As the dry season bites across the eastern states and the long-term outlook predicts more of the same, we look ahead for what autumn lambers can expect in the new year. The lack of a substantial rainfall for the rest of summer may see a marked reduction in pasture quality and quantity and make it difficult to satisfy energy requirements of pregnant ewes from six weeks pre-lambing until peak lactation (3 to 4 weeks post-lambing).
However, there is more to the story than climatic conditions, as a combination of improved husbandry practices through education and better maternal genetics, producers are better able to get higher scanning percentages than they have in the past.
Key Points
- Ewe nutrition is key for lamb survival with energy being of particular importance
- Grain supplementation is the most effective way to boost energy, but how much do you feed?
- Tips for feeding grain to sheep and issues to look out for
- StockMins-EweLamLac + Buffer is a great tool to reduce the risk of acidosis while feeding grain to pregnant ewes
This is great when there’s enough feed available to support multiple-bearing ewes and many more lambs, however, it can quickly become an issue when feed reserves are not available to support livestock requirements.
Ewe nutrition is key for lamb survival
Both pregnancy toxaemia and lamb survival are linked to ewe nutrition, more specifically energy, and the wider the gap between requirements and supply the higher the risk of ewe or lamb mortality. However, there’s a simple solution, supplement pregnant ewes with energy, and by energy we mean grain, more specifically barley. Like using a protein source such as beans or lupins to satisfy protein requirements, when pasture energy is limiting, it is common practice to use high energy grain to boost dietary energy.
How much barley do we feed?
The barley is designed to supplement standing feed already available in the paddock, and therefore is determined by the quality and quantity of available pasture. Given limited rainfall throughout summer, a standard dry ryegrass pasture would provide 8 MJME/kg DM and have an NDF of around 69%.
Using this as a guide, the table below estimates the amount of barley (12.5 MJME/kg DM) required to be fed to get close to energy requirements of 60kg SRW single-bearing and twin-bearing ewes grazing average dry feed in the weeks leading up to lambing and towards peak lactation.
In situations where quantity of feed is lacking, offering hay (free-access) is highly recommended to help feed the animals to appetite.
While this is a guide to help satisfy the energy requirements of pregnant ewes during late-pregnancy and early-lactation, it is normal for pregnant ewes to lose weight throughout this period. Rapid weight loss is when most issues occur and what we are trying to avoid. In many cases single bearing ewes, especially maidens, may not require grain assistance. However, if required, feeding it closer to lambing can reduce the risk of dystocia. On the other hand, even on lush green feed twin bearing ewes will benefit from grain feeding, as the boost in energy can assist with energy needs during lambing and boost milk production during lactation.
Benefits outweigh pitfalls of feeding grain
Feeding grain to livestock has inherited a bad reputation over the last ten or so years, with many producers experiencing issues with acidosis “grain poisoning”, mis-mothering and dystocia in single bearing ewes. However, the below equations explain two major reasons why you cannot afford to not feed grain to lambing and lactating ewes.
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Lamb Survival: Grain = Energy > Energy = Larger Birth Weight > Larger Birth Weight = Higher Lamb Survival (caution when feeding single bearing ewes prior to lambing)
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Lamb Weaning Weight: Grain = Energy > Energy = Milk Production > More Milk = Higher Liveweight Gain = Higher Weaning Weight
Twin Bearing Merino Ewe in Good Condition
Below we discuss some of the common issues with feeding grain and offer suggestions to help mitigate issues.
Acidosis (grain poisoning)
What is it: Commonly known as “grain poisoning”, acidosis is a disease that is caused by a sudden and excessive intake of grain. This sudden change of feed alters the rumen environment, causing a rapid decrease in the population of rumen microbes responsible for processing starch and sugars and an increase in microbes that produce lactic acid. As a result, rumen pH declines causing gastrointestinal tract damage and infections.
Symptoms: Loss of appetite, scouring, bloating, dehydration, ill thrift and in severe cases death.
Preventative measures:
- Introduce animals to grain slowly and feed frequently
- Not all grain is the same and therefore should be introduced and fed differently. See ANP’s Technical Note: Introducing Sheep to Grain for a practical guide to low-risk grain feeding.
- Make sure animals have plenty of roughage available. If not standing feed, then offer hay. Animals need to be full. Feeding grain on an empty stomach is a recipe for disaster.
- Feed a supplement with effective buffers that can help stabilise rumen pH like StockMins-EweLamLac + Buffer
- To help reduce the risk of acidosis, promoting ewe health and immunity and supporting high nutritional demands of pregnant and lactating ewes, ANP have introduced StockMins-EweLamLac + Buffer.
Mismothering while trail feeding
What is it: When trail feeding grain to hungry livestock they tend to run to the trail in a feeding frenzy. In some cases, ewes will abandon newborn lambs to satisfy their hunger.
Identification: Newborn lambs abandoned in the paddock causing a higher than usual lamb mortality rate.
Preventative measures:
- Make sure that there is enough bulk feed available in the paddock to keep the animals full.
- Trail feed in the afternoon. New lambs are usually dropped in the morning and can have a few hours to mother-up and warm up before the ewe runs to feed.
- Trail feed in multiple trails so the ewes that are late to the trail get a chance to eat the grain.
- Feed pregnant ewes using feeder bins. Trail feed at a measured rate up until the required feeding rate then use a feeder to deliver the same amount per head per day.
For effective, low-risk strategies on how to feed grain to pregnant and lactating ewes talk to the AusFarm Nutrition team today.
