Sheep Nutrition and Pastures

Pasture

In Ontario, livestock producers use almost half a million hectares of improved pasture and three-quarters of a million hectares of unimproved pasture land. Good pastures don't just happen. They are the result of good management - management based on the knowledge of how plants grow, their fertility requirements and their ability to withstand grazing and trampling by animals.

• OMAFRA General Pastures Page
• Effect of Harvest Date on the Yield and Quality of Stockpiled Grass
• Effect of Management System and Nitrogen Application
• Effect of Stockpile Grazing in Fall on Forage Production the Following Season
• Lamb Performance On Two Stockpiling Systems
• Livestock Access to Watercourses
• Nitrate Poisoning and Feeding Nitrate Feeds to Livestock
• Performance of Four Grass Species in Stockpiling Systems
• Stockpiling Perennial Forages for Fall & Winter Grazing
• Turn Corn Stover to Low-cost Pasture 

General Nutrition

Feed is the single largest cost associated with raising small ruminants, typically accounting for 60% or more of total production costs. Nutrition has a very large influence on flock reproduction, milk production, and lamb growth. For nutrition information, follow the links below.

• Feeding Sugar Beets
• Forage and Feed Analysis
• Frequently Asked Questions on Sheep Nutrition
• Laboratories Offering Mycotoxin Analysis
• Nutritional Strategies to Reduce Nutrient Output in Sheep Manure
• Protein Content in Modern Sheep Rations (Order No. 03-019)
• Sheep Nutrition Facts #1
• Sheep Nutrient Unit Calculator
• Variability Of Nutrient Content In Feed Ingredients - What Effect it has on Nutrient Output (Order No. 04-005)
• Definitions of Feed Manufacturing and Livestock Nutrition Terms (Order No. 08-039)

Feeding The Flock

• Baled Haylage for Sheep
• Feeding Sheep Corn Silage
• Feeding Systems for Sheep (Order No. 03-013)
• Processing Grains: Is there any Bang for the Buck?

Ewes

• Diet Supplementation for Grazing and Outwintering Ewes (Order No. 02-045)
• Feed Hay First
• Flushing The Ewe Flock: Is It Beneficial? (Order No. 02-055)
• Nutrition Of The Ewe Flock
• Pregnancy Disorders (Metabolic) in Transition Ewes (Order No. 03-017)
• Replacement Ewe Lamb Nutrition

Lambs

• Artificial Rearing of Lambs (Order No. 99-019)
• Early Weaning of Lambs (Order No. 99-021)
• Market Lamb Nutrition (Order No. 03-015)
• Whole Grain in Lamb Rations

Learn More

• An Introduction to Feeding Small Ruminants
  Basics on feeding and nutrition for sheep and other small ruminants
• Articles & Bulletins: Sheep
  Addresses lamb feeding and management issues, as well as feeding methods used. Also provides information on the amount of feed which needs to be given to each animal.
  • Part 1 - Basic Brassica "Why" and Hows" (PDF)
    The growth and maintenance of brassicas for use as a forage crop for lambs and ewes. Nutritional information about growing brassicas as a forage crop.
  • Part 2 - Dynamo and Samson Yields (Word Document)
    Turnip yields, which include maintenance costs and other relevant costs. There is also information about the growth from different types of turnips.
  • Part 3 - 1999 Brassica Production From Commercial Operations (PDF)
    Basic brassica production information including yield of dry matter as well as the production of brassicas.
  • Part 4 - Forage Rape as a Lamb Feed (Word Document)
    Basic information about forage rape as well as information about cost effectiveness of using forage rape as a lamb feed.
• Health and Nutrition Issues in Feedlot Lambs
  Information and statistics on lambs and ewes for healthy eating, and the amount of feed to allow lambs and ewes to consume, as well as proportions for serving the feed.
• North Dakota State University Sheep Feeding Guidelines
  Sheep nutrition requirements and suggestions.
• Nutrient Requirements of Sheep
  A comprehensive scientific publication on the nutrition and feeding of sheep, as well as metaboic disorders of sheep produced by the National Research Council (NRC).
• Reduced Hay Rations (PDF)
  A reduction in the amount of hay fed to lambs can decrease costs. Requirements for the animal as well as the aemount of shelled corn to be used to replace the amount of hay used in the past.
• Sheep Nutrition and Feeding Programs
  Feed and nutrition of sheep during all stages of life.
• When is it Cost Effective to Limit-Feed Hay? (PDF)
  Decreasing the amount of hay fed to lambs and replacing it with shelled corn. Includes health tips for feeding shelled corn as a replacement for hay.