Feeding Sheep in a High Feed Price Environment

Dr. Matt Hersom

Dept of Animal Scienceshersom@ufl.edu 352-392-2390

Critical Control Point for Profitability – Feed Cost

• Feeding the flock is the largest cost area in any animal enterprise, approx. 45-50% of annual maintenance cost.

• Stored or supplemental feeds constitute the largest, most variable portion.

• Designing nutritional program correctly is a must.

Overview of Presentation

• Intake• Nutrient Requirements

– Stage or Level of Production– Age

• Feeding and

Assessing Nutrition

Effect of Stage of Production and Ewe Age on Intake Capacity

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Maintance Flushing Early Gest Late Gest Late GestHigh Prod

Early LactSingle

Early LactTwins

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Mature

Ewe Lamb

Growing Lambs and Feed Intake

• The lower the body weight and younger age of the lamb the greater the intake

• Sex of the lamb influences intake

BW Intake,% of BW

ReplacementEwe / RamLamb

66 4.0 / 4.5

88 3.5 / 4.0

>110 2.5 / 3.5

Market Lamb, 4-7 month

66 4.3

88 4.0

>110 3.2

Effect of Stage of Production on Energy Requirement

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Maintance Flushing Early Gest Late Gest Late GestHigh Prod

Early LactSingle

Early LactTwins

% T

DN

Effect of Ewe Age on Energy Requirement

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Maintance Flushing Early Gest Late Gest Late GestHigh Prod

Early LactSingle

Early LactTwins

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t %

TD

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Mature

Ewe Lamb

Effect of Stage of Production on Protein Requirement

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Maintance Flushing Early Gest Late Gest Late GestHigh Prod

Early LactSingle

Early LactTwins

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Effect of Ewe Age on Protein Requirement

Maintance Flushing Early Gest Late Gest Late Gest High Prod

Early Lact Single

Early Lact Twins

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Ewe Lamb

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Feed Amounts for Different Stages

Hay Crude Protein %

16.5 15.0 12.5 10.0

Lbs of feed

Maintenance Hay 2.75 2.75 2.75 2.75

Early Preg. Hay 3.25 3.25 3.25 3.25

Late pregnancy

Hay 4.00 4.00 4.00 4.00

Corn 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00

SBM -- 0.10

Early lactation, twins

Hay 4.25 4.25 4.25 4.25

Corn 1.90 1.80 1.50 1.15

SBM 0.10 0.20 0.50 0.85

130 lb ewe

Observations about Age

• Differences in ewe ages within the herd results in many different requirements.

• Potential for DMI is a key controller for management of ewes with different ages.

• Different nutritional requirements = different nutritional management

• Mature ewes generally have more consistent forage and supplement intakes

• Younger ewes are likely socially influenced by mature ewes

• Ewe lambs have maintenance, gestation, lactation and growth requirements.

Body Condition Score• BCS 1(Emaciated) No fat between skin and bone.

Ewes have no fat and very limited muscle energy reserves. Appear weak and unthrifty. Wool fleeces are often tender, frowsy and lack luster.

• BCS 2(Thin) Only a slight amount of fatty tissue detectable between skin and bone. Spinous processes are relatively prominent. These ewes appear thrifty but have only minimal fat reserves.

• BCS 3(Average) Average flesh but do not have excess fat reserves. This condition score includes ewes in average body condition.

• BCS 4(Fat) Moderately fat. Moderate fat deposits give sheep a smooth external appearance.

• BCS 5(Obese) Extremely fat. Excess fat deposits can easily be seen in the breast, flank, and tailhead regions. These ewes have excess fat reserves to the point that productivity may be impaired.

Effect of Growing Lamb BW on Energy Requirement

Maint. 0.22 0.33 0.44 0.55 0.66 0.77 0.880

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1400

160044 lb

66 lb

Desired ADG, lb/d

Net

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y, k

cal

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Medium Mature Weight

Effect of Growing Lamb BW on Protein Requirement

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0.22 0.33 0.44 0.55 0.66 0.77 0.88

Desired ADG, lb/d

Pro

tein

, g

/ d

ay

44 lb

66 lb

Medium Mature Weight

Mineral Nutrition• Copper levels in

mineral are important to know.– High Cu levels are

toxic• Calcium:Phosphor

us– 2:1is optimum– Pasture can be low

in Ca– Concentrates

generally high in P– Urinary calculi– Limestone

• Magnesium special consideration for nursing ewes– grass tetany

• Selenium– White muscle disease– Inorganic vs organic

Forage-Based Nutrition

• Perennial Pastures• Legumes Pasture• Complementing Forages

– How cool-season and warm-season grasses can work together

• Conserved Forages– Grass hay– Legume hay

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Month

Bahiagrowth

Rye-ryegrassgrowth

Adding Rye-Ryegrass to Bahia: Forage Production (lb/acre/day)

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Bahia Rye Ryegrass

Forage Testing - Why• So you know what you are working

with!–What is the supply of nutrients–Which nutrients are deficient/excess–How big is the deficiency–What kind of supplementation is needed–Make better decisions

Forage Testing – So What

• Assessment of the concentration of important nutrients– Dry matter– Energy : TDN or NE– Protein : Crude protein, degradable protein– Minerals– Others

• Fiber fractions• VFA score• Mycotoxins

Matt Hersom, 2008

Here’s Your Analysis, Now What?

Forage Testing – So What• What do you do with the numbers?

– Use to calculate DM lbs of TDN or CP– Consult Sheep Nutrient Requirements

• How do they compare– Determine limiting nutrient(s)– Put into ration balancing software

• Formulate diets or intake potential– Calculate cost of TDN and CP coming from forage

• Compare to supplemental sources of TDN and/or CP

– Determine supplementation needs

Calculations

• $/CWT feed = $ per ton / 20

$9.00=$180/20

• $/CWT feed DM = $/cwt / (%DM/100)

$9.78=$9.00/(92%/100)

• $/CWT Nutrient (TDN or CP) = $/cwt / (%Nutrient /100)

$12.86=$9.00/(70%/100)

Supplemental Feeds• No one feed alternative is perfect

– Energy: fiber vs starch– Protein: degradable vs undegradable vs NPN– Mineral: Excess vs deficiency, balance– Byproducts - Concentrated source of some

characteristic• Fat, sulfur, mycotoxins

• Ruminants do not have a nutritional requirement for any feedstuff

Energy SupplementationConsiderations

• Likely most expensive• Affects animal production• Feed amount generally more than protein• Reasons for use:

– Meet energy demands– Reduce forage consumption– Diet selection allows

Energy Supplementation Considerations

• Begin feeding before it is too late• Response improves with long term low

level supplementation• Feeding energy (w/out natural protein)

decreases overall energy intake of low quality forage

• Usually contain < 20% CP

Energy Supplementation Considerations

• Do not feed when high CP supp. will improve performance

• Grain is a substitute for forage• High starch supp. decreases fiber

digestibility (Negative Associative Effects)• High starch supp. work best with moderate

to high quality forage

Feedstuff OptionsFeed TDN,%

Whole Cottonseed 95

Hominy 91

Corn 88

Dried Distillers Grains 90

Soybean Meal 87

Wheat Middlings 83

Citrus Pulp 82

Corn Gluten Feed 80

Soybean Hulls 80

Cottonseed Meal 75

Molasses 72

Wet Brewers Grains 70

Peanut Skins 65

Peanut Hulls 22

Urea 0

Protein Supplementation• Increases forage dry matter intake and

digestibility• Critical level: forage CP < 7% or when

TDN:CP is >7 (51% TDN: 5% CP)• Lower amount of supplement relative to

energy• High-CP supplement = less feed amount• Low-CP supplement = greater feed

amount

Protein Supplementation• Correct protein type is essential

–Non-protein nitrogen• 50% utilization rate on low-quality forage• Needs to be coupled with energy

–Natural protein• Ruminal Degradable Protein• Ruminal Undegradable Protein• Young ruminants perform better with

natural protein

Feedstuff OptionsFeed Crude

Protein, %Degradable

ProteinUndegradable

Protein

Urea 281 100 0

Cottonseed Meal 49 70 30

Soybean Meal 49 65 35

Dried Distillers Grains 30 30 70

Wet Brewers Grains 24 41 59

Corn Gluten Feed 24 75 25

Whole Cottonseed 23 69 30

Wheat Middlings 18 77 23

Peanut Skins 17

Soybean Hulls 12 58 42

Hominy 12 47 53

Corn 9 45 55

Citrus Pulp 9 43 57

Peanut Hulls 8 75 25

Molasses 5 100 0

Feedstuff OptionsFeed Fiber, NDF%

Peanut Hulls 74

Soybean Hulls 67

Corn Gluten Feed 45

Whole Cottonseed 44

Dried Distillers Grains 44

Wet Brewers Grains 42

Wheat Middlings 37

Peanut Skins 28

Cottonseed Meal 26

Hominy 25

Citrus Pulp 24

Corn 9

Soybean Meal 8

Molasses -

Urea -

Feedstuff options

† $40/800 lb roll

Feed $ / Ton % DM % TDN % CP$/CWT (as fed)

$/CWT (DM)

$/CWT TDN (DM)

$/CWT CP (DM)

Blackstrap Molasses 170 74 72 5 8.50 11.49 15.95 229.73

Corn 322 88 88 9 16.10 18.30 20.79 203.28

Citrus Pulp 335 91 82 9 16.75 18.41 22.45 204.52

Hay† 100 92 54 10 5.00 5.43 10.06 54.35

Soybean Hull, pellet 255 91 80 12 12.75 14.01 17.51 116.76

Soybean Hulls, loose 250 91 80 12 12.50 13.74 17.17 114.47

SBH/CGF 50/50 263 91 75 15 13.15 14.45 19.27 96.34

Corn Gluten Feed 298 91 80 24 14.90 16.37 20.47 68.22

Whole Cottonseed 260 92 95 24 13.00 14.13 14.87 58.88

Dried Distillers Grains 342 91 88 30 17.10 18.79 21.35 62.64

Cottonseed Meal 325 92 75 49 16.25 17.66 23.55 36.05

Peanut Hull Pellet 135 91 22 7 6.75 7.42 33.72 105.97

Alternative Feedstuff Options

• Nothing is cheap anymore.• Consider what you are getting for the

“good deal”• Feed to meet requirements and production

goals

Feed DM, % TDN Fat CP Diet Limit

Bread/Bakery 91 89 10.0 11.7 <10%

Candy 94 +90 22.4 5.2 <10%

Okara 23 69 8-15 24 <15%

Perennial Peanut

90 68 2.5 16 $$

Alfalfa cubes 91 57 2.0 18 $$

Supplementation Frequency

• Does not need to be a daily occurrence• 2-3 times/week adequate• High concentrate supplementation

requires more management• Reduce disruption of grazing• Allow timid ewes access

Supplementation Management• Start feeding before the grass runs out• Supplement only those animals where there

is an economic return• Feed supplement where/how all ewes have

access to the supplement• Monitor ewe body condition score• Consider all alternatives

Questions