Overall, sheep and goat nutritional requirements are fairly similar. Rations will differ between animals at different stages of production.
Ration Guidelines:
- Determining feed quantities by body condition score (BCS):
- If BCS is < 3, increase grain and supplement by 10% for every score < 3
- If BCS is > 3, decrease grain and supplement by 10% for every score > 3
- Split feedings when feeding more than ½ kg of grain, and feed grain after forages
- Make the particle size as large as possible (whole grains vs. ground)
Water:
Fresh water should always be available. Water intake is related to various factors such as DMI, metabolic needs, and water content of feed. Similar to dairy cows, lactating sheep and goats require a large amount of water to ensure adequate milk production.
Protein:
CP – varies with different classes of sheep and goats, as seen below (%)
|
Sheep |
Maintenance |
9.6 |
Goat |
Bucks |
11 |
|
Late Gestation |
11.2 |
Dry Doe |
10 |
||
|
Lactation |
14.8 |
Late Gestation |
11 |
||
|
Weaned Lambs |
14.5 |
Lactation |
11 |
||
|
Finishing Lambs |
11.7 |
Weanling |
14 |
||
|
Yearlings |
9.1 |
Yearlings |
12 |
NPN: 30 – 50 g per 100 kg of BW, no more than 1/3 of total dietary needs
UIP: 25 – 35 % of total protein in high producing animals
NaCl: 0.5 – 1 % DMI, toxic at levels greater than 4 % of DMI
Calcium and Phosphorus: Ca:P should be 1.5:1 to 2.5:1 in breeding animals, and > 2:1 for growing and finishing animals
Cobalt: 0.1 – 0.2 ppm DM
Copper and Molybdenum: In sheep it’s best to be between 7 and 11 ppm, not exceeding 12 ppm. Molybdenum should be > 1.0 ppm to have approximately 6:1 for sheep Cu:Mo. In goats, Cu requirements are 15 ppm in lactating goats and 25 ppm in kids. Molybdenum in goats is required at 1 – 2 ppm DM.
Iodine:
Lactating/gestating ewes and does = 0.8 mg/kg DM
Young stock and non-lactating adults = 0.5 mg/kg
Toxic when over 50 mg/kg
Iron: minimum 30 ppm DM for sheep, and 35 ppm DM for goats
Selenium: should not exceed 0.7 mg/day per animal; in complete feeds (creep rations and TMR) Se should not exceed 0.3 ppm, and in salt-mineral premixes Se should not exceed 90 ppm.
Zinc: between 20 – 50 ppm
References:
Schoenian, Susan.An introduction to feeding small ruminants, Shoenian, S.
Introduction to sheep production, chapter 7: Digestion and Nutrition
Menzies, Paula. Notes for: Nutritional health management of sheep and goats – self directed study, VETM*4530 (2014)