Sheep - AgRIS

9. Housing and Management
9.1 System of SheepManagement
Depending upon the type of sheep different systems of Sheep management are required to
be provided so that genetic potential of the anirnal is fully expressed for maximization ofthe
production in respect of wool, milk and mutton. This has to be done keeping in view the
economic limitations and resources availbale with farmer cooperative or the farm. Different
systems of management in vogue are extensive, semi-intensive and intensive. Further for the
proper management of a sheep farm, various management practices can be sub-divided into: 1.
Breeding management; 2. Feeding, watering and grazing management; 3. Housing and Shelter
management; 4. Shearing management and control of canary colouration; 5. Health
management.
1. Breeding Management
(i) The heat detection should be carried out by using an aproned entire ram by stock
Assistant/Laboratry Technician both morning and evening outside the grazing hours. The
animals in heat should be separated and detained for weighment and breeding.
(ii) All animals to be bred should be weighed prior to breeding and such weight recorded in
the daily and mating registers.
(iii) The animals should be bred through artificial insemination or natural service as per the
breeding plan and this should be done by qualified Breeder /Farm Manager.
(iv) The records ofthe breeding should be maintained by Breeder Farm Manager.
(v) The animals bred should be separated into a new flock and should be detected for heat
only after 2 weeks or first breeding.
(vi) All ewes above 12 months of age and ewes which have lambed 60 days prior to the
starting of breeding should be detected for heat and bred in case they exhibit oestrus.
(vii) The rams should be put to service at about one and half year of age.
(viii) No rams should be used for more than two breeding seasons and at least 10 females of a
particular genetic group will be assigned to each ofthem. The programmes as decided
should only be followed. In assigning ewes at random to rams, care must be taken that the
same ewe is not bred to the same ram in the consecutive breeding seasons and is not
related to it through sire or dam (is not half/full sib).
(ix) As far as possible, rams should be kept away from the ewes and the two should be
brought together only for breeding.
(x) Breeding males must be provided individual housing so as to avoid fighting and
consequent injuries.
(xi) All effort should be made to reduce unproductive phase in the life of ewe, as it is directly
related with its life time production.
2. Feeding, Watering and GrazingManagement
The feeding and grazing conditions vary from place to place. The most favourable grazing
time is soon after onset of monsoon till the onset of winter. Grazing resources become
extremely poor during summermonths. Duringthis period supplementary feeding should be
done. Sheep generally thrive well on pasture. Atention should be paid on pasture improvement
and management. Rotational grazing should be followed to avoid worm infection and
unthriftiness, and to ensure availability of good pasture all the time. The fodder should be
consumed in the form of hay and silage for lean period. Fodder should be planted in the pasture
to provide shade and tree fodder during the lean period to the grazing flocks. Supplementary
feeding of concentrate should be done depending upon the physiological status and availability
of grazing resource in the pasture.
Water requirement of sheep vary depending upon its physiological status and ambient
temperature in different seasons. The sheep should be watered at least once a day at the rate of
2-3 litres per head per day. The requirement of water for crossbreds during summer month will
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