| Information sheets | | | Elsenburg infopaks | | | Animals, feeding: 1 |
Practical suggestions on the feeding of grazing sheep and goats
Afrikaans | Xhosa
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Worldwide, sheep are dependent mainly on pasturage for their feeding. All in all, therefore, the improvement of sheep production by means of feeding is concerned mainly with the improvement of the available pasturage.
Additionally, effective utilization of the pasturage is brought about by sensible supplementation of deficiencies during periods of food scarcity. Although a variety of nutrients are important in the supplementing of veld grazing, the main components are still energy and protein. |
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Energy sources that are in general use, are maize, barley, triticale, forage wheat, oats and rye. |
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Protein sources frequently used are lucerne hay, lupin, oil-cake meal and fishmeal. Urea is used as a non-protein source of nitrogen.
When the quality of the pasturage declines during the dry months, the first deficiency to occur is usually that of protein. In most cases, energy and protein are supplied in combination when the food supply is low. It is important to remember that grains soon cause acidosis (grain overload) in sheep and goats. One kilogram of slaked lime on 100 kg of grain, thoroughly mixed with the grain, is an antidote to acidosis and improves the utilization of the grain. Animals must also be allowed to adjust gradually to the supplement by giving them only small grain rations to begin with. |
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When sheep and goats are given feed rations, enough roughage (a straw or pasturage) must be available.
Urea is toxic when small stock ingest too much of it. Care must be taken that sheep and goats do not ingest more than 10 to 14 g per day. Urea is usually supplied in licks together with other ingredients. Salt are also added (20 to 40 %) to regulate intake. Please take note that when a lick containing urea is placed in a leak-proof, open container and it rains on such a lick, animals that drink of this water are poisoned and die. |
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The following general lick can be used when the grazing value of the veld is low during the dry season and there are late-pregnant or lactating animals:
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This can then be given to animals in the veld or on pasturage, at 200g per ewe per day during pregnancy, and at 400g per ewe per day during lactation.
TS Brand
ELSENBURG / Research
