SUSAN SCHOENIAN (Shāy-nē-ŭn)Sheep & Goat SpecialistWestern Maryland Research & Education Centersschoen@umd.edu - www.sheepandgoat.com

Nutritional management

Nutritional requirements change and are affected by many different factors.

Species Genetic type Size (weight) Age Sex Stage of

production Level of production Body condition Environment

Livestock require nutrients, not specific feedstuffs.Feedstuffs contain varying amounts of nutrients.

1. Water2. Energy3. Protein4. Fats5. Vitamins6. Minerals

Fiber

Livestock require quantities (not percentages) of nutrients.

Pounds, kilograms, grams, or calories. Energy (TDN, ME, NE) Protein (CP)

Grams (g) Macro minerals

Parts per million (ppm) Micro minerals

International units (IU) Vitamins

About percentages

It is assumed that livestock will eat (or be fed) a certain percentage of their body weight in dry matter.

Recommended dietary percentages are based on dry matter intake.

The new NRC (2007) requirements no longer give percentage requirements of nutrients.

The most useful use of percentages is to compare nutritive value of feedstuffs.

132 lb. ewe lamb (early gestation, single lamb)

Requires 0.34 lbs. of CP per day

5 lbs. of hay

4 lbs. of hay 3 lbs. of hay

7.7% 9.7% 12.9%

Nutritional management of sheep and goats

Ewes and does Dry period Breeding Gestation Lactation Weaning

Lambs and kids Newborn Pre-weaning Post-weaning

▪ Slaughter stock▪ Replacements

Bucks and rams Maintenance Breeding

Life cycle feeding of ewes and does

DRY PERIOD

Maintenance

BREEDINGFlushing

GESTATIONEarly/mid vs.

late

LACTATIONEarly vs. late

WEANINGDrying off

Dry period – maintenance

Female is recovering from lactation and preparing to get rebred.

Rebuild body condition and reserves. NOT TOO FAT

Length of dry period depends upon birthing interval and length of lactation.

Forage (pasture, browse, or harvested forage) is all that’s usually needed to maintain dry, non-pregnant ruminants.Type Weigh

tDMI TDN CP

Dairy doe132 lbs.

2.972.25%

1.6555.6%

0.19

6.4%

Doe132 lbs.

2.501.90%

1.3252.8%

0.176.8%

Ewe176 lbs.

2.861.63%

1.5153.1%

0.217.2%

Divide DMI by % DM to get As Fed.2.86 ÷ 0.88 = 3.25 lbs. of hay

2.86 ÷ 0.24 = 11.9 lbs. of pasture

Breeding – flushingFlushing may increase ovulation and birthing rates.

Feed a diet so that females will be gaining weight as they enter the breeding season.

Supplement females with 0.5 lb. of grain per head per day or move females to a lush pasture that has been saved for flushing. Start 2 weeks before breeding Continue 3 to 4 weeks into

breeding season

Females in average or better body condition usually do not respond to flushing.

NRC energy requirements (TDN) are 10% above

maintenance.

Early gestation first 90 to 100 days of ~150 day gestation period

What’s occurring? Embryos implant in uterus (d 20-24) Mammary gland development (d 30-

90) Placenta development (d 30-90) Wool follicles forming (d 35-100)

NRC Energy requirements (TDN) above maintenance vary by species, genetic type, and weight.

▪ 16-43% for females in table.

Quantity of nutrients is more important than quality of nutrients.

Don’t allow females to get fat! Females should be gaining minimal

amount of weight. ▪ Ewe: ~0.10 lb. per day.

Type (twin-bearing)

Weight

DMI TDN CP

Dairy doe132 lbs.

3.602.73%

1.9153.1 %

0.318.6%

Doe132 lbs.

3.152.38%

1.6753.0%

0.299.2%

Ewe176 lbs.

4.052.30%

2.1653.3%

0.338.1%

Divide DMI by % DM to get As Fed.3.15 ÷ 0.88 = 3.6 lbs. of hay

3.15 0.24 =

Late gestation Day 100 until birth

What’s occurring? Rapid fetal growth. Limited rumen capacity. Mammary development.

Usually necessary to supplement high moisture feeds and dry forages with concentrate feeds to meet nutrient requirements, especially for females carrying multiple births. Energy (TDN) is most likely

to be deficient in diet. Calcium requirements increase

Do not feed low quality or nutrient-dilute feeds during late gestation.

Do not overfeed!

Type (twin-bearing)

Weight

DMI TDN CP

Dairy doe132 lbs.

3.722.82%

2.4666.1 %

0.4512.1%

Doe132 lbs.

3.342.54%

2.2266.5%

0.4313.0%

Ewe176 lbs.

4.382.48%

2.9053.3%

0.4410.0%

Divide DMI by % DM to get As Fed.4.38 ÷ 0.88 = 5.0 lbs. Ewe would

have to eat 5 lbs. of hay to meet her TDN requirements.

Consequences of poor nutrition

OVERFEEDING

Dystocia $$$$

UNDERFEEDING

Energy ketosis (pregnancy toxemia)

Calcium milk fever Weaker lambs and kids Higher neonatal mortality Quantity and quality of

colostrum (first milk) Less milk production

Poorer performance of lambs and kids.

Fewer secondary follicles in offspring fiber production

Lactation

Highest nutrient requirements ($$$) Energy + protein

Save highest quality forage for lactation diet.

Nutrient requirements▪ Young > mature▪ Twins > singles▪ Triplets > twins▪ Accelerated > annual▪ Dairy > non-dairy▪ Parlor milked >

LactationSeparate into production groups

General rule of thumb is to feed 1 lb. of grain for each lamb a ewe is nursing.

1 lb. of grain per day to ewes nursing lambs on pasture.

Type (twin-bearing) Weight DMI TDN CP

Dairy doe (avg. producer) 132 lbs.6.6 ( 5.0%) 5.25 (80.0

%)1.39 (21.0%)

Doe 132 lbs.3.85 (2.91%)

1.98 (51.4%)

0.54 (14.2%)

Ewe 176 lbs.4.73 (2.69%)

3.3 (69.8%) 0.89 (18.8%)

Dairy ewe 176 lbs.7.15 (3.80%)

4.42 (61.8%)

1.10 (15.3%)

Feed meat goat does 1 lb. of a 16% CP ration per day.

Feed 1 lb. of concentrate for each 3 lbs. of milk produced.

NEWBORNNEONATAL PRE-WEANING POST-

WEANING

SLAUGHTERANIMALS

REPLACEMENTS

Feeding lambs and kids

Newborns - colostrum

Colostrum – first milkfirst 12-24 hours▪ Energy, fat, and protein▪ Vitamin A▪ Antibodies

[Large protein molecules]▪ Immunoglobulins (IgG)▪ Laxative

Lambs and kids should consume colostrum within 30 minutes of the birth (ideally) and 10% of the body weight in their first 24 hours of life.

What affects colostrum intake?SUPPLY

Females vary in the quality and quantity of colostrum they produce. Older ewes > younger

ewes Grain-fed > no grain fed

BEHAVIOR

Lambs and kids vary in their suckling ability and intake of colostrum.

Ewe bonding behavior affects colostrum intake.

Cull females with poor bonding behavior and those that

produce insufficient or thick colostrum.

Do not keep lambs or kids that require tube or bottle feeding.

Pre-weaning

For the first several weeks, all a lamb or kid needs is its mother’s milk.

Lamb and kids will start to nibble on solid food soon after birth.

By the time they are 4 to 6 weeks of age, they could be getting as much as 50% of their nutrients from sources other than milk.

Pre-weaning diet will affect rumen development. Starter grain > Hay > Pasture

Creep feedingProviding supplemental nutrition to suckling lambs and kids

WHO?

Early-born lambs and kids

Lambs and kids born in accelerated lambing and kidding programs

Artificially reared lambs and kids

Early-weaned lambs and kids.

In flocks and herds, where there are lots of multiple births and milk could be a limiting factor.

On farms where pasture is a limited resource.

Ease stress at weaning. Improve growth rate. Enhance rumen development

WHY?

Creep area

Set up a creep area in barn or on pasture by the time most of the lambs or kids are 10 days old.

Create barrier that allows entry of lambs or kids, but prevents ewes and lambs from entering.

Area should provide easy access, be well-lit, and be clean and dry.

Creep ration

Fresh Palatable

17 to 20 percent CPLower for older lambs, kids

2:1 Ca:P ratio All-natural protein Highly digestible Small particle size Example rations:1. cracked corn + soybean meal2. Starter pellet

Always available Good feeder design

Creep grazingProviding the most nutritious forage for nursing lambs and kids

Set up a barrier that allows entry of lambs or kids, but not ewes or does.

Forage in creep area must be superior to forage in non-creep area.

Forage in creep area must be high quality.

Post-weaning

Market

Weaning

Replacements

Market animals

Pasture

Dry lot

Post weaningThere is no best way to feed lambs and kids for market

PASTURE

Late born Late weaning Low to

moderate growth potential

High quality pasture

Creep grazing (?)

Supplemental feeding (?)

COMBINATION

Moderate growth potential

Zero grazing Free choice

hay Limit feed

grain Mixed rations

e.g. whole grain

HIGH CONCENTRATE

Early born Early wean High growth

potential Dairy Zero grazing High energy Self-feed grain

Pelleted ration Limit feed hay Maximum gain

Replacements

Separate from market animals

Grow no more than 50 to 75% of the maximal rate of gain. Good forage Good forage + 1 lb. of grain

(lambs) Good forage + 0.5-1% of BW of

grain (kids)

Frame development more important than finish.

Fast growth and unnecessary fat disposition may be detrimental to mammary development. Exception: full-feed dairy ewes

(WI)

Target weights60 -70 % of mature weight for

breeding75% of mature weight at 12

months

Rams and bucks - maintenance During most of the

year, forage (hay, pasture, or browse) will meet the nutritional requirements of most mature rams and bucks.

Supplement rams and bucks with concentrates if necessary to maintain body condition.

Free choice minerals

Rams and bucks - breeding

Rams and bucks should be in good body condition (3-4) at the time of breeding.

Feed grain as needed to condition rams and bucks.

Continue feeding grain during breeding season.

Feed ram lambs and bucklings through breeding season to allow for growth and breeding activity.

Feed rams and bucks after breeding season to gradually recover body condition lost during breeding season.

Most males will lose body condition during the breeding

season (some, a lot).

Body condition scoring

Evaluate the adequacy of previous feed supply.

Determining future feed requirements.

Accessing the health status of individual animals.

Body condition scoring

Index of 1-5 usually for sheep and goats

1. Emaciated2. Thin3. Average4. Fat5. Obese

Score by feeling for fat and/or muscle over the backbone, ribs, spine, and loin.

Desired body condition scores Ewes and does

Always, 2-4 Never, 1 or 5

Breeding, 3 Late gestation, 3 Lambing, 3+ Weaning, 2

Rams and bucks Pre-breeding, 3-4

Feeding livestock is likemaking spaghetti

Energy (TDN)Pasta

Protein (CP)Meat balls

MineralsSauce

VitaminsCheese topping

Thank you for your attention.

Any questions?

Susan Schoeniansschoen@umd.edu

www.sheepandgoat.com

Next webinar – Thursday, 2/2, 7:30 p.m. ESTTopic: Ration balancing w/Willie Lantz