With Easter behind us, the dry feed available for sheep is simply now roughage. As we move deeper into autumn, increasing the level of nutrition available to ewes during their last trimester is essential for maximising lambing percentages and the number of lambs available for sale come spring/summer.
Providing quality, supplementary feed to ewes during this period will ensure a successful lambing. A minimum body condition score (BCS) of 3 needs to be maintained and can be achieved by providing optimal, balanced supplementary feed with the essential vitamin/mineral micronutrients to maximise their performance.
The Lifetime Ewe Management and Department of Primary Industries & Regional Development (DPIRD) 100% club programs have shown that providing high quality nutrition during pregnancy is the key factor in lifting lambing percentages and ewe survival rates. During mid-to-late pregnancy, sheep face four distinct challenges: 1) deteriorating stubble quality and availability; 2) a reduced rumen volume capacity; 3) a rise in energy and protein demands; and 4) a balance profile of essential micronutrient vitamins/minerals (calcium and phosphorus). Recent productivity and profitability webinars from Meat & Livestock Australia have focused on the important nutritional role that trace minerals play in lambing ewes and young growing lambs. Western Australian soils are typically deficient in many trace minerals such as copper, cobalt and selenium. During winter, many pastures will develop an inverted calcium to phosphorus ratio.
Reduced rumen capacity
During mid-to-late pregnancy, the increasing size of growing lamb(s) in a ewe’s uterus decreases her rumen fluid volume capacity (see pregnant ewe image). This reduction in rumen capacity slows the digesta turnover in the rumen which, in turn, can limit her overall daily dry matter intake, during a period when her energy and protein requirements are high.
This is why providing high quality, nutrient-dense supplementary feed with an optimally balanced nutrient profile, is critical during mid-to-late pregnancy. This type of feed is necessary to meet a ewe’s growing nutritional requirements during a period when her rumen volume size is reduced.
Milne Feeds' EasyOne® contains 11 MJ/kg of energy and 14.5% protein, making it an ideal, quality feeding solution available during this period of high energy and protein demands.
Elevated energy demands
To sustain the recent improvements in WA sheep lambing percentages, the two key nutritional components. energy and protein, both need to be met to maximise reproductive performance and maintain ewe BCS. We need to advance traditional feeding methods in order to improve the state’s lambing percentages. Feeding grain can cause acidosis and up to 20% of the energy and protein content can be wasted (passing through the animal undigested).
Having a good grip on the BCS of your ewes is critical, as it acts as a key marker to determine the necessary supplementary feed quantities required to maintain ewes in optimum health and nutrition during late pregnancy and early lactation.
Dry ewes weighing 60kg require approximately 8-9 MJ/kg energy and 9% protein (CP)to maintain a BCS 3-3.5. Energy and protein requirements increase to 11 MJ/kg and 10% respectively, and reach 14.4 MJ/kg and 12% respectively by late-pregnancy (130-150 days) for paddock grazing ewes. Ewes carrying twins require 17.7 MJ/kg energy and 13-14% protein.
The increased energy required by ewes during lactation is often underestimated, and underfeeding is common. Increasing the supplementary feed from 500 g/h/day to 800-1000 g/day at the point of lambing will go a long way towards meeting the elevated energy and protein requirements for ewes on pastures or stubbles. EasyOne® is a high-quality pellet that can be fed safely to ewes to maintain BCS, without the risk of acidosis typically observed when feeding traditional grain mixes.
Balancing essential nutrients
Calcium and phosphorus are key minerals necessary to support the rapid bone and tissue growth of lambs in late-pregnancy, although they are typically deficient or imbalanced in grain mixes.
Milne Feeds’ pellets provide consistent levels of calcium and phosphorus above the recommended levels for late-pregnancy and early lactation. These minerals are optimally balanced to achieve a calcium to phosphorus ratio (Ca:P) above the recommended 2:1 during late-pregnancy, taking the guess work out of supplementary feeding. The optimal Ca:P in the pellets also supports quality colostrum and milk yields, to aid rapid lamb growth during lactation.
For further information or nutritional advice, Milne Feeds sheep specialists, Wayne Manoni 0427 099 002 & Brett Blanchett 0429 884 528, are available to discuss your feed requirements, or speak with the Milne Feeds Nutritionist, Joshua Sweeny 0432 219 274.
