1. SUSAN SCHOENIAN (Shāy-nē-ŭn)
Sheep & Goat Specialist
Western Maryland Research & Education Center
sschoen@umd.edu - www.sheepandgoat.com
Nutrient -“a substance that provides nourishment”

2.  Species
 Size (weight)
 Sex
 Age
 Genetics
 Stage and level of
production
 Climate, environment, and
activity.
 Body condition

3. 5.0
4.5
Lbs. per day
4.0
3.5
3.0
2.5
2.0
1.5
1.0
Maintenance Early Gestation Late gestation Early lactation
Dairy doe Non-dairy doe Ewe Parlor-milked ewe Parlor-milked doe
NRC 2007

4.  Sheep have lower
maintenance
requirements than goats.
 Dairy goats have higher
maintenance
requirements than meat
and fiber goats.
 Females with a higher
genetic potential for milk
production have higher
nutritional requirements.

5. 7.0
6.5 110-lb. ewe
6.0
5.5 154-lb. ewe
5.0
4.5
198-lb. ewe
Lbs. per day
4.0
3.5
3.0
2.5 52%
2.0
1.5
66%
1.0
0.5 66%
0.0
10% 10% 8.5%
Dry matter intake As fed Energy (TDN) Protein (CP)
NRC, 2007

6. 4.5 66-lb. doe
4.0 110-lb. doe
3.5 154-lb. doe
3.0
Lbs. per day
2.5
2.0
66%
1.5
1.0 66%
0.5 80%
15% 13% 13%
0.0
Dry matter intake As fed Energy (TDN) Protein (CP)
NRC, 2007, Errata

7.  Bigger animals have lower
maintenance requirements
than smaller animals.
  % body weight
 Bigger animals need to eat
more and consume larger
quantities of nutrients.
  lbs. TDN and  lbs. CP
 However, smaller animals
need to consume a more
nutrient-dense diet.
  %TDN and  %CP

8. 176-lb. mature ewe (twins)
5.0 132-lb. ewe lamb (twins)
4.5 110-lb. ewe lamb (twins)
4.0 110-lb. ewe lamb (single)
Lbs. per day
3.5
3.0
2.5
2.0 -- 79% --
1.5
1.0
~10%
0.5 66%
0.0
DM intake As fed Energy (TDN) Protein (CP)
NRC, 2007

9. 176-lb. mature ewe (twins)
12.0
132-lb. ewe lamb (twins)
110-lb. ewe lamb (twins)
10.0
110-lb. ewe lamb (single)
8.0
Grams per day
6.0
4.0
2.0
0.0
Calcium (Ca) Phosphorus (P)
NRC, 2007

10.  Mature females are usually
bigger and need to eat more.
 More lbs. of dry matter
 More lbs. of energy
 More lbs. of protein
 More grams of Ca and P
 However, young females
need a more nutrient-dense
diet.
 Higher % of energy
 Higher % of Ca and P
 But NOT protein!

11. 5.5
5.0
4.5
4.0
3.5
Lbs. per day
3.0
66%
2.5
2.0 66%
1.5
53%
1.0
0.5 53%
7% 8% 10% 15%
0.0
DM intake As fed Energy (TDN) Protein (CP)
Maintenance Early gestation Late gestation Early lactation
NRC 2007

12. 10.0
8.0
Grams per day
6.0
4.0
2.0
0.0
Calcium Phosphorus
Maintenance Early gestation Late gestation Early lactation
NRC, 2007

13.  Energy requirements during late
gestation are more than 50 percent
higher than for maintenance.
 Ewes require a more nutrient-dense
diet during late gestation and
lactation.
 Protein requirements don’t
increase significantly until the
female begins to lactate.
 Calcium requirements are highest
during late gestation.
 Phosphorus requirements are
highest during lactation.

14. 4.5
4.0
3.5
3.0
Lbs. per day
2.5
2.0
1.5 ?
1.0
0.5
?
0.0
DM intake As fed Energy (TDN) Protein (CP)
Maintenance Early gestation Late gestation Early lactation
NRC 2007, Errata

15. 10.0
8.0
Grams per day
6.0
4.0
2.0
0.0
Calcium Phosphorus
Maintenance Early gestation Late gestation Early lactation
NRC, 2007

16. 8.0
7.0
6.0
5.0
Lbs. per day
4.0
3.0
2.0
1.0
0.0
DM intake As fed Energy (TDN) Protein (CP)
Maintenance Early gestation Late gestation Early lactation
NRC 2007 Errata

17.  Energy requirements during late
gestation are more than 50
percent higher than for
maintenance.
 Calcium and Phosphorus
requirements are highest during
lactation.
 Females with a higher genetic
potential for milk production
have much higher nutritional
requirements during lactation.

18. 6.0
Single lamb
5.0 Twin lambs
Three or more
4.0
Lbs. per day
3.0
66%
2.0
66%
53%
1.0
8.3% 10 10%
0.0 %
DM intake As fed Energy (TDN) Protein (CP)
NRC, 2007

19. 12.0
Single lamb
10.0 Twin lambs
Three or more
Grams per day
8.0
6.0
4.0
2.0
0.0
Calcium Phosphorus
NRC, 2007

20.  Ewes carrying twins and
triplets need to eat more.
 Dry matter
 Energy (TDN)
 Protein (CP)
 Calcium and phosphorus
 Ewes carrying twins and
triplets need a more
nutrient-dense diet.
 A ewe carrying triplets needs
43% more energy than a ewe
carrying a single fetus.

21. Single lamb
6.0 Twin lambs
Three or more
5.0 Parlor milked
4.0
Lbs. per day
80%
3.0
66%
2.0
1.0 53%
19%
15%
11%
0.0
DM intake As fed Energy (TDN) Protein (CP)
NRC, 2007

22. Single kid
8.0 Twin kids
Three or more
7.0 Parlor milked
6.0
Lbs. per day
79%
5.0
66%
4.0
53%
3.0 53%
2.0
1.0
0.0
DM intake As fed Energy (TDN)
NRC, 2007

23.  The more milk a female
produces the more nutrients she
needs to consume.
 Energy
 Protein
 Minerals
 In some cases, animals can
simply be fed more, but in the
case of higher-producing
animals, a more nutrient dense
diet must be fed.
 Nutrient requirements are
significantly higher for dairy
does and ewes.

24.  Their nutritional
requirements are
affected by many
of the same factors.
 Age
 Species
 Size
 Genetic type and potential
 Level of performance
 Environment, activity

25. EARLY MATURING LATE MATURING
4 months old 8 months old 4 months old 8 months old
4.0
3.5 5.5%
3.0
Lbs. per day
79%
2.5 4.2%
2.0 3.4% 79%
79%
1.5
2.9%
1.0
66%
0.5
18% 15%
12% 9%
0.0
DM TDN CP
NRC, 2007

26.  Assuming the same size
and rate-of-gain:
 Young lambs convert feed
more efficiently, but need a
higher percentage of
protein in their diet.
 Older lambs need to eat
more and require a more
digestible diet to achieve
the same rate-of-gain.
 Later maturing lambs need
to eat more, but have lower
protein requirements.

27. 4.0
Weight % TDN % CP
3.5
22 87.5% 16.5%
44 67.1% 11.2%
3.0
66 67.0% 10.7%
Lbs. per day
2.5 88 48.9% 7.6%
2.0
1.5
1.0
0.5
0.0
AS FED DM TDN CP
22 lbs. 44 lbs. 66 lbs. 88 lbs.
NRC, 2007

28.  Assuming the same rate
of gain (0.22 lbs/day):
 Smaller kids (weight) need
to consume a more
nutrient-dense diet, both
energy and protein.
 Bigger kids need to
consume more quantity of
nutrients, but the diet does
not need to be as high Weight
22
% TDN
87.5%
% CP
16.5%
quality (% TDN, CP). 44 67.1% 11.2%
66 67.0% 10.7%
88 48.9% 7.6%

29. 3.0 Type % TDN % CP
Dairy 87.7% 14.4%
Boer 66.3% 15.1%
2.5 Indigenous 67.0% 13.0%
2.0
Lbs. per day
1.5
1.0
0.5
0.0
AS FED DM TDN CP
Dairy Boer Indigenous

30.  Assuming the same rate of gain
(0.44 lbs/day).
 Dairy goat bucks don’t need to eat
as much as Boer bucks, but their diet
needs to be more energy-dense.
 Boer bucks need to eat the
most, but their diet doesn’t need to
be as energy-dense.
 Boer bucks have the highest
requirements for protein: lbs. and %.
 Indigenous (local) breed goats have
Type % TDN % CP lower requirements for protein than
Dairy 87.7% 14.4% improved breeds.
Boer 66.3% 15.1%
Indigenous 67.0% 13.0%

31. 2.5
2.0
Lbs. per day
1.5
1.0
0.5
0.0
As Fed DM TDN CP
Doelings and wethers Intact males

32.  Assuming the same rate of
gain (0.44 lbs/day).
 Bucks need to eat more dry
matter and energy.
 Bucks and does require the
same amount of protein.
 But since does eat less, they
require a higher percentage of
protein in their diet.
 Realistically, the differences
will be larger as bucks will gain
Sex % TDN % CP
faster and you don’t want to Doelings, wethers 65.8% 15.9%
feed does to gain as fast. Intact males 66.3% 14.5%

33. 2.0
1.5
Lbs. per day
1.0
0.5
0.0
AS FED DM TDN CP
0 lbs/day 0.22 lbs/day 0.33/lbs/day 0.44 lbs/day 0.55 lbs/day
NRC, 2007

34.  Assuming the same genetic
potential for growth:
 The more you feed a kid or lamb
the more it will gain.
 Better performance requires
both more feed and better
quality feed.
▪ Higher % TDN
▪ Higher % CP
 The bigger question is: is better ADG
0 lbs/day
% TDN
49.7%
% CP
7.8%
performance economical? 0.22 lbs/day 67.1% 13.8%
0.33/lbs/day 87.9% 19.9%
0.44 lbs/day 89.2% 21.7%
0.55 lbs/day 88.6% 23.1%

35. Next webinar – Thursday, 1/26, 7:30 p.m. EST
Topic: Feedstuffs w/Jeff Semler
Thank you for your
attention.
Any questions?
Susan Schoenian
sschoen@umd.edu
www.sheepandgoat.com