Comprehensive Sheep Nutrition and Management Guide

1. Sheep Nutrition and Management Keith Vander Velde UW Extension Livestock Specialist March 11, 2000 Stevens Point, Wisconsin

2. Sheep Nutrition and Management Goals: • 95% Conception rate • 175% Lambing rate • Less than 10% mortality • Longevity of breeding flock

3. Sheep Nutrition and Management • Divide the Management into the various stages of production • Energy and Protein vary with productions stage and the number of lambs born

4. Sheep Nutrition and Management Factors to consider: • Age • Size(Weight • Condition • Type of confinement • Stage of Production • Pregnancy • Lactation • Feed Quality and quantity • Health status of ewes • Season of year • Weather, heat vs. wind chill factors

5. Sheep Nutrition and Management Pre-breeding • Sort for open mouths and bad udders • Do body condition scoring on ewes and rams • Trim feet if necessary • Flush ewes with good pasture of add .25 lbs of grain per day 14 days prior to breeding

6. Sheep Management Calendar Breeding Season • Keep flushing ewes • Leave rams in for 60 days maximum Early Pregnancy thru 4 months • Stop flushing but avoid rapid weight loss • Vaccinate for Vibrio and EAE • Condition score ewes

7. Sheep Management Calendar Last 30 Days Prior to Lambing • Feed one to two pounds of grain per day • Give Enterotoxemia Injection to new ewes • Shear ewes

8. Sheep Management Calendar During Lactation: • Ewes with singles should have 1.5 lbs of grain • Ewes with twins should receive 2-2.5 lbs of grain • Ewes with triplets should receive 3-4 lbs of grain

9. Sheep Management Calendar Nurtient Requirements for 155 lb ewe TDN Protein • Maintenance 1.5 .25 • Early Pregnancy 1.7 .29 • Late Pregnancy 2.8 .47 • Lactation-single 3.6 .73 • Lactation-twin 4.0 .92 • Lactation-triplets 4.2 1.02

10. Sheep Management Calendar Ration for Meeting 155 lbs ewes requirements • Maintenance---3.25 lbs hay(16.5% Protein) • Early Pregnancy---- 3.75 lbs hay(16.5% Protein) • Late Pregnancy---4.20 lbs hay plus 1 lb corn • Early Lactation Single-5 lbs hay plus 1.5 corn • Early Lactation Twin-5 lbs hay plus 2.25 corn • Early Lactation Triplets-3.5 hay, 3.2 corn, .5 SBOM

11. Sheep Management Calendar Weaning: • Limit forage and water intake 2-3 days prior for ewes • Have lambs on creep feed or bunk trained • Remove ewes from lamb environment

12. Sheep Diseases At Lambing Causing Abortion: • Vibrionic Abortion-Campylobacter fetus intes-tinalis • Enzootic Abortion(EAE)-chlamydia • Toxoplasmosis-cat feces

13. Sheep Metabolic Disorders Pregnancy toxemia-lack of energy in late pregnancy(Lamb Ketosis) Hypercalcemia(Milk Fever)-calcium going for milk production

14. Body Condition Scoring • Range of 1-5 • Classifying differences in body fatness • Done by feeling by hand themuscling and fat over and around the vertebrae in the loin(area near last rib) • 2.5 thru 3.5 is desireable range

15. Score Description 1 Ewes in this body condition have only a slight amount of fatty tissue detectable between skin and bone. Spinous process are relatively prominent. These ewes appear thrifty but have only minimal fat reserves. 2 Ewes in this body condition have average flesh but do not have excess fat reserves. This condition score includes ewes in average body condition. 3 Ewes in this body condition have average flesh but do not have excess fat reserves. This condition score includes ewes in average body condition. 4 This condition score includes ewes that are moderately fat. Moderate fat deposits give sheep a smooth external appearance 5 Includes ewes that are extremely fat. Excess fat deposits can easily be seen in the brisket, flank and tail-head regions. These ewes have excess fat reserves to the point that productivity may be impaired.