Livestock farming is hard work and a lot of responsibility. The success of such an enterprise is possible only as a result of proper nutrition and compliance with the living conditions of the animals. To do this, the cattle need to pay a lot of attention and calculate their time correctly. This issue arises especially acutely during the birth of small lambs. You need to know what is best to feed a sheep after lambing.
Diet for sheep after lambing
During pregnancy and after childbirth, females should receive increased feeding. In general, the usual diet for sheep is plant foods:
- succulent food (forbs, beet, potatoes, silage, carrots) – 80%;
- concentrates – 5%;
- roughage (hay, straw) – 10%;
- animal food (cottage cheese, eggs);
- mineral supplements.
After the birth of a lamb, the sheep should receive a larger amount of feed enriched with vitamins, to which special animal supplements must be added. These include fermented milk products and chicken eggs. Be sure to monitor your water consumption. The liquid must be in the container at all times. Otherwise, there may be problems with milk production, which will ultimately compromise the health of the lamb.
It is recommended to leave the ewe's diet the same as it was before birth. Since as a result of sudden changes, an upset of the digestive system in lambs can occur. At the first stage, their diet should not differ from that in the womb. You can gradually change the menu only on the third day after calving.
In addition, the amount of food depends on the number of lambs born. A sheep that has given birth to one offspring produces 40% less milk than a female that has two. In the second case, the ewe spends much more energy on milk production. In this case, it is necessary to accurately calculate the amount of food, because sheep cannot be overfed.
How often to feed
After lambing, after 5-6 hours, the sheep should release its placenta on its own. To facilitate this process, the ewe is given 1.5 liters of warm water every 2 hours. If, as a result, the placenta does not come out on its own, call a veterinarian, otherwise blood poisoning may develop.
In the second half of pregnancy, the lamb is fed three times a day.The animal should consume 4-5.25 kg of various feeds in total per day. The lower limit is suitable for females weighing up to 50 kg, and larger amounts of food - up to 60 kg. After calving, this volume of food should increase by 30% within a week. Because healthy feeding requires more energy and, accordingly, more food.
Prohibited Products
Sheep should not eat straw, hay or grass that has been irrigated with dew. They really like it, but it causes bloating, which adversely affects the health of the ewe. As a result, milk production processes are disrupted, and energy is spent on the rehabilitation of the digestive system. This should under no circumstances be allowed. Therefore, some herders add some absorbent (charcoal) to their food.
You cannot overfeed the animal in the initial period. Therefore, concentrates can be excluded from the diet. They are replaced by animal feed and large quantities of succulent feed. It is important to maintain the level of microflora in the sheep's rumen so as not to cause digestive system disorders.
If you feed with concentrate, then its amount should not exceed 500 grams per day. Nutrition is the main component of animal health. Therefore, you need to approach this process carefully, calculate everything and feed the sheep correctly, especially after lambing.
