Sheep Industry News September 2024

Sheep Nutrition MICHAEL SCHLEGEL, PH.D. Purina Animal Nutrition How Nutrition Influences Multiple Births

E very seasoned sheep producer knows the road to profitability is paved with strategic decisions. One of the most impact ful choices you can make is optimizing your ewes’ nutrition. Doubling down on nutrition doesn’t just support ewe health, it can help drive more lambs per breeding season, lower costs per lamb and create a more robust bottom line. Here are some ways you can use nutrition to help reach ewes’ genetic potential for multiples and help them support those lambs throughout gestation and lactation. ENHANCE THE POSSIBILITY Breed selection, sire selection and dam selection play pivotal roles in a ewe’s ability to conceive multiples. However, even with the best genet ics, birthing multiples isn’t a guarantee. Supporting ewes with enhanced nutrition in the lead-up to breeding season will help them reach their genetic potential for conceiving multiples. The aim is to get ewes into a positive energy balance, encouraging the ovulation of more eggs, and thereby increasing the likelihood of multiple births. Begin supplementing ewes’ diets 45 to 60 days before the breeding season and continue this enhanced feeding for two to four weeks into the breeding season. Increase energy intake by providing high-quality grains or com mercial feed supplements in addition to high-quality pasture grass or supplemental forage. Maintain ewes at a body condition score of 3 to 3.5 on a five-point scale as they approach the breeding season. This optimizes the effects of flushing, potentially increasing ovulation rates and resulting in more twins during lambing season. Be cautious when flushing ewes with a body condition score above 3, as those with a score of 4 or higher will not benefit. Ewes that are provided a balanced diet throughout the year will be better prepared for breeding season and will make flushing more cost efficient as they don’t have to play catchup. Support ewes year-round with: • Essential nutrients: Provide a balanced diet rich in fats, proteins and key trace minerals such as selenium, zinc and copper. • Vitamins: Ensure ewes receive adequate vitamins – particularly vitamin E – which play crucial roles in reproductive health. A weather resistant vitamin and mineral supplement is an excellent choice to pro vide additional energy, minerals and vitamins crucial for reproduction. ADJUSTING NUTRITIONAL STRATEGY After breeding, it’s important to keep up with ewes’ nutritional needs to support the health of multiple lambs.

Using ultrasound to identify ewes with multiples and separat ing them for extra nutritional care can help make the most of your resources without overfeeding ewes with singles. • Early and mid-gestation: In the first 15 weeks of pregnancy, the ewes’ nutrient requirements only increase slightly. Yet, this stage of ges tation still is critical to the pregnancy due to the placental development and attachment that occurs between days 30 and 90. Ewes in good condition at conception can lose a little weight during mid-gestation, but excessive weight loss can impair placental develop ment, reducing fetal growth and lamb survival. Balanced nutrition early on is crucial, as late pregnancy nutrition cannot make up for poor placental development earlier. • Late gestation: During the final six weeks of gestation, the ewe’s energy and protein requirements increase dramatically. Roughly 70 percent of the fetal growth occurs during this time. Inadequate nutrition during this period can lead to lighter lambs at birth, uneven birth weights in twins and triplets, poor wool follicle development and low energy reserves in newborn lambs. CUSTOMIZING DIETS Increasing the ewe’s feed allowance after lambing is essential to meet her escalating nutritional needs. Ewes nursing multiple lambs produce 20 to 40 percent more milk than those with a single lamb, requiring more nutrients. To ensure ewes produce enough milk to sup port optimal growth rates for the lambs, separate ewes with multiples from those with single lambs and provide them with customized diets tailored to their increased nutritional demands. In most cases, supple mental feed will need to be utilized to meet nutritional demands. As milk production declines after eight to 10 weeks, adjust the diet to match the reduced requirements. Remember to always provide access to high-quality forage; clean, fresh water; and a comprehensive sheep mineral and vitamin mix. NUTRITION DRIVES PRODUCTION For commercial producers, improving lamb crop yields can help reduce costs and increase the number of lambs for sale. Ewes’ nutri tional needs should be top priority throughout the breeding season till after weaning. Visit PurinaMills.com/sheep-feed to explore nutrition solutions that can help maximize your flock’s potential and support your journey toward healthier ewes and higher productivity. Michael Schlegel, Ph.D., is a small ruminant technical specialist with Purina Animal Nutrition. Contact him at MLSchlegel@landolakes.com.

24 • Sheep Industry News • sheepusa.org