Sheep Pocket Guide (continued)

AS-989, May 1996

Nutrition (continued)

Feeding Tips Flushing the Ewe Feeding Alternatives for Ewes Creep Feeding Lamb Feeding Urinary Calculi Nutrition and Health Water Ration Nutrient Requirements

Minerals Signs of Mineral Deficiency Signs of Vitamin Deficiency Urea Feedstuff Values Weights of Grains Pasture Management Stocking Rates Buying Hay

Feedstuff Values (in percentages)

Weights of Grains

	Pounds  Pounds    Pounds
	 per     per       per
	Grain   Bushel  Quart Cu Ft 
------------------------------------
Barley	  48     1.5	  38.4
Corn	  56     1.7	  44.8
Oats	  32     1.0	  25.6
Wheat	  60     1.9	  48.0
------------------------------------

Pasture Management

Pasture rotation provides 20 percent more grazing days during the summer pasture season. Consider the following recommendations:

1. Use at least three permanent pastures in the rotation. Along with these, it is good management to provide a summer temporary pasture.
2. Use only one pasture at a time and start grazing when grass is 5 to 7 inches high.
3. Rotate sheep every two weeks or more often if grass coverage is down to 4 inches.
4. Allow at least 3 inches of growth to remain at the end of the grazing season. This will help preserve the stand and conserve moisture.

A non-lactating ewe will often consume much more feed than she requires for maintenance, especially during periods of lush vegetative growth. She may become too fat, which can affect conception rate. Providing access to pasture for four hours or less per day (depending upon condition of the pasture) will meet the ewe's requirement and also increase carrying capacity.

To obtain maximum sustained sheep production from native range:

1. Utilize no more than 45 percent of the annual forage production during the summer grazing season.
2. Use water sources, fencing, shade, and distribution of salt and mineral to achieve even grazing of the entire pasture.
3. If possible, rotate grazing so that you use each pasture during a different season in different years.
4. If possible, provide an early spring tame pasture so that native range will not be grazed early in the spring when range plants are in their most critical growth stage. At this time they can be damaged excessively by grazing.
5. Allow each native pasture to rest one year out of every four to six.
6. Carry over a plentiful supply of hay and cull heavily during drought conditions so that rangelands will continue to stay in good condition.

Relative Ranking of Pasture Forages For Sheep

------------------------------------------------------------------
						   Sheep/Pasture
		  Carrying     Lamb         Lamb     Management
Species		  Capacity  Performance  Prod/Acre    Required	
------------------------------------------------------------------
Alfalfa		    High       High         High       Medium
Ladino Clover	    Low	       High	   Medium      Medium
Bird's-foot Trefoil Low	       High         High       Medium
Blue Grass	    Low	       Low          Low         Low
Brome Grass	   Medium     Medium       Medium       Low
Fescue		    High       Low          Low         Low
Orchard Grass	    High      Medium       Medium	Low
Canarygrass	    High       Low	   Medium	Low
Timothy		    Low        Low          Low         Low
Oats		   Medium     Medium       Medium       Low
Barley		   Medium     Medium       Medium       Low
Sudan		    High       Low         Medium       High
Rape		    High       High         High        Low
Turnips		    High       Low         Medium       Low
------------------------------------------------------------------

Stocking Rates

Stocking rate means the number of animal units that are on a certain area of land for a certain period of time. An animal unit is equal to one mature cow or five sheep. Stocking rate figures are expressed as animal unit months per acre. The forage required for one animal unit for one month is an AUM.

Animal Unit Months (AUM) Conversion Factors

Animal			  AUM
---------------------------------
Mature ewe with lamb  =	  0.20
Ram		      =	  0.20
Weaned lamb	      =	  0.17
Nanny and kid	      =	  0.17
Buck	              =	  0.17
Weaned goat	      =	  0.14
Mature cow with calf  =	  1.00
Mature bull	      =	  1.25
Weaned calf	      =	  0.60
Yearling	      =	  0.75
2 year old heifer     =	  0.90
Horse	              =	  1.50
---------------------------------

Buying Hay By The Bale or Per Ton

The best way to purchase hay is by the ton, not by the bale. However, many times hay is purchased by the bale, especially in small amounts. Here are two ways to determine hay prices, one per bale and the other per ton. The charts give comparison figures by each method. Don't forget that delivery cost is also a factor in the final cost of your hay.

		      BALE WEIGHT cost per ton
	     ---------------------------------------------
Price/Bale     30 LBS     40 LBS     50 LBS     60 LBS
-----------------------------------------------------------
$0.50	       $33.33     $25.00     $20.00     $16.67
$0.75	       $50.00     $37.50     $30.00     $25.00
$1.00	       $66.67     $50.00     $40.00     $33.33
$1.25	       $83.33     $62.50     $50.00     $41.67
$1.50	      $100.00     $75.00     $60.00     $50.00
$1.75	      $116.67     $87.50     $70.00     $58.33 
$2.00	      $133.33    $100.00     $80.00     $66.67
$2.25	      $150.00    $112.50     $90.00     $75.00
$2.50	      $166.67    $125.00    $100.00     $83.33
$2.75	      $183.33    $137.50    $110.00     $91.67
$3.00	      $200.00    $150.00    $120.00    $100.00
-----------------------------------------------------------

		     BALE WEIGHT cost per bale
	     ------------------------------------------
Price/Ton      30 LBS    40 LBS    50 LBS    60 LBS
----------------------------------------------------------
$30		$0.45     $0.60     $0.75     $0.90
$40		$0.60     $0.80     $1.00     $1.20
$50		$0.75     $1.00     $1.25     $1.50
$60		$0.90     $1.20     $1.50     $1.80
$70		$1.05     $1.40     $1.75     $2.10 
$80		$1.20     $1.60     $2.00     $2.40
$90		$1.35     $1.80     $2.25     $2.70
$100		$1.50     $2.00     $2.50     $3.00
$110		$1.65     $2.20     $2.75     $3.30
$120		$1.80     $2.40     $3.00     $3.60
$130		$1.95     $2.60     $3.25     $3.90
----------------------------------------------------------

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AS-989, May 1996