FEEDING SHEEP FOR PROF$T Jess Revell Livestock Nutritionist Rumenate Livestock Services
What is your aim? Is it profitable $$ (Budget)? Contents What nutrients are important? Benefits of a balanced & consistent ration Adding value through supplementation
Aims Confinement Feeding? Supplementary Feeding?
NUTRIENT REQUIREMENTS
Dry matter intake drives growth rate Lambs eat 3.8-4.2% of bodyweight (Source: NRC, 1985) Depends on: Palatability & digestibility of ration Rate at which feed is degraded Rumen outflow Protein content Water content of feed Mineral level PH in rumen Weight Age Trough space, feeder space Environmental temp Neophobia Time of day lambs are fed
Nutrient Requirements of Sheep Requirements vary with age, weight and stage of growth water Energy Protein Fibre Vitamins & Minerals FAT MUSCLE
Energy Dictates growth/finishing The form in which a grains/pellet energy is stored will influence Energy levels Rumen function & health Growth rate & FCE
Energy required by ewes @ CS 3 Source: Lifetime Ewe Management
Energy needs of fast growing lambs LW (Kg) Growth rate g/day DMI (Kg) DMI % of LW ME per Kg DM MJME per day 20 300 1.2 6.0% 11.5 13.8 30 325 1.4 4.7% 12.0 16.74 40 400 1.5 3.8% 11.4 17.15 50 425 1.7 3.4% 11.6 19.67 60 350 1.7 2.8 11.6 19.87 Guidelines met. energy (ME), dry matter intakes (DMI) requirements of fast growing lambs at specified daily rates of gain and liveweights (NRC, 1985)
Energy & Starch Wheat Triticale Barley Corn Sorghum Peas & Beans Cottonseed Oats Lupins Higher in starch Lower in fibre Lower in starch Higher in fibre Acidosis Risk
Protein Needed for: Grows the rumen bugs! Muscle growth, foetal growth, pregnancy & milk production Builds and repairs body tissue Appetite Inadequate protein: A reduction in gut bacteria Digestion slows Intake drops Energy & protein need to be balanced to achieve production targets
Requirements LW (Kg) Growth rate g/day DMI (Kg) DMI % of LW ME per Kg DM MJME per day Crude protein % of DM 20 300 1.2 6.0% 11.5 13.8 17 30 325 1.4 4.7% 12.0 16.74 15 40 400 1.5 3.8% 11.4 17.15 16 50 425 1.7 3.4% 11.6 19.67 14 60 350 1.7 2.8 11.6 19.87 14 Guidelines for CP%, met. energy (ME), dry matter intakes (DMI) requirements of fast growing lambs at specified daily rates of gain and liveweights (NRC, 1985)
Maintenance - 8-10% CP Crude Protein Requirements Lactating animals, young animals and weaners -14-16% CP Pregnant 12% CP
Ration requirements - Fibre Essential for rumen function Rumen motility Saliva production (natural buffer) Length promotes chewing and saliva production Bicarbonate recycling Related to length Min 10% roughage
HEALTHY DAMAGED
Reducing the risk - feed additives Rumen Buffer i.e. acid buffer, sodium bicarb? Yeasts? Ionophore i.e. Bovatec, Rumensin? Virginiamycin Eskalin (S4)? Feed management Effective fibre GRADUAL introduction to grain
Mineral & Vitamin Requirements
Mineral deficiencies Affect animal performance Reduction in DMI Poor growth rates Poor feed conversion Poor fertility Poor immune function Hoof issues Poor milk production Often difficult to see To see a response = x 20%!!
Mineral imbalances to watch for.. Calcium and Phosphorus 2:1 unbalanced in high cereal grain rations Urinary calculi Vitamin B1 deficiency polioenchelomalacia Magnesium deficiency - actively growing pasture, high soluble N Vitamin B12 Vit A & E off green feed extended periods
Dry pasture/ stubble finishing Low crude protein <6% ME CP NDF 5 5 70 X X X High fibre content restricts intake Minerals Vitamins? - X X Marginal for minerals/vitamins
Green Pasture Finishing Very high crude protein 25-30%+ Met energy 11-11.5mj/kg Low fibre content / high moisture Mineral imbalance High K and high N - Low Se, Low Cu, low Co Low magnesium - Vit A & E adequate Low calcium (species dependent)
Fodder Crop Finishing Fodder/legume crops Contain several toxic substances: - High nitrate content nitrate poisoning - Photosensitive compounds - photosensitisation - Specific amino acid compounds -Glucosinolates and oxalates goitres, blindness Other animal health risks pulpy kidney, haemolytic anaemia, red gut, prussic acid poisoning (sorghum)
A feed is only as good as its ingredients
Who provides what? Raw Ingredients Nutrient it provides Major Intermediate Minor Wheat, Barley Maize ME as Starch Protein Canola, Soy Protein ME Pea Protein ME as Starch Bean Protein ME as NSP Lupin Protein, ME as NSP
Differences in protein degradability RATES OF DEGRADABILITY RDP vs UDP 500 Rumen ammonia concent ration (mg/ litre) 400 300 200 100 0 Urea consumed Protein meal consumed Minimum NH 3 Minimum NH 3 0 6 12 18 24 Time after consuming urea (hour)
Balancing a ration Include price of milling & labour in your budget Know what you are buying and what this supplies to the diet What else do you need to add to meet nutritional requirements for meeting production targets Forage Barley F1 Cereal Hay Dry Matter (%) Metabolisable energy (MJ Kg/DM) Crude protein (%) UDP Supply NDF (%) Starch (%) 90 12.5 12 P 18 55 90 8 8 P 58 5
Grain mineral content vs requirements Source: AWI
VitaMinBuf Range Supplement Range
Is it economical? Do a budget BEFORE you start feeding
Summary AIMS - Determine the class of animal BUDGET $$ NUTRIENT REQUIREMENT - Provide a ration that meets your production objectives DETERMINE WHATS MISSING SUPPLEMENT Provide the limiting nutrients to balance the ration to meet production objectives
For more information: Jess Revell 0419 319 516 jess@rumenate.com.au