There are several periods in the lives of sheep. It is possible them to be infertile in one of the periods that are being mentioned. In other words, they are deprive of lamb and milk efficiency in this period. Another period can be defined as the maternity period which requires a good maintenance and a healthy nourishment. Following these, lactation period is going to be on the line and this is also going to require an isolated maintenance and nourishment.
Feeding in Mating of Sheep
Sheep have to be suitable in terms of their body weights and they shouldn’ t have any kind of health problems in this ‘ Mating of Sheep ‘ period. If we want to whip the mating demand of sheep and if we don’ t want to face with premature deaths which cause from inadequate nutrition, then a need for supplementary feeding is going to arise.
Mating of Sheep, is being made in different months of a year and in several regions of our country. Sheep are usually at forages and an inadequate nourishment for them is the point in question. It is going to be useful to make supplementary feeding by starting nurturance two weeks before mating of sheep and sustaining it for 4 weeks during this period.
We can feed the sheep with quality dry clover with the dimensions of 500 g to 1.5 kg or we can feed them with fabric feed, mix of barley and oat with the dimensions of 400 g to 700- 800 g. in this supplementary feeding.
Feeding in Maternity
It is required to separate this period into two parts. In the first 3 months of maternity, if the forage conditions are adequate, then there will be no need for supplementary feeding. This method should only be used when the herbs are in limited quantities and they can be fed with these supplementary feeds until 250 g before the foraging step.
The second and the most critical period of maternity takes its’ shape in the last 45 days. In this period, a sudden development is seen for the babies that they are nourished from their mothers’ feeds. Needs of the babies and the mothers increase as they are compared with the previous period. Supplementary feeds are going to mean healthy birth for the baby and preparedness to milk efficiency period for the mother. All of these are the plus values for breeders. It is going to be useful to start with 300 gr and increase the quantity to 800 gr until birth in supplementary feeding. Meanwhile, if forage is inadequate, herbs can additively be given to the animals.
We can prepare mixtures which are made from the grains (barley, wheat, corn, millet etc.) as energy sources and mixtures which are made from the meals (sunflower, cotton seed, soybean etc.) as protein sources.
Feeding in Milk Efficiency
Sheep shortly after begin to milk after birth and this circumstance usually continues for 16 weeks. In the first months of sheep, milk efficiencies of them are at the highest level. After this period, these milk efficiencies gradually and properly start to decrease. Therefore, we can continue to consume these feeds until the ablactation period.
Roughage has a vital importance for milk efficiency. The efficiency and the quality of milk, indicate the quality of roughage. As it might be expected, this grass- feeding type remains incapable for feeding. Meanwhile, it is going to be beneficial to have rock salts and licking blocks in stock.
Twin lambs frequently suck and they lactate more than the monomer ones as their milk secretion highly increase. In this period, it is going to be beneficial to inhold the twins and the monomers in separate places.
We should continue to feed the twin lambs with 1 kg- mixed feeds and the monomer lambs with 700 gr- mixed feeds by protecting feeding level which is reached at the last period of maternity.
Feeding in Infertile Period
This is a period which occurs in the last 45 days of maternity and 2 weeks before they complete their milk efficiency periods.
Feeding animals by providing them to live confidently and by protecting their current situations are the point in question.
Opportunities for feeding animals in their infertile periods are feeding in grass, giving 500 gr meadow grass, 300 gr dry clover grass or 200 gr feed consolidation. Chaff herding is also going to be adequate for feeding.
