Ch2.Sheep and Goat Management

1. 2.1 Feeding, Management, and Housing of Sheep Ch2.Sheep and Goat Management An-Najah National University By: MS.c Mohammed Sabah 2014

2. History Sheep have been raised for their milk for thousands of years. Today the commercial dairy sheep industry is concentrated in the European and Mideastern countries on or near the Mediterranean Sea. France alone has almost one million ewes in dairy production. Most of the world’s sheep milk is processed into cheese.

4. SYSTEMS OF RAISING SHEEP Sheep production may be broadly divided into purebred and commercial producers. A further classification of systems may be made based on the time of lambing, as follows: fall lambs, (2) early spring lambs, (3) late spring lambs, and (4) accelerated lambing. Commercial producers may also buy feeder lambs to finish for market.

5. 1-Fall Lambs • Lambs born before December 25th are generally referred to as fall lambs (Figure 27-1). Breeds of sheep that will breed out of season are necessary for this system. • Fall lambs are marketed from early spring to June. The price for market lambs is usually higher at this time than during the rest of the year. In some areas, lambs are sold at 50 to 90 days of age. They weigh 35 to 60 pounds (15 to 27 kg) and are called hothouse lambs.

6. Some advantages of fall lambing include: • more favorable weather. • better use of equipment. • lower feed and labor requirements. • feed costs are generally lower. • better prices for lambs. • lower lamb mortality rate. • it fits into an accelerated lambing program.

7. Some disadvantages of fall lambing are: • more grain is needed. • it may be difficult to breed the ewes. • lambs may pick up parasites from fall pasture. • lambing may occur at a busy time of the year. • lambs ready for market too early may not bring as good a price as those sold later in the year. • lambs have lighter birth weights. • lambing percentage is lower.

8. 2-Spring Lambs Early spring lambs are born in January and February. Breeding must begin about the 1st of August. Lambs are marketed before the end of June. Creep feeding of lambs is often necessary to prepare them for market on time. Lamb prices are usually better at this time than they are later in the year. There are few problems with parasites in the spring months. Lambing takes place when there is a lighter workload on the farm. It may be more difficult to get ewes to breed in August. Weather conditions in some areas are more severe at lambing time. This system requires more grain and hay and does not make as much use of pasture. Better housing is needed, and more labor is required to save lambs.

9. 3- Late Spring Lambs • Late spring lambs are born in March, April, and May. Breeding occurs later in the fall than for early spring lambs. This results in more ewes being settled in a shorter period of time. The lambing season is, therefore, shorter. Most of the feed comes from pasture and roughage. Little grain is required for this system. Producers who do not want to finish out the lambs may put them on the market as stockers and feeders. • Late spring lambing has several disadvantages: • Parasite problems • The price for market lambs is not as good at the times these lambs reach market. • If pasture is in short supply, additional feed is required to finish the lambs. • Care of the lambs may take labor away from other farm tasks that must be done in the late spring and summer.

10. 4- Accelerated Lambing • Accelerated lambing is a system that produces three lamb crops in 2 years. Ewes that will breed out of season must be used. It is better to use older ewes for this system. The major purpose is to increase production and, therefore, income, without greatly increasing production costs. To be successful, the producer must be an experienced sheep raiser. Better than average management ability is needed. • More labor is required for accelerated lambing. Early weaning of lambs must be practiced. The lambs are finished in the feedlot. Additional feeding is needed for both ewes and lambs. • Synchronized breeding التربية المتزامنةis the forcing of ewes into heat during a short 3- to7-day period. This is done by using hormone treatments. When the hormonesare withdrawn, most of the ewes come in heat in 1 to 3 days. Synchronizedbreeding is often used with accelerated lambing programs.

11. Feeder Lambs Some farmers prefer to buy weaned lambs and finish them for market. This eliminates the need for a breeding herd. Careful selection of high-quality, healthy lambs is essential for success. This type of production involves a certain amount of risk. If the feeder pays too much, and the market goes down, the chances for profit are less. Lambs may be finished in dry lot or grazed on pasture. Good feeding practices are necessary for success.

12. FEEDING OF SHEEP Gestation Feeding • Pasture or other roughage is the basic feed for the ewe flock during the gestation period. High-quality hay, silage, or haylage may be used. The hay may be legume, grass, or a mixture of legume and grass. Corn, grass, or legume silages may also be used. Haylage may be legume or grass, or a mixture of the two. Silage must be chopped finer than it is for beef cattle. • Rotating pastures increases the amount of feed that is available to the ewes. Rotation also helps to break the internal parasite cycle. Pastures should be rotated every 2 to 3 weeks, depending on their kind and quality.

13. Gestation Feeding • Salt, mineral mixes, water, and shade must be provided on pasture. • If the pasture is poor, some feeding of hay may be needed. One to two pounds (0.45 to 0.9 kg) of legume hay will generally meet the ewes’ needs. • During the last 6 weeks of the gestation period, the ewe should be fed some concentrate mixture. Corn, grain, sorghum, oats, barley, and bran are often used in concentrate mixes. A protein supplement may be needed, especially if the pasture or hay is of poor quality. Soybean meal, linseed meal, or commercial protein supplements are used. Urea may be used in sheep rations. No more than one-third of the protein should come from urea.

14. Gestation Feeding • Experimental work suggests that the feeding of an antibiotic may reduce the mortality rate of lambs. Aureomycin fed to ewes at the rate of 60 milligrams per head daily for 80 days, beginning 6 weeks before lambing, lowered the lamb mortality rate. • The mortality rate of the animals receiving antibiotics was 3.9 percent, compared to 14.5 percent for the control group. • Gestating ewes may be self-fed. This practice reduces labor and increases the use of lower-quality roughage. The roughage and concentrate mix is ground and placed in a self-feeder. The main problem is to keep the ewes from becoming too fat. Controlling access to the self-feeder limits the feed intake. The rations used should contain a high percent of roughage.

15. Gestation Feeding • At about 10 days old, the lambs require more milk. Increasing the grain ration at that time will stimulate the ewe’s production of milk. Be sure the ewe has access to water. • For about 2 months after lambing, the ewe requires additional nutrients to produce the milk to feed the lamb. The amount of concentrate in the ration must be increased during this time. Ewes that are not on pasture need about 1.5 to 2.0 pounds (0.7 to 0.9 kg) of grain daily. Four to six pounds (1.8 to 2.7 kg) of alfalfa hay should be fed per head per day.

16. Gestation Feeding • If the ewes are on good pasture at lambing, they usually will not need additional grain. Ewes that are nursing twins need more grain than those nursing singles. Heavier ewes need more feed than those of lighter breeds. • If low-quality hay or grass hay is used, increase the grain. Some protein and mineral supplement will also be needed with poor-quality hay or grass hay. After 2 months, the ration may be reduced to the amounts fed during the last 6 weeks of gestation. About a week before weaning, reduce the ewe’s feed and water. This helps to decrease her milk production so that there will be fewer problems when the lambs are weaned.

18. Feeding the Ram • Before the breeding season, the ram needs only pasture. During the breeding season, feed 1.0 to 1.5 pounds (0.45 to 0.7 kg) of corn or other grain mix if the ram is thin. • Ram lambs require additional grain. During the winter, 3.5 to 5.0 pounds (1.6 to 2.3 kg) of hay should be fed. Heavier rams require the larger amounts. One pound (0.45 kg) of concentrate mix is enough for any weight of ram. Do not allow the ram to gain too much weight.

19. Flushing • Flushing is the practice of feeding a ration for 10 days to 2 weeks before breeding and 2 weeks after breeding that causes the ewe to gain rapidly. • Flushing may increase the lamb crop by 10 to 20 percent. If ewes are already fat before breeding, do not flush them or the lambing percentage may be reduced. Flushing may be achieved by putting the ewes on a better-quality pasture. Corn or oats, or a mixture of the two, fed at the rate of 0.5 to 0.75 pounds (0.2 to 0.3 kg) per head per day is effective.

20. Feeding Lambs to Weaning • The lamb must receive the colostrum milk as soon as possible after it is born. Colostrum milk is the first milk produced by the ewe. It contains antibodies that help to protect the lamb from infections. It also contains energy, protein, vitamins, and minerals needed by the lamb. • Lambs will start to eat grain at about 10 days to 2 weeks of age. Feed small amounts of grain and clean out the trough حوض each day. • Corn, oats, grain sorghum, and barley are good grains to use. A high-quality legume hay should be available to the lambs at all times.

21. The creep ration should contain from 14 to 16 percent crude protein. Early weaned lambs should receive 18 percent crude protein in the ration. The addition of molasses increases the palatability of the ration. Soybean meal, cottonseed meal, linseed meal, or commercial supplements should be included. • Urea should not be used for creep feeding lambs. Antibiotics should be included. Lambs on good pasture probably will not benefit greatly from creep feeding. • Lambs are commonly weaned at about 3 months of age. Early weaning is being practiced by a number of producers. Lambs should be at least 9 weeks old and weigh 40 to 50 pounds (18 to 22.7 kg) for early weaning. The milk production of the ewe declines after 4 weeks.

22. Lambs given high-quality feeds in the creep will gain faster and be ready for market sooner. Early weaning reduces the chances of lambs becoming infested with internal parasites. Early weaned lambs use feed more efficiently. • Feeding Lambs from Weaning to Market • There is little difference in feeding practices for early weaned, late weaned, or feeder lambs. Use high-quality feeds and change rations slowly. Vaccinate lambs for overeating disease when starting on full feed to protect lambs on high concentrate rations.

23. Market lambs may be fed out in drylot. Lambs that are eating well and weigh over 40 pounds (18 kg) should not be put on pasture because that slows the rate of gain. Later lambs weaned after July 1st should be drenched before being put on pasture. (A drench is a large dose of medicine mixed withliquid and put down the throat of the animal.)

24. The ration should be about 15 percent protein. • Corn, grain sorghum, barley, wheat, and oats are all popular grain feeds for lambs. Legume or grass-legume hays are commonly used. The kind of hay used depends on the kind grown in the area. • Water, salt, and minerals are needed. Provide clean, fresh water. Salt and minerals may be fed free choice. The calcium phosphorus ratio should be about 2:1. The copper content of the trace mineral mix should not be too high. • Equipment and processing costs are slightly higher when self feeding. Self-fed rations can be controlled better if ingredients are similar in particle size. • Drylot rations use more grains and less roughage. Faster gains will result if the grains make up about 65 percent of the ration and the roughage about 35 percent. Lightweight lambs can use more roughage in the ration. The ration should be about 15 percent protein.

25. The concentrate-roughage ratio in the ration should be changed every 7 to 10 days as the lambs become heavier. By the end of the feeding period, the lambs should be receiving 90 percent concentrate and 10 percent roughage. • Feeding Orphan Lambs • Because some ewes refuse to claim their lambs, there are usually orphaned lambs in sheep flocks at lambing time. These lambs can be saved if a ewe that has lost a lamb can be made to accept the orphaned lamb. Blindfolding the ewe is sometimes an effective way to encourage a ewe to accept an orphaned lamb. • Cow’s milk may be used, but it does vary somewhat in composition from ewe’s milk. Add 1 tablespoon of corn oil per half liter of cow’s milk. Warm the milk to body temperature but do not boil it. Feed three ounces (84 g) every 3 hours. By the end of a week, feed what the lamb will take in 5 minutes, 4 times per day. This will be about (0.22 to 0.35 liter).

26. If colostrum is not available, the following formula might be used as a substitute: 1-1/3 half liter of warm milk, 1 beaten egg, 1 teaspoon cod liver oil and 1 teaspoon of sugar.

27. A number of good commercial milk replacers are on the market for use in feeding orphan lambs. Follow the directions provided on the package. Feeding Replacement Ewes Ewe lambs that are to be kept for flock replacement need to be well fed to be adequately developed at breeding time. Roughage and grain may be used for the ration. Half or more of the ration may be roughage, depending on the size and condition of the ewe. Rations must be adjusted to the growth and condition of the individual flock.

28. CLASSES OF SHEEP There are a number of ways to classify sheep. The most commonly used classification is by type of The wool type classifications are: Fine wool, (2) Medium wool (3) Long wool (4) Crossbred wool (5) Carpet wool (6) Fur فراء sheep (7) Hair sheep.

30. Fur sheep Carpet wool Hair sheep

31. Breed Selection • Personal preference is the main factor in selecting a breed of sheep. Other factors that should be considered are: • • how well the breed is adapted to the area. • • the market for the product. • • the availability of breeding stock. • • multiple births. • Selecting Breeding Sheep • All animals selected for the breeding flock must be healthy. Do not select sheep that have diseases or parasites. Some indications of poor health include dark, blue skins, paleness in the nose and eyelids, lamenessعرج , and lack of vigor عدم وجود قوة.

32. Ewes Check the udder for softness and soundness of the teats. Teeth, feet, legs, eyes, and breathing should all be normal. Large-framed ewes have less difficulty lambing. They are better milkier, are more prolific, and shear heavier fleeces.

33. Select uniform ewes of correct type. Correct type includes the following traits: • generous length, depth, and width of body. • medium short, thick neck. • wide, deep chest. • good spring of rib. • depth in the fore and rear flanks. • width and thickness through the loin. • strong, wide back; tight shoulder. • long, wide, and level over the rump. • straight legs with generous width between them. • strong pasterns, strong feet, medium-sized toes. • feminine appearance. • purebred ewes show breed traits. • all parts of the body blend well together. • full, plump, muscular legs. • wide in the dock. • well-muscled, firm body.

34. With the fingers close together and slightly cupped, check for finish over the back. Work from the rear to the front. Check the length of the loin. Check the width of the rump. Check the finish over the ribs.

35. Check the muscling in the leg area.

36. Rams • Great care should be exercised in selecting the ram. The ram should be large, rugged, muscular, and masculine. It should have plenty of bone. If possible, determine the growth rate of the ram by checking the 90- to 120-day weight. Fast growth rate is 30 percent heritable and is a trait that is passed on to the lambs. Check for two well-developed, pliable testicles. The best indication of potential fertility in a young ram is the circumference of the scrotum.

37. When the ram reaches puberty at 5 to 7 months of age, the average scrotal circumference is 12 to 13 inches (30 to 33 cm). • A ram with below-average scrotal circumference may be late maturing or have low fertility. Because these traits are inherited, do not select such rams for breeding stock. Select rams with above average scrotal circumference at puberty. • A good-quality ram that costs more to start with will usually be a better investment in the long run. Poor-quality, low performance rams will not improve the quality of the flock.

38. Breeding sheep are also judged on condition (finish in market lambs), size, feet, legs, bone, breed and sex character, and fleece.

39. Feet and legs:

40. Mouth: -

41. Age: