Sheep Management Tips

About Tradition^® Sheep Feeds

Tradition sheep feeds are designed to accommodate the complete life cycle of the sheep and are formulated with high quality, palatable ingredients to promote feed intake.

• Contain no added copper: All classes of sheep are susceptible to copper toxicity. Tradition sheep feeds contain no added copper.
• Contain ammonium chloride: Ammonium chloride helps prevent urinary calculi (water belly). Tradition sheep feeds provide ammonium chloride and provide the proper calcium to phosphorus ratio to further help reduce instances of urinary calculi.
• Vitamin fortification: Specially formulated to provide vitamins A, D and E which are instrumental in stimulation of the natural immune system.
• Pelleted or texturized: Pelleted and texturized products reduce the amount of separation of ingredients, therefore reducing feed wastage.

Management

• Provide plenty of fresh, clean water at all times.
• Divide the suggested daily feeding rate into 2 or 3 feedings per day.
• Market lambs should consume about 2 to 4% of their body weight in air dry feed.
• Never feed any feedstuffs that are moldy, musty or suspect in any way.
• Gains on market lambs can range from 0.3 to over 1.0 pound per day. Usually 0.6 pound is considered good.
• Flush ewes and rams 10 to 14 days before breeding.
• Changes in the diet should be made over a 1 to 2 week period to help prevent digestive disturbances.
• Hand feeding – Provide a minimum of 1 linear foot of feeder space per head when hand feeding roughage or concentrate.
• Dock and castrate lambs at 3 to 10 days of age.

About Tradition^® Sheep Feeds

An accurate diagnosis of any disease is necessary before treatment can begin. Indiscriminate use of antibiotics is not a satisfactory substitute for sound disease prevention practices. Some of the more common health problems are discussed in the next few paragraphs.

• Urinary Calculi: First symptoms are restlessness and occasional straining to urinate. A high level of phosphorus in the ration may be the primary cause. Prevention consists of using the proper level of phosphorus in the ration and also ensuring the ration ahs a 2:1 calcium to phosophorus ratio. Ammonium chloride added to the ration or water so lambs consume 1/4 ounce per head daily will provide good control.
• Stomach and Nodular Worms: Stomach worms, the most common parasites to sheep, cause unthriftiness and loss of appetite with resultant loss of weight. The mucous membranes of the eye, nose and mouth will become pale. In severe cases, scouring does occur. Outward symptom are generally not produced, but are responsible for slower gains and unthriftiness.
• Scours: Causes range from infectious diarrhea to common scours due to faulty feeding of the ewe. Strict hygiene, plenty of clean, dry bedding, along with rest and quite are important in any treatment.
• Enterotoxemia or Overeating Disease: Occurs in lamb fed large amounts of grain. Symptoms are staggering gait, moving in circles and convulsions. Consult your veterinarian for recommended vaccination programs and/or feed 25 mg of oxytetracylcine per lamb per day.
• Ketosis or Pregnancy Disease: A common ailment of ewes in late pregnancy. Symptoms are glassy eyes, sluggishness and staggering gait, followed by stiffness and partial paralysis. Feeding the proper amount of a balanced feed will generally overcome this condition, especially in the latter part of gestation.
• White Muscle Disease or Stiff Lamb Disease: Characterized by muscular stiffness in lambs of several days to several weeks in age. It is associated with vitamin E and selenium deficiency and can be controlled through injection. Use of E-Se Fortifier is alos indicated for this condition.

All products may not be available in all market areas and other products may be offered. Check with your local Hubbard shipping plant or sales representative.