Sheep are a favorite source of wool, milk, and meat for many people. Some sheep can be pretty skinnier than others; this is not good enough for any intended purpose of keeping the sheep. There is a need to make the sheep gain weight faster for good market potential, hence, the process of fattening.
Sheep fattening is a process of giving sheep high quality feed that enhances rapid weight gain and muscle growth. Sheep fattening takes up to 6 months; it requires a lot of patience and effort on your part. You want to get your sheep the extra weight for good marketing, and we want to help you do that. In this article, we’ll cover the best feeds you need for fattening sheep to gain weight faster, the roughages and grains as well as the recommended quantity to feed your sheep. Read up!
Nutrient Requirements For Sheep During Fattening
Fattened sheep have unique nutrient requirements different from other production purposes and growth stages. A good diet for fattening sheep must contain adequate nutrients that help sheep develop more muscle mass within a short period; these nutrients are protein, fiber, fats and oils, vitamins, and minerals. Sheep get these nutrients from grasses, legumes, grains, and water. These feed resources provide the necessary nutrients sheep need to quickly grow muscles and stronger bones during fattening.
Good-quality forages and pastures can provide adequate protein for a fattened sheep. Most sheep require 7% of dietary crude protein for maintenance. The amount of protein required varies based on age, stage of growth, and prevalence of certain diseases. Oilseed meals like soybean meal and commercially blended supplements are also good sources of protein for sheep. However, over-feeding protein increases production costs and it may cause an imbalance in the nitrogen-sulfur ratio, hence, moderation is crucial.
Like humans, sheep need vitamins and minerals in order to stay healthy. Vitamins A and D can be found in plant sources such as grasses and grains while mineral sources include salt licks and minerals added to their water supply. Vitamins and minerals are required in minute quantity; they help to prevent diseases and also boost the immune system of the sheep.
Water is the most essential nutrient in a fattened sheep diet. Water plays a key role in nutrient absorption and metabolic balance. During fattening, sheep need water to regulate their body temperature especially important in hot weather. Water also aids digestion; you know digestion of feed brings about absorption and utilization of these nutrients by your sheep, so if your sheep do not have access to a clean and adequate quantity of water, they are likely to have poor digestion and become dehydrated. Hence, sheep need clean water always during fattening.
Best Feed To Fatten Sheep Faster
You and I know that sheep are ruminants; they have four stomachs and are well-equipped to digest plant matter, this makes sheep utilize any feed resource given to them during fattening. There are a lot of feeds you can feed your sheep to fatten them up. However, legume-grass silage, haylage, corn silage, and best of all, alfalfa are some foods that are great for fattening sheep:
1. Legume-grass silage
Legume-grass silage is the most popular of these options because it can be made with any type of grass or legume; it is a high-protein blend of grasses and legumes that have been chopped or mowed before they’re fermented with enzymes. This process releases their sugar content so it’s easy to digest. Legume-grass silage is rich in protein and lignin, which gives your sheep more energy to grow fat quickly. When fed at about 5 percent of the intended body weight, legume-grass silage will help increase the weight gain of sheep.
2. Haylage
Haylage is another feed that can make sheep gain weight quickly; it is a high-energy feed made by combining grasses with chopped alfalfa or other legumes. Haylage has a higher protein content than hay but lower fiber content than silage. It’s often used as a supplement to grain ration during finishing periods or dry-off periods when pasture quality is low.
3. Corn silage
Corn silage is another good choice of feed for fattening sheep. Corn silage is high in carbohydrates and has less protein than haylage or legume-grass silage but it does contain more protein than grass hay or oat hay. Because it contains more energy than haylage, corn silage can be used to fatten up sheep faster than haylage alone if additional calories are needed for rapid growth or weight gain such as during the lambing season
4. Alfalfa
Alfalfa is the best option for fattening sheep because it contains high levels of protein and minerals such as calcium and phosphorus, both essential for a healthy life cycle. Alfalfa is fondly called the queen of forages because of its well-balanced amino acid profile and the high levels of minerals like calcium, magnesium, potassium, sulfur, iron, cobalt, manganese, and zinc; as well as vitamins (beta-carotene) than other forage crops. Alfalfa can be cut and given to sheep, it can also be used in making hay and silage. Alfalfa is one of the best feed for fattening sheep and other ruminants.
5. Hay
Hay is a popular feed for fattening sheep. Hay is made from grasses that have been air-dried to a moisture content of about 12 percent. Hay is a great source of fiber for sheep; The more fiber in their diet, the easier it will be for them to digest their food and get all the nutrients they need. Hay is good for fattening sheep because it gives sheep a bulky rounded belly. Aside from this physical attribute, hay also aids digestion of feed, aids constipation, and improves sheep’s gut health. Hay can be made from different grasses like guinea grass and elephant grass.
Best Grains To Make Sheep Gain Weight Faster
There are many grains that are good for weight gain in sheep; though sheep love to eat grasses, they can also eat grains too. Grains are referred to as concentrate owing to their nutritional composition and the rapid impact they have in terms of quick weight gain and healthy appearance when fed to livestock; therefore feeding sheep grains is highly recommended during fattening. Corn, wheat, oats, sorghum, and millet are the common grains used for fattening sheep.
1) Wheat
Wheat is a great grain for weight gain in sheep. Wheat is a source of energy in sheep’s diet, it has a high starch content of about 70% dry matter; wheat also has up to 13 percent crude protein which is higher than maize, which helps the sheep grow muscle mass quickly. In addition, wheat has a low fiber content and contains B vitamins and iron; these nutrients help provide energy to sheep so that they can grow at a faster rate than normal. Wheat is regarded as the best grain for feeding sheep during fattening.
2) Oats
Oats are another energy feed given to fattened sheep, they are rich in fiber and protein. Oats have higher energy content than other grains due to their oil content, it has about 15 percent crude protein which is higher than make. Oats are excellent feed for fattening sheep because of their high amino acid profile, particularly lysine, threonine, and tryptophan. Oats are an excellent grain for weight gain in sheep.
3) Corn
Corn grain is the most valuable energy source for fattened sheep. Corn has about 9 percent crude protein, a high starch content of about 65%, 4% oil, and a low fiber content. Corn is the most common grain used in fattening sheep because its starch content is not readily fermentable like other grains; the implication of this is, that sheep get more energy from corn than other grains. Unlike other grains, corn is low in calcium and phosphorus.
4) Barley
Barley grain is another feed ingredient that can be added to a fattening diet for sheep. Like maize and wheat, barley has a high level of starch, about 60% DM, and about 12 percent crude protein content which is higher than that of corn and slightly higher than that of wheat. Barley has the highest fiber content, about 6 percent crude fiber when compared to that of corn and wheat; it has a bulky effect on sheep and also aids digestion. Barley has a higher level of phosphorus and potassium as well as other minerals like magnesium, manganese, zinc, and copper. Barley is relatively inexpensive and can serve as an alternative to corn in a fattened sheep diet.
How Much To Feed a Fattening Sheep
Generally, fattened sheep will eat 5 percent of their body weight; sheep are fed 60 percent roughages (grasses) and 40 percent concentrates (grains) during fattening. Also, fattended sheep should be fed 3 times a day in a pattern of Roughage-Concentrate-Roughage. The roughages are the high fiber diet like hay, silage, and grasses while concentrate are the grains. Water must always be made available using a water bowl. Fattened sheep gain 0.7 pounds per day when properly fed roughages and a good concentrate fattening ration
What Causes Weight Loss In Sheep?
A sheep’s weight loss can be caused by many things, but the most common causes are:
- Infection
- Illness
- Poor nutrition
- Injury
- Starvation
Grasses and hay are what sheep eat when they’re allowed to graze on their own. These are healthy foods for them but aren’t enough to make them fat quickly, however, when sheep are fed grains like corn and wheat with more calories than grasses and hay, the sheep will gain weight faster within a short period. Also, remember that water is very important when fattening sheep; ensure the sheep have access to clean water always.
We hope this article has been helpful and informative enough for you to build a plan for your own sheep-fattening needs. Let’s have your review in the comment box and also remember to share!