Co-Managing Sheep and Goats Important Considerations

Dr. Brian FarisExtension 4-H Youth Livestock Specialist

Department of Animal ScienceNorth Carolina State University

Introduction

• Born & Raised in Southwest Texas

• Raised Rambouillet Sheep and Angora Goats and Showed Market Lambs

• Worked for TAMU Sheep & Goat Center

• Angelo State University Ranch

• Came to North Carolina from New Mexico

• Currently raising fullblood and percentage boers and some Southdown sheep

Topics

• Similarities and Differences between Raising Sheep and Goats

– Nutrition– Reproduction– Management practices

Nutrition

• Similarities– Both are small ruminants

• CP and TDN requirements

– Stocking rate• 1 cow / 2 acres• 1 cow ≈ 5 sheep• 1 sheep ≈ 1 Boer or Boer cross goat

Small ruminants

Stocking rates

Nutrition

• Similarities– Both are small ruminants– Stocking rate

• Differences– Grazing habits

• Sheep tend to graze from the bottom upward• Goats tend to graze from the top downward

Grazing Habits

Nutrition

• Similarities– Both are small ruminants– Stocking rate

• Differences– Grazing habits– Grazing preferences

Grazing Preferences

• Sheep– Fairly Selective

• Forbs • Grass• Browse

– HAY• Alfalfa• Coastal Bermuda• Orchardgrass• Peanut

• Goats– Very Selective

• Forbs • Browse• Grass

– HAY• Peanut• Orchardgrass• Alfalfa• Coastal Bermuda

Nutrition

• Similarities– Both are small ruminants– Stocking rate

• Differences– Grazing habits– Grazing preferences– Specific nutrient requirements

Nutrient Requirements

• Sheep– ~2%BW Dry Matter– Very Sensitive to Cu– P requirements are

similar to goats but do not appear to be as sensitive

• Goats– ~3%BW Dry Matter– Need 2-3x Cu level– Very Sensitive to P

(Do not exceed 0.40% on the feed tag – 0.35% is ideal)

Nutrition

• Similarities– Both are small ruminants– Stocking rate

• Differences– Grazing habits– Grazing preferences– Specific nutrient requirements– Fat deposition

Fat Deposition

• Sheep • Goat

Nutrition

• Lambs– Self-feeder– Pellet or Textured

Feed– 16-18% CP– 1.5-2.5% Fat

• Kids– Self-feeder– Pelleted Feed

– 14-16% CP– 2.5-3.5% Fat

Reproduction

• Similarities– 5 month gestation (145-155 days)

• Differences– Chromosome number– Estrous cycle length– Flushing rates / Birth rates– Teat structure– Out-of-Season breeders

Differences

Sheep Goat

Chromosomes

Estrous Cycle

Flushing Rates

Birth Rates

Teat Structure

Out-of-Season Breeders

54 60

17 days 21 days

8-12 embryos 16-24 embryos

125-175% 175-225%

2 functional 2-4 functional

No, with a few exceptions

Yes, with a few exceptions

Management Practices

• Health

• Facilities

• Miscellaneous Management

• Guard animals

Health

• Sheep– Deworm– Coccidiosis– Overeating– Tetanus– CL– Ketosis– Orphan Lambs– Soremouth

• Goats– Deworm– Coccidiosis– Overeating– Tetanus– CL– Ketosis– Orphan Kids– Soremouth– Floppy Kid– Silent Pneumonia

Facilities

• Sheep– Shelters– Fencing

• Electric Fence

– Feed Troughs– Working Pens

• Goats– Shelters– Fencing

• Field Fence

– Feed Troughs– Working Pens

Miscellaneous Management

• Sheep– Less foot care– Some shearing

except Hair breeds– Horns/No horns –

Does not matter– Castrate lambs 30

days or less

• Goats– More foot care– Require no shearing

except for Angoras– May disbud kids

(wethers)– Castrate kids at 60-

90 days

Guard Animals

• Llamas

• Dogs– Great Pyrenees– Akbash– Komondor– Anatolian Shepherd– Maremma

• Donkeys

QUESTIONS