Feeding of sheep

FEEDING MANAGEMENT

The feeding and grazing conditions vary from place to place. The most favorable grazing time is soon after the onset of monsoon till the onset of winter. Grazing resources become extremely poor during summer months. During this period supplementary feeding should be done. Sheep generally thrive well on pasture. Attention should be paid on pasture improvement and management. Rotational grazing should be followed to avoid worm infection and unthriftiness, and to ensure availability of good pasture all the time. The fodder should be conserved in the form of hay and silage for the lean period. Fodder trees should be planted in the pasture to provide shade and fodder during the lean period to the grazing flocks. Supplementary feeding of concentrate should be done depending upon the physiological status and availability of grazing resource in the pasture.

Water : Water requirement of sheep very depending upon its physiological status and ambient temperature in different seasons. The sheep should be watered at least once a day at the rate of 2-3 litres per head per day. The requirement of water for crossbreds during summer months will be slightly more and may range between 5-6 litres. The younger ones may require 1-2 litres of water every day. Sheep breeds in arid regions have good adaptation to water restriction upto 48 hrs. Watering should be done in metallic troughs or cements channels. The flock should be weighed at least once in a week to the extent of at least 10% prior to being turned out for grazing. This work may be distributed over the week.

1) Feeding lambs up to two weeks : There is no feed equal to the ewe’s milk for putting rapid gains on young lamb because dam’s milk yield is closely related to early growth of lamb. Lambs depend entirely on dam’s milk upto 2 weeks. Colostrum is rich in fat, protein, vitamins etc. and contains antibodies to protect the lamb from infections. If the ewes are fed good ration during the last six weeks of gestation, it enhances milk production.

2) Feeding lambs beyond two weeks : The recommended rations are given below:-

Rate of feeding/day (approx) :-

3) Feeding suckling ewes : During suckling period, ewes should be fed good milk producing ration. She should be fed good legume hay or oat hay with little or no grain for a week. After she’s milking freely and her bowels are functioning normally with no sign of constipation, the amount of grains may be increased. If pasture is available, hay is not needed. The following rations can be used :-

4) Feeding adult sheep : Roughage part may be taken care by grazing, but 150 gm of concentrate (as for suckling ewes) with mineral mixture and salt must be fed. The nutritional requirements of various categories of sheep are as under :-

Note : Daily requirement of common salt is 2-8 gm, and carotene is 2-8 mg.

Flushing : Ewes which are to be bred should be underfed for about 45 days prior to breeding in order to prevent fat accumulation which reduces fertility. Two weeks prior to breeding, the ewes should be fed about 150-200 gm concentrate mixture daily along with good quality forages (cowpea, oat, doob grass, berseem). It conditions the animal and induces maturation of more number of follicles, and thus improves conception and twinning rate.

5) Feeding breeding rams : Good quality green fodders like maize, cowpea, oat, doob grass, lucerne, berseem etc. would meet all requirements of breeding rams. If forages fed are of poor quality like straw or sorghum hay, then 150-200 gms concentrate should be fed daily.

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Disclaimer : The information on this site is meant as an aid to students and fellow veterinarians and should be used for educational purposes only. The views expressed are solely that of the author and should not be construed to be that of his employer or any other organization.