Sheep & Goat Feeding Ansci 520 Dr. Dan Morrical Iowa State University

Sheep vs goats vs cows Intake Rate of passage Physical attributes Production levels and gestation ex. Growth rates

Very picky eaters Process roughage or feed very high quality Goats, extreme sorters pellet rations to prevent sorting

Sheep vs goats vs cows GrassForbsBrowse Sheep Cattle Goats Van Dyne et al Impact supplementation stratgedies

Young Lambs Enterotoxemia u Clostridium perfringens type C Symptoms u Sudden death in 7-21 day old lambs

Young Lambs.... continued Prevention u Booster dams in late gestation u Vaccinate lambs at 21 days and weaning u Orphan vaccination u Maximum colostrum intake Misdiagnosed-selenium/Vit. E deficiency or pneumonia

Purchased feeder lambs Assume no grain exposure Assume no vaccinations Vaccine is highly effective Feed company approach lower energy diets

GoiterGoiter Symptoms u Enlarged thyroid u Poor wool coat at birth u Low vigor/survival

Goiter..... continued Prevention u Iodized salt u Compensate for goitergens (kale, brassicas, etc.) u New NRC.8 PPM instead of.1 to.8 range

Finishing Lambs Enterotoxemia/OvereatingSymptoms u Best doing lambs u Uncoordinated movement u Rapid death

Finishing Lambs... continued Prevention u Vaccination - toxoid u Bunk management u Gradual ration changes u Antibiotics Misdiagnosed-polio and Vit. E/Se deficiency, pneumonia

Urinary Calculi much more important, why Wether lambs and stud rams Several types-phosphate, calcium, silica Problem-concentrates are low in Ca and high in P

Urinary Calculi... continued Prevention u Water intake u Salt (.5 to 1% of ration) u Ammonium chloride or sulfate u Add calcium to achieve >1.5:1 ratio to phosphorous u Never add phosphorous u New NRC

White Muscle/Stiff Lamb Disease Symptoms u Stiff rear legs and arched back u Sudden death u Aspiration Pneumonia u Poor suckling reflex u Poor reproduction

White Muscle/Stiff Lamb Disease...continued Cause u Deficiency of Vit. E and/or Selenium Note: Se is toxic but Vitamin E is not and E is also cheap Feds control how much Se,.69 mg/h/d High grain rations reduce Vit. E activity Newborns only source of E is milk New NRC increased E levels 5 times

Results - Serum E ewes ConE-GE-LE-GL Pretreatment Pre-lambing1.51 a 1.91 b Post-lambing a.93 a 1.13 b Mid-lactation.97 a.95 a 1.28 b 1.37 b Milk e at 3 days a,b Row means with different superscripts differ (p<.05).

Results - Serum E lambs ConE-GE-LE-GL 3 days days

PolioencephalomaciaPolioencephalomacia Thiamine deficiency Prevention u Maintain rumen health u Gradual ration changes u Feed some long fiber u Sulfur intake Less risk than cattle

Copper Toxicosis, sheep Breed susceptibility Mineral interactions-Mo & Su, along with high Zn & Ca along with high Zn & Ca Iowa Feedstuffs: Normal copper, low molybdenum

Copper Toxicosis... continued Prevention u Sheep specific feeds u No additional copper u Feed some Mo Copper & Molybdenum are both toxic Goats use beef mineral

Copper: Feed mill precautions SOP’s What would they be? 1. Liability insurance

Pregnancy Toxemia Cause - Excess fat catabolism and ketone accumulation Prevention u Over conditioned ewes u Increased conc. feeding LG coops add molasses ??? u Fetal scans u Pre-lambing shearing

Pregnancy Toxemia... continued Treatment u Propylene glycol u Induced parturition Severe cases usually do not recover why ?????

Grass Tetany Hypomagnesia Cause: excess potassium Lactating ewes on lush, spring pasture N fertilization increases risks Stress induced

Grass Tetany... continued Magnesium oxide in mineral poor palatability. Sudden death-confirmation by necropsy

Milk Fever Ewes vs. Dairy Cows Cause u Calcium deficiency ?? u Stress induced

MIlk Fever... continued Late gestation ewes carrying triplets Symptoms u Depressed, lethargic, recumbent Treatment u Calcium gluconate u Rapid response

Wool Pulling Cause u Inadequate dry matter intake u Small particle size, effective fiber u Low phosphorous intake

Wool Pulling... continued Prevention u Maximum 50% concentration ration u Improved feeding technique u Offer some low quality, long forage u Evaluate phosphorous level

SummarySummary Common sense eliminates most disorders Shepherd mistakes creates a lot of the disorders Seek advice if not sure of whatyou are doing