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Dairy sheep farming and nutrition

Dairy sheep farming and nutrition. U. Bernabucci Department of Animal Production University of Tuscia – Viterbo bernab@unitus.it. See : http://www.ansi.okstate.edu/breeds/sheep/. Main Dairy Sheep Breeds reared in Italy. Sarda Breed. Department of Animal Production. Massese Breed.

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Dairy sheep farming and nutrition

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  1. Dairy sheep farming and nutrition U. BernabucciDepartment of Animal ProductionUniversity of Tuscia – Viterbobernab@unitus.it

  2. See: http://www.ansi.okstate.edu/breeds/sheep/ Main Dairy Sheep Breeds reared in Italy Sarda Breed Department of Animal Production Massese Breed Comisana Breed

  3. Schematic representation of the productive cycle of dairy sheep in Central Italy in relation with pasture availability Primiparous Dry Lactation Dry Pluriparous Lactation Dry J J J Months Grazing forage availability Department of Animal Production

  4. Structural characteristics of dairy sheep farms Department of Animal Production

  5. Forages Pasture Hay Silage Department of Animal Production

  6. Forage management in the dairy sheep farming system Climatic and topographic condition Soil Characteristics Environmentand landscape Agronomic operations Forage species Agronomic management Quantity of forage Biomass Forage quality Grazing technique Animal management Quality of the animal products Productivelevel Animalhealth Animalpressure

  7. Department of Animal Production

  8. Forages Pasture Department of Animal Production

  9. Grazing forage availability during the year estimated by grass height Department of Animal Production

  10. Hay Straw Grassland areas Silage Temporary grassland

  11. Department of Animal Production

  12. Department of Animal Production

  13. Nutritive value of pastures(% of DM; means ± SD) DM CP NDF ADF ADL NSC FUMP/kgMixed 18.9 20.9 44.9 28.9 5.4 20.6 0.837.1 5.4 6.5 5.7 2.2 7.3 0.08Gramineae16.0 21.1 50.6 30.6 3.8 14.0 0.780.8 6.7 4.1 2.3 0.7 3.1 0.06Clover 16.9 21.4 43.9 28.8 6.1 20.8 0.799.1 4.3 7.0 6.5 2.5 6.5 0.09Mixed field19.3 18.5 45.8 31.6 6.1 23.2 0.809.2 5.8 5.8 4.5 1.7 5.7 0.07 Department of Animal Production

  14. Nutritive value of pastures(% of DM; means ± SD) DM CP NDF ADF ADL NSC FUMP/kgMixed 18.9 20.9 44.9 28.9 5.4 20.6 0.837.1 5.4 6.5 5.7 2.2 7.3 0.08Gramineae16.0 21.1 50.6 30.6 3.8 14.0 0.780.8 6.7 4.1 2.3 0.7 3.1 0.06Clover 16.9 21.4 43.9 28.8 6.1 20.8 0.799.1 4.3 7.0 6.5 2.5 6.5 0.09Mixed field19.3 18.5 45.8 31.6 6.1 23.2 0.809.2 5.8 5.8 4.5 1.7 5.7 0.07 Department of Animal Production

  15. Nutritive value of pasture during the year(% of DM; means ± SD) DM CP NDF ADF ADL NSC FUMP/kgOct-Dec19.4 22.4 45.0 28.7 4.8 16.8 0.836.1 4.0 4.9 5.6 2.2 6.7 0.05Jen-Mar19.1 22.6 42.2 26.5 4.9 21.7 0.857.0 4.9 5.6 4.7 2.1 7.1 0.06Apr-Jun16.9 18.4 47.1 31.7 6.7 21.8 0.77 9.3 5.1 7.4 5.9 1.9 6.3 0.09Jul-SeptGrazing on straw:low energy and protein values Department of Animal Production

  16. Protein, NDF and forage unit for milk production contents of pasture(% on DM) Department of Animal Production

  17. Forages Hay Department of Animal Production

  18. Nutritive value of hays(% of DM; means ± SD) DM CP NDF ADF ADL NSC FUMP/kgItalian89.2 13.1 59.3 42.6 9.5 17.1 0.64ryegrass4.6 3.3 7.2 4.8 2.3 6.3 0.07Mixed 85.5 12.3 58.6 42.0 9.2 19.2 0.635,0 3.6 7.4 5.0 2.9 7.6 0.05Alfalfa88.1 17.8 54.9 39.8 10.3 16.2 0.654.2 2.6 7.5 5.3 3.0 6.3 0.07 Department of Animal Production

  19. Forages Silage Department of Animal Production

  20. Nutritive value of silage(% of DM; means ± SD) DM CP NDF ADF ADL NSC FUMP pH NH3Italian 33.0 9.8 56.1 43.3 7.0 21.7 0.65 4.5 9.8ryegrass 5.7 2.6 10.7 12.6 3.1 11.5 0.12 0.4 7.9Corn 34.2 8.3 47.0 31.7 5.9 35.0 0.81 3.9 4.1 4.6 2.7 6.8 5.5 2.2 8.1 0.08 0.3 0.8Clover39.3 15.6 56.0 42.0 10.4 17.6 0.70 4.5 7.7 13.1 4.6 2.2 1.1 2.0 4.0 0.08 0.5 1.2Alfalfa37.4 15.9 56.3 41.7 9.2 16.2 0.66 4.4 5.7 14.2 4.4 4.4 3.1 2.0 4.8 0.060.5 1.3 NH3 = % NH3-N / Total - N

  21. Relative utilisation of forages in the diet of dairy sheep during the year Hay Pasture Silage Department of Animal Production

  22. Concentrate utilisation Department of Animal Production

  23. Concentrate fed during the year  No changes in characteristics just in the amount fed Department of Animal Production

  24. Requirements Department of Animal Production

  25. Requirements of energy and protein for dairy sheep Maintenance FUMP CP (g) 40 kg of LW 0.53 80 60 kg of LW 0.71 104 80 kg of LW 0.88 122 FUMP = Fodder Unit for milk production LW = Live weight Department of Animal Production

  26. Requirements of energy and protein for dairy sheep Pregnancy values to be added to ‘Maintenance’ Days before lambing Weight of lambs at birth 30-45 15-30 0-15 FUMP CP FUMP CP FUMP CP 4 0.07 32 0.17 62 0.31 79 6 0.10 48 0.27 88 0.46 110 8 0.12 65 0.36 114 0.56 142 10 0.14 76 0.38 140 0.64 173 FUMP = Fodder Unit for milk production; CP = crude protein (g)

  27. Requirements of energy and protein for dairy sheep Lactation values to be added to ‘Maintenance’ Milk composition Requirements per litre Fat, % Protein, % FUMP CP 6.2 5.3 0.62 130 6.5 5.5 0.64 135 7.5 6.0 0.72 140 8.0 6.2 0.75 144 FUMP = Fodder Unit for milk production; CP = crude protein (g)

  28. Critical phases in the dairy sheep production system Department of Animal Production

  29. Milk yield and energy requirements of dairy ewes Oct Sept FUMP Milk Lambs Department of Animal Production

  30. Pluripaorus: Early lactation and first 2 months of lactation Primipaorus: Last phases of pregnancy: -  pasture availability Nutritive lack - no  in hay and silage use Rapid decline in milk yield - no  in concentrate use Decline in BCS Milk Grass Department of Animal Production

  31. Improve grazing management and hay and silage use Possible solutions: -  grazing time -  hay and silage use -  concentrate use Example of diet: 2.0-3.0 kg of silage 0.5-1.0 kg of hay 0.4-0.8 kg of concentrate Concentrate containing > 16% of CP Department of Animal Production

  32. Mating of pluripaorus ewes End of lactation - SPRING: -  pasture availability -  pasture nutritive value Flushing is not necessary -  concentrates utilisation Milk Grass Department of Animal Production

  33. Mating of primipaorus ewes Last phase of pregnancy of pluriparous ewes SUMMER and FALL: -   pasture availability Flushing for primiparous ewes -   pasture nutritive value Possible metabolic disorders -  concentrates utilisation Impairment of nutritional status Grass Department of Animal Production

  34. Improve hay, silage and concentrate use Possible solution: - utilisation of best hay - utilisation of silage -  concentrate (Flashing) Example of diet: 1.0-2.0 kg of silage 0.5-0.8 kg of hay 0.3-0.6 kg of concentrate Concentrate containing > 13-14% of CP Department of Animal Production

  35. Some considerations • Improve grazing management; • Improve hay and silage use; • When we feed silage (mais in particular) have to consider: • Silage =  protein --- Pasture =  protein • To formulate concentrates in relation with forage availability and characteristics (pasture in particular) • Low availability: 25% CP • High availability: 18% CP •  NSC (Grain) Department of Animal Production

  36. Anyway, about forage it has to be considered possible environmental impact: Department of Animal Production

  37. Major environmental impacts of semi-extensive dairy sheep farming system Influence on soil fertility and stability Annual cultivated forages (monoculture) Foraging strategy Influence on biodiversity High stocking rate Carrying capacity Grazing management High grazing pressure Long grazing time Grazing Techniques Continuous grazing Department of Animal Production Grazing areas degradation

  38. Some considerations • To formulate particular concentrates in relation with the physiological phase (last phase of pregnancy in particular) Example of special concentrate to prevent pregnancy toxaemia Department of Animal Production

  39. ( 1 ) Animals, housing and feeding • 40 healthy and dry Comisana ewes were used. The parity ranged from 2 to 5. Animals were split in two homogeneous groups of 20 by body score, parity and genetic capability for milk production. • The trial was performed under semi-extensive conditions. • The ewes were fed the same diet during the first 100 days of pregnancy: - hay: ad libitum basis; - pasture: 7 hours a day; - barley: 100 g head-1 d-1; - commercial mixed feed (CMF): 200 g head-1 d-1. Department of Animal Production

  40. ( 2 ) Treatment • Fifty days before lambing to one of the two groups (T-group) 200 g head-1 d-1 of special CMF containing: - 5% of Na-propionate - 3.5% of Ca-salts of LCFAs - 3% of sorbitol - 208 mg/kg of niacin, was given in substitution of 200 g head-1 d-1 of traditional CMF. • The other 20 ewes (C-group) were not treated. After lambing all ewes were fed the same diet. Department of Animal Production

  41. Body condition score (BCS) Days from lambing Department of Animal Production

  42. Plasma -OH butyrate (BOHB) and Non-Esterified Fatty Acids (NEFA) (mmol/l) Days from lambing Department of Animal Production

  43. Least-square means of plasma metabolites in the last 28 days of pregnancy in ewes fed (T-group) or not (C-group) a special concentrate. N. of lambs born/ewe 1 2 Group CT CT N. of animals (7) (6) (13) (14) Glucose (mmol/l) 2.41B 2.30B 1.97A 2.17B -OH butyrate (mmol/l) 0.657A 0.514A 1.190B 0.682A NEFA (mmol/l) 0.522A 0.397A 0.662B 0.555A Ca (mmol/l) 2.46B 2.61B 2.39A 2.55B Zn (mol/l) 15.21a 16.65b 15.89a 16.54b Albumin (g/l) 32.8A 35.4B 33.6A 34.1AB Bilirubine (mol/l) 4.13B 3.28A 4.45B 3.42A a, b = P<0.05; A, B = P<0.01 Department of Animal Production

  44. Least-square means of live weight at birth (LW0), live weight at 30 days of age (LW30) and average daily gain (ADG) of ewes’ offspring in ewes fed (T-group) or not (C-group) a special concentrate. N. of lambs born/ewe 1 2 Group CT CT N. of animals (7) (6) (13) (14) LW0 (kg) 4.68B 4.92B 4.12A 4.18A LW30 (kg) 13.57B 13.67B12.59Aa 13.00Ab ADG (kg) 0.296ab 0.291ab 0.282a 0.294b a, b = P<0.05; A, B = P<0.01 Sex ratio was not different between groups. No differences were observed for LW0 between groups. The lower ADG was in C-group Treatment allowed to maintain normal lamb ADG

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