1. Feeding Sheep in a High
Feed Price Environment
Dr. Matt Hersom
Dept of Animal Sciences
hersom@ufl.edu 352-392-2390

2. 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.

3. Overview of Presentation
• Intake
• Nutrient Requirements
– Stage or Level of Production
– Age
• Feeding and
Assessing Nutrition

4. Effect of Stage of Production and
Ewe Age on Intake Capacity
5.0
4.5 Mature
4.0 Ewe Lamb
3.5
% of bodyweight
3.0
2.5
2.0
1.5
1.0
0.5
0.0
Maintance Flushing Early Gest Late Gest Late Gest Early Lact Early Lact
High Prod Single Twins

5. Growing Lambs and Feed Intake
• The lower the body BW Intake,
% of BW
weight and younger
Replacement 66 4.0 / 4.5
age of the lamb the Ewe / Ram
greater the intake Lamb 88 3.5 / 4.0
• Sex of the lamb >110 2.5 / 3.5
influences intake
Market Lamb, 66 4.3
4-7 month
88 4.0
>110 3.2

6. Effect of Stage of Production on
Energy Requirement
66
64
62
60
% TDN
58
56
54
52
50
Maintance Flushing Early Gest Late Gest Late Gest Early Lact Early Lact
High Prod Single Twins

7. Effect of Ewe Age on Energy
Requirement
70
68 Mature
66 Ewe Lamb
64
Diet % TDN
62
60
58
56
54
52
50
Maintance Flushing Early Gest Late Gest Late Gest Early Lact Early Lact
High Prod Single Twins

8. Effect of Stage of Production on
Protein Requirement
16
14
12
% Crude Protein
10
8
6
4
2
0
Maintance Flushing Early Gest Late Gest Late Gest Early Lact Early Lact
High Prod Single Twins

9. Effect of Ewe Age on Protein
Requirement
16
Mature
14
Ewe Lamb
12
Diet % Crude Protein
10
8
6
4
2
0
Maintance Flushing Early Gest Late Gest Late Gest Early Lact Early Lact
High Prod Single Twins

10. 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 Hay 4.00 4.00 4.00 4.00
pregnancy Corn 1.00 1.00 1.00 1.00
SBM -- 0.10
Early Hay 4.25 4.25 4.25 4.25
lactation, Corn 1.90 1.80 1.50 1.15
twins
SBM 0.10 0.20 0.50 0.85
130 lb ewe

11. Observations about Age
• Differences in ewe ages within • Mature ewes generally
the herd results in many have more consistent
different requirements. forage and supplement
intakes
• Potential for DMI is a key
controller for management of • Younger ewes are likely
ewes with different ages. socially influenced by
mature ewes
• Different nutritional
requirements = different • Ewe lambs have
nutritional management maintenance, gestation,
lactation and growth
requirements.

12. 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.

13. Effect of Growing Lamb BW on
Energy Requirement
1600
44 lb
1400
66 lb
Net Energy, kcal / day
1200
1000
800
600
400
200
0
Maint. 0.22 0.33 0.44 0.55 0.66 0.77 0.88
Desired ADG, lb/d
Medium Mature Weight

14. Effect of Growing Lamb BW on
Protein Requirement
250
44 lb
200 66 lb
Protein, g / day
150
100
50
0
0.22 0.33 0.44 0.55 0.66 0.77 0.88
Desired ADG, lb/d
Medium Mature Weight

15. Mineral Nutrition
• Copper levels in • Magnesium special
mineral are important consideration for
to know. nursing ewes
– High Cu levels are
toxic – grass tetany
• Calcium:Phosphorus • Selenium
– 2:1is optimum – White muscle disease
– Pasture can be low in – Inorganic vs organic
Ca
– Concentrates
generally high in P
– Urinary calculi
– Limestone

16. 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

17. 60
50
40
30 Bahia
20 growth
10
0
Jan Mar May July Sept Nov
Month
45
40
35
30
25 Rye-
20
15 ryegrass
10
5 growth
0
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18. Adding Rye-Ryegrass to Bahia: Forage
Production (lb/acre/day)
Bahia Rye Ryegrass
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
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19. 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

20. 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

21. Here’s Your
Analysis,
Now What?
Matt Hersom, 2008

22. 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

23. 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)

24. 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

25. Energy Supplementation
Considerations
• Likely most expensive
• Affects animal production
• Feed amount generally more than protein
• Reasons for use:
– Meet energy demands
– Reduce forage consumption
– Diet selection allows

26. 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

27. 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

28. Feedstuff Options
Feed 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

29. 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

30. 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

31. Feedstuff Options
Feed Crude Degradable Undegradable
Protein, % Protein 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

32. Feedstuff Options
Feed 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 -

33. Feedstuff options
$/CWT $/CWT $/CWT TDN $/CWT CP
Feed $ / Ton % DM % TDN % CP (as fed) (DM) (DM) (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
† $40/800 lb roll

34. Alternative Feedstuff Options
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 90 68 2.5 16 $$
Peanut
Alfalfa cubes 91 57 2.0 18 $$
• Nothing is cheap anymore.
• Consider what you are getting for the
“good deal”
• Feed to meet requirements and production
goals

35. 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

36. 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

37. Questions