GOAT AND SHEEP MANAGEMENT MANUAL BRIEF INTRODUCTION

Goats (Capra) and sheep (Ovis) are small ruminants. They are both members of different species. Despite their differences, there are a lot of similarities to their nutrition and management.

Goats are natural browsers (feed on tree leaves) and can graze on grass while sheep are naturally obligate grazers (feed on grass).

Complete feeds can be fed to goats and sheep as supplemental feed or complete meal.

IMPORTANT TIMES TO FEED

Before breeding (flush feeding): Flush feeding is the increased feed allowance prior the mating season. Flushing dry does/ewes before mating increases the fertility of females and therefore increasing the chances of multiple birth (twining)

Late Pregnancy (15 – 21 weeks): Goats and Sheep are pregnant for approximately 21 weeks; sufficient feeding is important during late pregnancy for higher kidding/lamb birth weights.

Early lactation: Sufficient milk production is important to feed kids/lambs especially for multiple births and directly affects the weaning rates and weaning weights. Winter/Dry Season: Supplementary feeding during winter is important to maintain the body weights of animals and general health of animals by providing essential nutrients and avoid nutrient deficiencies. Maintaining the body weights ensure that the flock starts breeding early during the breeding season.

Table 1 A typical feeding regime of a meat and dual-purpose goats and sheep

Animal Type Afresh Brands Feed

Kids/Lambs Kid/lamb Creep feed

Weaners Lucerne Cubes/Lucerne Chaff/Milled Lucerne/ Shandy Cubes

Growers (Yearling) Complete Sheep Finisher (Fattening for market)

Dry Doe /Ewe and Buck /Ram Lucerne Cubes/Lucerne Chaff/Milled Lucerne/ Shandy Cubes

Lactating Doe/Ewe Milled Lucerne / Lucerne Cubes

N.B Introduce animals gradually to new feeds with 50g/d increase the amount for a week until it reaches the recommended DM intake requiring to avoid possible bloating. After adaptation, can be fed adlib. Intake should be approximately 3,5% of body weight.

Young animals are playful, use feeding throughs that will not allow lambs/kids to sit in, stump on or spill feed and water to avoid wastage.

Figure 1 Examples of feeder and drinkers used for goats and sheep

Source:https://d1lds9cvq82c7x.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Goat-Production-Handbook.pdf

Water

Provide clean cool water always in a clean accessible drinker to your animals. Water uptake translates directly to feed intakes. No water, No eating.

Table 2 List of common health problems in goats and sheep and possible solutions

Disease Possible Cause (s)

Treatment Recommended product

Heart water Bont ticks Dip heavily infested animals and inject animals with a visible sign of heartwater. Dip dead animal to avoid infected ticks from infecting other animals

Short acting Terramycin or Doxymycine for 3 days.

Scours/diarrhoea Rapid changes in diet or Gastro intestinal

Gradually introduce new diets over a week. Regular dosing for intestinal worms and treatment with antibiotics

For suckling kids/lambs Give, 1 spoon salt and 8 spoons of sugar in 1 litre of clean boiled

infectious disease

water for 1 – 2 days, don’t allow sucking or give milk for while giving the mixture. Powder Terramycin for 3 to 4 days (follow instruction on packaging)

Bloat Grazing on green lurcen and clover or unlimited access to grains/high starch feeds

Limit access to high protein green pastures or gradually introduce to high starch feeds.

Give 50ml of cooking oil or bloat guard. Keep animal on its feed or walking.

Regular dosing, dipping and vaccinating will prevent most of infectious diseases. Injecting long actin Terramycin every 3 -4 months will prevent most infectious diseases.

SHELTER

Have a shelter that has a roof to provide shade during hot days and keep animals dry in rainy weathers. Keep shelter open sided to allow air flow.

Figure 2 A typical goat and sheep shelter for protection from predation and harsh weather.

NB Keep a Goat Production handbook provided by the Department of Agriculture and rural development for more information on goat and sheep production. Download: https://d1lds9cvq82c7x.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Goat-Production-Handbook.pdf

Goat Production Handbook 2015 ISBN 978-1-928310-26-6 Prepared by: Mdukatshani, Heifer International-South Africa and KwaZulu-Natal Department of Agriculture and Rural Development