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Sheep and Pastures

Sheep and Pastures. Dr. Dan “Grumpy” Morrical Sheep Extension Specialist Animal Science Department 515-294-2904 morrical@iastate.edu. Uniqueness of Sheep. Small mouth size allows selective grazing Mobile lips allows selective grazing Higher intake a % of bodyweight compared to cows

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Sheep and Pastures

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  1. Sheep and Pastures • Dr. Dan “Grumpy” Morrical • Sheep Extension Specialist • Animal Science Department • 515-294-2904 • morrical@iastate.edu

  2. Uniqueness of Sheep • Small mouth size • allows selective grazing • Mobile lips • allows selective grazing • Higher intake a % of bodyweight • compared to cows • Can be controlled by electric fence

  3. Uniqueness of Sheep • Diet preference GrassForbsShrubs Sheep 50 30 20 Cattle 70 15 15 Goats 30 10 60 Van Dyne et al. 1980

  4. Sheep and Pastures • Dr. Dan “Grumpy” Morrical • Sheep Extension Specialist • Animal Science Department • 515-294-2904 • morrical@iastate.edu

  5. Challenges • Assessing status • Intake • Diet Selectivity • Nutrient content of forage

  6. Body condition Fill Contentedness Status

  7. Factors that impact intake • Forage available • Bite size and bite rate • Feed quality & rate of passage • 48-96 hrs • Grazing time and weather

  8. Increasing intake • Rotational grazing • Stocking rate vs output per acre • Manage feed quality • Intake levels • 2.5-4.5% of bodyweight

  9. Just because it is there does not mean animals will eat it. Diet quality is higher than average Must have adequate dry matter available Animal selectivity

  10. Grab samples easy accurate ?? Clip area labor accurate Number of samples Using and interpreting reports Pasture sampling

  11. Forage quality Forage quanity When to stockpile Nitrogen fertilization Grazing and growing seasons are not the same Stockpiled grazing

  12. Quality of forage is more important Lambs have limited intake Higher protein requirements gains generally highest on legumes Why? Parasites control is more critical Supplementation What nutrient is likely short? Grazing weaned lambs

  13. Lambs on cool season grass pastures continuously grazed Supplemented at 2% of bodyweight Control was straight corn conversion of extra corn was 10-1 Experimental diets were fortified with various protein sources ( SBM, Fish, Blood, CGM) gain response to escape protein .35 vs. 25 NOT ECONOMICAL ISU Work with Supplemention

  14. Forage Budgeting in Grazing Systems by Integrating Plant and Animal Management Goals of Grazing Program Convert sunshine into lean tissue Individual vs group Sustain or improve pasture

  15. Rumination Time • Amount of time relates to grazing time • Much occurs at night • Diurnal patterns and Seasonal patterns • Fiber level

  16. Forage plants • Think of them as biochemical factory • Goal is to capture and convert solar energy into plant energy

  17. Factors that impact output • Fertility/soil • Water • Sunshine • Temperature • Species

  18. Factors that impact output • Fertility/soil • Water • Sunshine • Temperature • Species

  19. Factors that impact output • Fertility • N • 40-200 pounds per acre • P and K • soil test • Legume vs grass

  20. Factors that impact output • Fertility • N • 40-200 pounds per acre • P and K • soil test • Legume vs grass

  21. Factors that impact output • Water • Drought • Root depth • Most droughty forage?

  22. Sunshine weather density of forage leaf area Temperature cool season warm season Factors that impact output

  23. Factors that impact output • Species • productivity • poorest bluegrass • intermediate brome • highest reed canary • warm season vs cool season

  24. too little growth too many animals pasture and animals not in balance Most common problem

  25. Forage growth • How fast? • First cutting hay • 2 tons per acre • assuming 60 day accumulation • 67 pounds per day • 3 horses or 2 cows

  26. Forage growth • Concerns with my logic ? • uniform growth • 100% utilization • complete rest

  27. Animal selectivity • Just because it is there does not mean animals will eat it. • Species differences • goats • sheep • horses • cattle

  28. More paddocks means more rest, more productivity.

  29. Can my pasture provide forage needed to meet grazing needs? • ISU Beef Teaching • 54 acres of pasture • primarily bluegrass and bromegrass, some white clover ( ~ 30%) • 10 inch brome

  30. Ewe Grazing Days Per Acre Peter Woods, WI BFT: KyBG 1429 1973 BFT: SBG 1474 2122 BFT: OG 1446 2028 Cost $40.00/year 2 of 3 years were drought DGM:ISU 3 Year High Average Year a a

  31. DGM:ISU

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