Sheep Industry News July 2022

Sheep Nutrition CLAY ELLIOTT, PH.D. Purina Animal Nutrition

Hot Tips For HotWeather

S heep are well adapted to handle the hot summer weather and are less susceptible to heat stress than other livestock species. Yet they aren’t 100 percent immune to the impacts of rising temperatures – especially in humid conditions. Extreme temperatures and high humidity can result in increased respiration rates, pneumonia challenges and reduced body condi tion. Take a few simple steps to adjust your management and nutri tion programs to offset heat stress in your flock. STRATEGIZE NUTRIENT PLACEMENT Sheep that are thinner during the summer months might experi ence more challenges from heat stress than animals in appropriate body condition. Providing supplemental protein and energy can help sheep maintain a 2.5 to 3.5 body condition score and help en sure they don’t lose too much weight going into breeding season. Providing supplemental nutrition can also help improve graz ing efficiency. Sheep don’t like to stray too far from shade and water areas in warmer temperatures. Strategically placing protein tubs in better grass areas can draw sheep toward high-quality grass and increase forage intake. On the other hand, it’s recommended to place mineral sources close to water and shade areas. It’s important to ensure they consume the necessary amounts of mineral to maintain body functions. If they have to work too hard to access mineral, they might not eat enough. SUPPORT REPRODUCTIVE EFFICIENCY Maintaining body condition score is essential to prepare animals for breeding. During heat stress, sheep may reduce feed intake and lose body condition. This can impact fertility because ewes need an appropriate level of body fat to cycle and become pregnant. BCS is also important when it comes to breeding bucks. The rule of thumb is bucks will travel twice as far and eat half as much during breeding season than the rest of the year. BCS for breeding bucks is a balancing act. If they have too much condition, they won’t be aggressive enough or cover enough ground. If they are under-conditioned, they won’t have sufficient energy to breed, especially in extreme heat.

and keep sheep cool but also to help encourage feed intake. Late summer forages typically have lower moisture content, and with the added heat, sheep might need to drink more water. During periods of high temperatures and humidity, consider pro viding additional water sources to increase intake. Place waterers in shaded areas to control water temperature and keep the water clean and fresh. Evaluate the area around the water source to prevent dirt and debris from contaminating the water. OTHER MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS • Shade: In range flock situations, shade can’t always be provided. But when shade is available, it can help reduce heat stress. Consider providing portable structures, shade cloths or moving sheep to pastures with trees or additional shade during extreme heat to give sheep a break from the sun. • Housed sheep: Consider adding ventilation, decreasing stocking density and providing a fly control supplement. • De-worming: The last thing your sheep need during hot tem peratures is to deal with a parasite challenge. Implement a pre ventative de-worming plan to reduce stress on animals during the summer. • Animal handling: Avoid transporting or handling animals dur ing extreme heat. Managing heat stress doesn’t have to stress you out. With these simple adjustments, you can keep sheep cool and productive all summer long. Visit PurinaMills.com/sheep-feed to learn more. Clay Elliott, Ph.D., is a small ruminant technical specialist with Purina Animal Nutrition. Contact him at CElliott@landolakes.com.

PROVIDE FRESH, CLEANWATER Water is a critical nutrient, not only to help heat dissipation

Don't overlook the impacts of heat stress on your flock.

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