Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service Lafayette, Indiana
THE NUTRITION OF SHEEP J. B. Outhouse
Department of Animal Sciences
Mimeo AS-317 June 1964
General Considerations
When considering the nutrition of sheep, it must be kept in mind that they are ruminants. As such, they utilize a high proportion of roughages including pasture, hay, silage, fodder and other forages. They need bulk in the ration and can consume up to 30 percent fiber with good results. They can maintain maximum production on a higher percentage of roughage than any other farm animal obtaining 90 to 95 percent of the nutrients needed in a year from this source.
Pasture may furnish 80 percent of the yearly nutrients. This is especially true if temporary pasture such as rye, wheat or barley can be grazed in the early spring or late fall to extend the grazing season up to 8 or 9 months. This leaves a winter feeding period of from 3 to 4 months. The feed consumed during this wintering period represents the greatest part of the yearly feed costs.
Sheep will not readily consume coarse, woody roughages but nearly all of the finer stemmed roughages will be consumed. Sheep prefer to graze the shorter, more tender grasses and do not make good use of forages over 6 inches in height. Most of the grazing is done in early morning or late afternoon.
Concentrates such as cereal grains should be limited to sheep of all ages unless idey have been accustomed to them through Self-feeders. In older sheep, the over-eat-lngof concentrates will result in founder, diarrhea and even death. Lambs on a full feed of concentrates may suffer from enter-ot°xemia or food intoxication which is fatal. ^accination may help to prevent this. Sheep Prefer whole grains and there appears to be
no advantage in grinding them except for young lambs or for older sheep with poor teeth. Whole grains, containing the germ, are good sources of Vitamin E needed by the growing lamb or by pregnant ewes for the developing fetus.
Sheep may refuse to eat from dirty feed troughs or drink from unclean water tubs. Care should be taken to see that they have clean recepticles for both feed and water. Mature sheep will consume from 1 to 6 quarts of water daily depending upon the succulence of the feed. They need from 1/4 to 3/4 of an ounce of salt per day or approximately one pound per month. This is best supplied by stabilized, iodized granular salt. Where cobalt is needed it may be supplied by adding 1 ounce of cobalt carbonate or cobalt sulfate per 100 pounds of salt; or trace mineralized salt may be used.
Wintering the Ewe Flock
The basis of a good wintering ration for the ewe flock is high quality sun-cured legume hay. A high qualify alfalfa hay will furnish all of the proteins, minerals and vitamins needed by the pregnant or lactat-ing ewe with the exception of carbohydrates needed for energy. It is usually necessary to supplement alfalfa hay with from one-half to one pound of a concentrate, such as shelled corn, during the later part of the gestation period and the first part of the lactation period to supply a source of energy. If a poor quality hay is used, it should be supplemented with sources of protein, minerals and vitamins. The normal consumption of a good quality hay will be from 4 to 5 pounds per day for a 150 pound ewe.