Sheep Husbandr Padt 2- Nutrition Flashcards
Why do we flush before Tupping?
Increases plane of nutrition, which increases the number of eggs ovulated, over fed rams have low libido and reduced fertilityb
What occurs during early- mid pregnancy
Aim to maintain a level plane of nutrition, need good grazing and supplementation with hay or haylage,
What can increasing BCS lead to
Vaginal prolapse and lambing issues
What does poor nutrition lead to in late pregnancy
Metabolic disease, poor colostrum production, weak lambs and poor lactation and increased lamb losses
What occurs during late pregnancy to lambing?
Foetus growing rapidly, takes ewes 4 weeks to gain 0.5 BCS, additional forage and concentrates begin 6 to 8 weeks pre lambing
What are some feeding considerations?
Smaller rumen capacity, less intake of dry matter from forages, increased requirement for concentrates for energy
Why should concentrates be increased slowly?
Gut microbes need time to accommodate
Lactation in ewes
Very high energy demand, coincides with grass growth and quality, may require concentrate feeding into lactation
Lactation in lambs
Colostrum is vital, creep feeding starts at pre-weaning, 2 weeks after birth
Weaning in ewes
Poorer pasture to help dry off quickly and avoid mastitis, ewes will need to improve BCS so need better grass qualityb
Weaning for lambs
12 weeks old, main nutrition is pasture, any who are near slaughter weight are un weaned
Cobolt
Essential, component of vitamin B12, which is produced by rumen microbes if there is a sufficient supply of cobalt in the diet, confirm diagnosis with serology
Cobalt deficiency
Poor growth rates, lethargy, poor appetite
Copper deficiency
Swayback in lambs, poor coat quality, weakness and paralysis in lambs
Copper toxicity
Toxicity at low levels 15-20 ppm, jaundice, neurological signs and death, more common in pet sheep
