Sheep nutrient requirements – Sheep require essential nutrients in their feed like Water, Protein, Energy, Minerals ,Vitamins.
- Water – Normally a sheep drink approximate 2-3 litre of water for every kg of dry feed consumed. Sheep can tolerate salt content up to 1% in drinking water.
- Dry matter – Adult sheep require 2.5 to 3% of their body weight, Lactating sheep require 4% of their body weight and Lambs require 4 to 5% of the body weightasu football jersey custom kings jersey custom dallas stars jersey johnny manziel jersey deuce vaughn jersey custom kings jersey best human hair wigs for black females nike air max 90 futura jordan max aura 4 black friday wig sale custom kings jersey bouncing putty egg custom youth hockey jerseys deuce vaughn jersey kansas city chiefs crocs.
- Protein – A level of 10% protein in the ration has been found to be adequate for wool production. DCP requirement is 2.73g per kg metabolic body size.[maintenance] the approximate daily requirement for maintenance is 1/10th of TDN. This requirement increases by about 50% during pregnancy and 100% during lactation and growth. N : S ratio should be maintained 10:1 in ration.
- Energy or TDN Requirement- An abundance of good roughage alone will supply sufficient TDN. But in case of pregnant ewe and fattening lambs, and milking ewes additional concentrate mixture should be given to satisfy their energy requirements.
- TDN Requirement – 27.3g /kg w0.75 [maintenance]
As a thumb rule a non- pregnant, non lactating ewe requires 10gm TDN per kg live body weight for maintenance and wool production. This requirement will be 50% more during last 6 weeks of pregnancy and the first 10 weeks of lactation.
- Minerals : They require macro and micro minerals in diet.
Macro minerals like Na, Cl, Ca, P, Mg, K & S
- Sodium chloride – It is added at the rate of 0.5% in complete ration or 1% in concentrate ration
- Micro/trace – Co, Cu, Zn, Fe, I, Mn, Mo, Se, Zn, F
- Vitamins – vitamin A, vitamine D, vit. E usually adequate in diets containing high quality forage. The B complex vitamins are synthesized in the rumen by microbial action.
Nutrient requirement for maintenance of sheep [SK Ranjan, 1998]
Colostrum is important requirement for feeding of new born lamb.
Creep feeding – It start from 10 days of age to weaning at 90 days. It help to promote growth during early age and rumen development. Creep feeds DCP is 17.4% and TDN is 73%.
- feeding of growing – finishing lambs from weaning to slaughter- Such type of feed contain DCP of 13% and TDN of 70%
- Feeding schedule
Feeding of pregnant ewes during last 6weeks of gestation -Good quality forage [cereal fodders 6% DCP and 60% TDN, grasses 6% DCP and 55%TDN.] and a concentrate mixture.
- Feeding of lactating ewe – dry matter consumption may go up to 4% of body weight.
- Fed liberally with good quality of forage and concentrate mixture. Concentrate mixture can gradually be diminished after 8 to 10 weeks and can be stopped after 12-13 weeks of lambing.
Flushing = it is the special nutritional care for improving nutritional Status of ewes 3-4 weeks before mating by providing additional Concentrate mixture.
- Increase incidence of oestrus and increased ovulation rate.
