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8.1.2.3 Feeding for Reproduction<br />
Reproduction stages include tupping and pregnancy. If the animals are under optimum<br />
nutritional state, they come into 1st oestrus at 10 to 12 months of age. Otherwise it starts at<br />
about 15 months of age. Under Indian conditions one and half year age is considered as the<br />
breedable age.<br />
Flushing<br />
Flushing is conditioning of ewes for breeding. If the ewes are in low plane of nutrition<br />
prior to breeding, additional supplementation for about one month has beneficial effect in<br />
bringing the ewes into oestrus. Even without additional supplementation when there is flush<br />
green pasture, there is flushing effect. Supplementation of about 250g of concetrates could<br />
bring about flushing of ewes quite well. If the plane of nutrition of the animal is good prior to<br />
breeding, flushing is not at all needed.<br />
Feeding during pregnancy<br />
If the ewes are flushed and good grazing is available, no additional supplementation is<br />
necessary during early pregnancy upto about 14 weeks of gestation period. During advanced<br />
pregnancy (last 6 weeks ) however, extra feeding is essential. The consumption of energy,<br />
protein and other nutrients should be 50%. During this stage, there is also depression in the<br />
intake capacity and feed digestibility. Hence highly digestible feed need to be fed during this<br />
stage.<br />
8.1.2.4 Feeding during lactation<br />
As already indicated, during the lactation the requirements are twice the requirement for<br />
maintenance of the animals. It is not possible to provide the nutrients required by the mother<br />
for optimum growth of the nursing lamb from all forage rations. Hence supplementation with<br />
high energy feed is essential. A diet with 40% concentrate and 60% roughage would be<br />
appropriate for the lactating ewes. A reduction in the concentrate allowance would adversely<br />
affect the growth of the lamb. Adequate quantities of minerals and salt are to be provided both<br />
to the pregnant and lactating ewe. An ideal system would be to graze them in separate<br />
paddocks and provide them additional supplement as per the need after grazing. However, this<br />
has not been possible in most farms in our country and every effort should be made to adopt<br />
the system. The later part of pregnancy (Last 4 to 6 weeks) and early lactation period, 4 to 6<br />
weeks post partum is most critical for the ewe as well as for the lamb. Higher amounts of<br />
energy and protein should be provided to the ewe during this period. The nutrient requirement<br />
increase by about 50% during late pregnancy and by about 100% during lactation over the<br />
maintenance requirement of the ewe for the growth in lambs. A feeding schedule for different<br />
categories of sheep is given in Table 8.7.<br />
Table 8.7 Suggested Feeding Schedule for Different Categories of <strong>Sheep</strong><br />
I. Exotic sheep<br />
1. Rams (70-80 kg)<br />
(a) Breeding (i) Grazing<br />
b) Non-breeding (i) Grazing<br />
2. Ewes (40-50 kg)<br />
a) Dry and early pregnancy (i) Grazing<br />
b) Last month of pregnancy (i) Grazing<br />
(ii) Dry fodder 1.5 kg Breeding<br />
iii) Concentrate 500 g<br />
(ii) Dry fodder 1.5 kg<br />
(iii) Concentrate 300 g<br />
(ii) Dry fodder 1.5 kg<br />
(iii) Concentrate 300 g<br />
(ii) Dry fodder 1.5 kg<br />
(iii) Concentrate 400 g<br />
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