish.25 pounds, 10.8 pounds feed/gain • 1/4 Boer .33 pounds, 8.2 pounds feed/gain • 1/2 Boer .49 pounds, 8.3 pounds feed/gain (Machen, Texas A&M, 1995)
More goat gains
• In North Carolina, Boer and Boer-cross does averaging 62 pounds grazed small-grain rye, ryegrass, or triticale pastures. Gain approximately .3 pound/day (Luginbuhl, 1998) • In Texas, Boer and Boer-cross kids nursing mothers who were generously fed gained – .59 pounds and .43 pounds per day – several does weaned more than 100 pounds of kids at 100 days; that’s 600 pounds of marketable product per animal unit at 100 days post-partum! (Machen, 1995)
More goat gains
• Boer bucks on test at Langston University gained an average of .6 pounds per day.
Range • ADG, .29 to .89 pounds per day • Feed Efficiency 3.98 to 25.6 pounds feed/gain • Why might you want to know the gaining ability of the buck you use?
So, how much can a goat gain?
• Very wide variation • Affected by genetics and by feed supply • Unimproved Spanish on range: .025 lbs/day • Fullblood Boer on ample feed: .86 lbs/day • Feed efficiency range for Boers on test: 3.98 to 11.7 pounds feed to pound of gain
Questions:
• What do the studies mentioned tell you?
• Which animal (sheep or goat) seems better suited to feedlot production?
• What other considerations (besides feed efficiency and rate of gain) are economically important?
Other factors to consider
• Maintenance cost of doe/ewe • Market price of kids/lambs • Prolificacy • Ease of handling • Personal preference • Type of forage available
Why raise goats?
Why goats?
• For weed and brush control • As a complementary enterprise to cattle to improve resource utilization • For land reclamation • For increased profit potential • More economically efficient on smaller operations (than cattle)
Goats in land and forage management
• In a NC State study, after 4 years of goat grazing pastures containing herbaceous weeds, vines, multiflora rose, blackberry and hardwood sprouts, pastures became dominated with grass and clover.
• In a West Virginia study, goats reduced brush cover from 45% to less than 15% in one season.
Preferred browse
• Multiflora rose • Blackberry • Willow • Locust • Walnut • Oak/hickory • Sumac • Persimmon/sassafras • Buckbrush • Most young hardwoods • Cedar
Preferred weeds
• Chicory (at bloom) • Ironweed (at bloom) • Ox eye daisy • Queen Anne’s lace • Yarrow • Pigweed • Curly dock • Ragweed • Crown vetch • Sericea lespedeza
Preferred forages (observed by Mark Kennedy, MO)
• Tall fescue (vegetative and fall stockpile) • Cheat-spring preference • Orchardgrass • Crabgrass • Foxtail, purpletop, barnyardgrass; pre head • Annual lespedeza • Hop clover (full bloom) • White clover and red clover (light use, bloom and later)
Pasture type Excellent Pasture Brushy Pasture Brush eradication Brush maintenance Stocking rate Cows Sheep Goats Cows + goats 1 5-6 6-8 1 + 1-2 1 6-7 9-11 8-12/acre 1-3/acre 1 + 2-4 .5 + 6-8
Economic comparison
• Cattle – 1 cow/calf unit/3 acres – 95% calf crop – 500 lb. weaning weight – 475 lb. weaned/3 acres – 158.3 lbs./acre • Goats – 8 goat/kid units/3 acres – 150% kid crop – 60 lb. weaning weight – 720 lbs. weaned/3 acre – 240 lbs./acre What is the price per pound?
Cattle + Goats =
• 1 cow/calf unit + 2 goats/3 acres • 475 lbs. weaned + 180 lbs. weaned = 655 lb.
• “free” brush control • In several studies the addition of goats to a cattle operation added 25% net return • (also true of adding sheep to cattle operation)
Increasing inventory/equity
• Cattle – start with 1 cow – save all females for 5 years--sell all males – 95% calf crop – 50/50 heifer/bull calves – At the end of 5 years: •
5 females in herd
•
5 bulls sold
• Goats – start with one doe – save all females for 5 years--sell all males – 150% kid crop – 50/50 doe/buck kids – At the end of 5 years: •
24 females in herd
•
24 males sold
Recommendation: 1 to 2 goats per head of cattle
Review
Goats: • Are similar to sheep in many ways • Offer pasture improvement services • Are a good companion enterprise to cattle, increasing profits by increasing pounds of meat produced per acre • Can be profitable if costs are kept low and animals are prolific
Questions ?
The National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT) is a nonprofit organization that helps people and communities. NCAT champions small scale, sustainable and local solutions to reduce poverty, protect communities and promote natural resources. Since 1976, NCAT has weatherized houses, trained farmers, monitored energy use and demonstrated renewable technology. NCAT works on local and national projects that foster a healthy quality of life for everyone.