​Maryland Small Ruminant Page

Feed whole grain

Grinding and mixing of feed is an added cost that many sheep and goat producers could avoid. Of all farm animals, sheep are best able to do their own grinding. With few exceptions they should be fed whole grain. Whole grain has a built-in roughage factor. Since cattle eat their food whole, they do not digest whole grain well.

Whole grain feeding of lambs increases feed efficiency, increases average daily gain, and lowers overall cost of gain. It is not necessary to feed roughage (hay) when a whole grain diet is fed to lambs.

Since a lamb or kid is not born with a functioning rumen, it cannot process whole grains. Therefore, creep rations need to be composed of highly digestible feeds, such as cracked or ground corn, rolled oats, and soybean meal. Some creep feeds are pelletized. Once the lamb or kid has a functioning rumen, it can be fed whole grains.

Sheep can also be fed whole (raw) soybeans. Raw soybeans can safely replace soybean meal in a diet, though slightly slower rates of gain may be expected in a corn-based diet. In a study conducted at Kansas State University, feeding raw soybeans to lactating ewes did not have any effect on lamb weaning weights or average daily gain. Due to their high oil conent, whole soybeans are lower in protein than soybean meal.

 

Self or limit feed?

In a self-feeding situation, livestock have feed in front of them at all times. With hand (or limit) feeding, a set amount of hay or grain is fed twice per day at approximately the same time each day. There are pros and cons to each feeding system. Lambs and kids that are self-fed will consume more feed and gain faster.
 

Those that are hand-fed tend to make more efficient gains. It is easier to monitor animal health when livestock are hand-fed. Hand feeding requires more feeder space per animal. Hand-feeding requires more labor, so it is less common with larger operations, though hand-feeding can be automated.

There are few instances in which mature sheep and goats should given all the feed they can eat. Mature sheep given access to all the hay they can eat will usually eat more hay than they need. This is particularly true of dry females or females in the early and middle part of gestation. If square bales are being fed, you can feed hay according to the animals' nutritional requirements. If round bales are fed, you may want to limit access to the feeders. Some sheep get too fat on pasture and you may want to limit grazing time.

Minimize feed wastage

Hay and grain should generally not be fed on the ground. There is considerably more feed wastage when feed is fed on the ground. Feeding on the ground can also spread diseases.

All feed should be fed in feeders. You should favor feeders which minimize wastage and keep the feed clean and free from fecal or other foreign matter. Feeders can be built on the farm or purchased from commercial vendors. There are many different designs for feeders. Not all feeder designs will work equally well for all classes of sheep and goats. Goats are particularly adept at getting into feeders and on top of feed. For fiber-producing sheep and goats, feeders which minimize fleece contamination should be used.
 

If feed is limit-fed, there needs to be enough feeder space for all animals in the feeding group to eat at one time. It is generally recommended that each female have 16 to 20 inches of feeder space. Lambs and kids should have 9 to 12 inches of feeder space. These space measurements may need to be adjusted up on down, depending upon the species, size of the animals, fleece length, and presence of horns or dominant behavior. Animals that do not get their fair share of feed because of lack of feeder space will end up costing you money, because their nutritional needs will probably not be met. It may be wise to cull animals that are too aggressive at the feeders or who won't stay out of the feeders.

In larger operations where stock is wintered on pasture, it's okay to feed supplements on frozen ground.
 

Consider alternative feedstuffs
 

Though it varies by geographic region, the standard concentrate diet for livestock in the U.S. is corn and soybean meal. Corn (maize) is the energy source, while soybean meal is the primary protein source. However, there are other cereal grains that can substitute for corn when price relationships are favorable: barley, wheat, oats, rye, triticale (wheat x rye), buckwheat, and milo (sorghum).

Most cereal grains can substitute for corn pound for pound. The only exception is wheat which should not compose more than 50 percent of the ration. In some regions and years, barley is commonly fed instead of corn. It has 90 percent of the feeding value of corn, but is several percentage points higher in protein.
 

Cottonseed meal or whole cottonseed can replace soybean meal in the diet. Sheep and goats can also utilize whole full-fat soybeans as a protein source. If priced competitively, alfalfa and other legume hays are an excellent source of protein for sheep and goats. Alfalfa pellets are another potential protein source, depending upon their price relative to other protein sources. The following tables compare the nutrient composition of common cereal grains and protein feeds.

 

Sheep and goats do not require specific feedstuffs. They require specific nutrients: energy, protein, vitamins, and minerals. While most sheep and goat producers are accustomed to feeding traditional hay and grain diets, there are many alternative feedstuffs that can provide the nutrients that small ruminants require, sometimes at more economical prices.
 

Substitute grain for hay
Though it varies by geographic region, year, and farm, grain is often a more economical source of nutrients than hay. Depending upon the quality of hay, on the basis of energy (TDN), corn grain is worth 1.4 to 1.9 times the value of hay. In other words, 1 lb. of corn is equivalent to 1.4 to 1.9 lbs. of hay.

At the same time, it's important to remember that sheep and goats are ruminant livestock that require a certain amount of roughage in their diet to maintain a healthy ruminant digestive system. Though recommendations vary, it is suggested that sheep and goats be fed a minimum of one-half pound of roughage per 100 pounds of body weight.

Grains with built-in roughage, such as barley, oats, and ear corn are less likely to cause digestive problems.

Urea
Urea is not a protein supplement, but is a source of non-protein nitrogen (NPN) from which rumen bacteria can synthesize protein. Urea is 45 percent nitrogen (N) and has an equivalent crude protein of 281 percent. Urea should not provide more than one-third of the total N in the diet. It is usually fed as part of a high energy ration. Urea should not be used in rations for young lambs or kids or creep rations. Sudden high intakes of urea can cause toxicity and death.
 

Soyhulls
Soyhulls are a by-product of soybean processing. They are the seed coat (not the pod) of the bean. Soyhulls can replace a portion of either the forage or grain in the diet. Because of their unique physical characteristics, soyhulls can replace up to 50 percent of the forage in a diet. One pound of soyhulls is equivalent to approximately 1.4 lbs. of forage. Soyhulls can substitute pound for pound with corn or barley.
 

Though their nutrient composition may vary, soyhulls have almost the "perfect" nutrient composition for sheep and goat diets: 77% TDN and 12% CP. They are a good source of calcium and a moderate source of phosphorus. Their only downside is that they contain more copper than conventional feed sources. This would not be an issue with goats, but needs to be considered when feeding sheep.
 

Distiller's grains
Producers who live near an ethanol plant may be able to feed dried distiller's grains (DDG) to their sheep and/or goats. DDG are what's left of the corn (or other grain) after the starch has been fermented into ethanol for fuel. DDG are an excellent source of energy and protein, including rumen by-pass protein (up to 50%). But, they are also high in potassium, phosphorus, and sulfur, which can be problematic.

Research conducted at North Dakota State University showed that up to 30 percent of the corn in lamb finishing rations could be replaced with DDG. In ewe diets, DDG has been used to replace soybean meal as a protein supplement or up to two-thirds of the grain (corn), equating to 25% of the diet, without any ill effects. In fact, the performance of triplet-reared lambs was improved by 12 percent with inclusion of DDG in the lactation diet of the ewe.

 

Silage
Silage can be an economical source of nutrients for sheep and goats, especially on large farms where feeding can be mechanized. Corn silage is composed of the entire corn plant. Silage can also be made from forage and small grain crops.

The biggest risk factor associated with feeding silage to sheep and goats is the risk of listeriosis. Listeriosis or “circling disease” is caused by the bacterium Listeriosis monocytogenes. Listeria are naturally present in the soil and also thrive in cool, moist conditions. The bacteria grow in spoiled fermented feeds and wet hays.
 

To grow in silage, the bacteria require oxygen and a pH above 5.5. Listeria grows in silages where there is an infiltration of oxygen, such as the end of the bunker or near a hole in the silage bag. Spoilage also occurs at the edges of the silage pit, on the top layer of silage in an upright silo, on the exposed or open “face” of haylage bales and in left over feed in the bunk. The major source of listeria in sheep and goats is from eating poorly fermented or moldy silage.
 

In sheep and goats, listeria can cause late-term abortions, generalized infection, inflammation of the brain (encephalitis), and death in newborns. Clinical symptoms can occur approximately 3 weeks after ingestion of the feed containing the bacteria. There is no known cure for listeriosis. Aggressive antibiotic treatment is usually employed.

Due to differences in moisture content, 3 pounds of silage is typically equal to 1.5 lbs. of dry hay. Because of its high moisture content, it is usually necessasry to feed a grain mix to pregnant (late) and lactating females and growing lambs and kids. Corn silage is low in protein and calcium, so in addition to energy, protein and calcium must be supplemented.
 

Balage
Baylage is another option. Balage is silage made in large round bales and stored in airtight, plastic bags. Baled haylage requires less drying time than conventional hay, so that during poor drying conditions, quality feed can still be made. Because of the higher moisture in balage, there is less leaf loss as compared to dry hay. Less feed wastage occurs with balage since the coarse, stemmy material is softer and more palatable to the livestock.
 

Balage can be fed in the same manner as round bales. It can be fed in most round bale feeders. Some producers surround the bale with panels or unroll the bale for feeding. A fork-lift is usually required to move a bale. Shelf-life of balage is about 1 week. As compared to hay, balage can be stored outside.

The following table shows the nutritive value of some common alternative feedstuffs. Feeds that are by-products of processing industries vary in nutritive content and should be analysed to get a more accurate nutrient profile.

 

Maximize your pasture resource

While purchasing more land for grazing may be cost-prohibitive, especially in areas where land values are high, the pasture that you already own or lease is usually the most economical source of nutrients for sheep and goats. To get the most out of your pasture resource, you should lime and fertilize according to soil test results and recommendations. Nitrogen should be applied to grass pasture at the time(s) that are optimal for growth. Adding legumes to the pasture mix will reduce the need for nitrogen application.

Pastures should be subdivided into smaller areas for grazing. Smaller paddocks and shorter rotation periods result in less feed wastage and give the plants more time to recover. You can usually achieve higher stocking rates with intensive, rotational grazing systems. Rotational grazing may or may not aid in internal parasite (worm) control. The length of pasture rest is more important than the frequency of rotation.

There are several ways to extend the grazing season and reduce the amount of purchased feed inputs. Tall fescue is the most desirable grass to stockpile for late-fall and winter grazing. To stockpile fescue, don't graze it from mid-August through mid-October. Fescue responds well to nitrogen application.

Planting annual crops is another way to extend the grazing season. Brassicas (rape, turnips, kale) are annual crops that continue to grow in the fall and winter. They are usually planted in early to mid-August to provide late-fall, early winter grazing.

Brassicas are high in digestible nutrients and protein.Winter cereal crops (wheat, rye, spring oats, and triticale) can provide  fall and winter grazing. Warm season annuals (pearl millet, sudangrass, sorghum-sudan hybrids, and crabgrass) and perennials (native grasses) can be planted to improve summer grazing.

 

Cull unproductive animals

When feed costs are high, culling standards should be equally high. You can't afford to take a chance on marginally productive animals when feed costs are high. Why feed a ewe or doe that raises only one offspring when there are plenty of other females that will raise twins or triplets. Don't make excuses for a ewe or doe that fails to raise any offspring. Get rid of her. On-average, a female's most productive years are from 3 to 6.
 

The most efficient females in the flock are the ones that wean a greater proportion of their body weight. It's a good idea to weigh and condition score your females at the start of breeding season and to weigh their offspring at the time of weaning. This will enable you to determine which females in your flock are the most efficient and which one's offspring you should retain for breeding.

Replacements should be selected from the most productive females in the flock. These won't necessarily be the "prettiest" ones. They'll be the ones that utilize expensive feed resources to produce babies that grow well.

You can increase productivity by breeding ewe lambs and doelings. Well-grown ewe lambs and doelings can be bred to produce offspring by the time they are one year old. Size is more important than age when decided if/when to breed lambs and kids. The recommendation is that females achieve approximately two-thirds of their mature weight before being bred. Ewe lambs and doelings should be managed and fed separately from mature females, (ideally) up until the time they wean their first set of offspring. If ewe lambs and doelings aren't big enough and you can't manage them separately, you should not breed them until the second year of life.

Every extra lamb or kid that you produce will reduce your feed costs, because it will spread out your fixed costs (overhead). Feed costs tend to comprise 50 to 75 percent of the production costs on a sheep and/or goat farm.

Males
A ram or buck is only productive for a short time during the year. In small enterprises, the cost of maintaining a ram or buck can be costly. A strategy to reduce this feeding cost is to sell the male after breeding and get a new male at the start of next year's breeding season. If you use a ram lamb or buckling for breeding, his purchase and selling price may not be much different.
 

Although it is always best to breed unrelated animals, you can also use a ram or buck that you raised and breed him to his mother, sister, or half-sib. Close-breeding will not cause strange birth defects, though it's advisable to sell all the offspring from these matings for meat. Inbreeding becomes a problem when it is repeated in multiple generations. Over time, inbreeding depresses fitness (health) and performance traits.

Another alternative is to share a ram or buck with another breeder or borrow a male from another breeder. This should only be done if the health status of both flocks is similar. Diseases are most commonly introduced to a farm from another farm or livestock sale. Artificial insemination (AI) can be a viable option, especially for goats, but it is still useful to maintain a male for heat detection. Otherwise, it will be necessary to manipulate the female's reproductive cycle using hormones, which are not FDA-approved for sheep and goats.