(1) Feeding Management Tips
1. Moisture Control: Sheep are sensitive to dampness, so keeping them clean and dry is essential. Traditional northern-style ground housing is not ideal for waste management, making it more challenging in southern regions. To address this, we introduce a simple, moisture-proof suspended sheep bed. The construction involves two thick wooden poles placed parallel on the ground, with 4 cm diameter wood rods spaced 1–1.5 cm apart laid across them. These are nailed at both ends to form a raised platform about 20 cm above the ground. This design allows easy removal for cleaning and drying. A 3-meter by 1-meter bed can accommodate three adult ewes and four to six lambs. The floor should be made of cement for easier cleaning. It's important to clean the shed daily after grazing, including under the bed, to reduce odors and humidity. Regular disinfection with lime is also recommended depending on weather conditions.
2. Disease Prevention: Avoid letting sheep drink dirty water or eat moldy feed, as this can lead to gastrointestinal issues. It’s crucial to disinfect the entire sheep house, including the bed, every two months to eliminate pests like flies and mites. Insect control and disease prevention should be ongoing practices.
3. Supplementary Feeding: During winter when grass is scarce, supplementary feeding is necessary, especially for pregnant and lactating ewes. In summer, cut and dry grass for storage. In autumn, collect corn stalks, sweet potato vines, peanut stems, and soybean stalks, then sun-dry them for later use. Each adult sheep needs about 2 kg of roughage per day. Fattening sheep and ewes should receive additional concentrate feed—60% corn, 25% bran, and 15% soybean or rapeseed cake—along with 0.2 kg of mixed feed per day. If concentrates are unavailable, corn alone can be used, though it is less effective than a balanced mix.
(2) Fattening Strategies
Sheep that are culled through rapid fattening techniques, including ewes and young sheep, can all be suitable for fattening. Rams not used for breeding are also ideal candidates. There are two main methods:
1. Grazing with Supplementary Feeding: During summer and autumn, when forage is abundant, grazing is an efficient way to fatten sheep. To prevent overgrazing, attach a collar to each sheep and tie a 10-meter rope to an iron post. Place the post in a well-vegetated area, ensuring it is deeply embedded to avoid being pulled out. Move the posts 6–8 times daily to allow sheep to graze efficiently. After grazing, provide saltwater (8 grams of salt per adult sheep per day), along with 0.15–0.2 kg of mixed concentrate and some grass or straw at night.
2. Ammoniated Straw with Concentrate Feeding: This method is ideal when fresh forage is limited. To produce ammoniated straw, select a flat area, lay a plastic sheet, and cut straw into 3–5 cm pieces. For every 100 kg of straw, dissolve 3–4 grams of urea in 60–80 liters of water and evenly spray it onto the straw. Stack and press the straw tightly, cover it with plastic, and seal it with soil. Allow it to ferment for four weeks, ensuring no air leaks. When temperatures are between 10°C and 20°C, it can be fed after one month. Feed each sheep about 2 kg of ammoniated straw daily, starting with small amounts and gradually increasing the proportion. Do not let sheep drink water immediately after eating ammoniated straw; wait one hour and add some salt to the water. Each sheep should also receive 0.2 kg of concentrate daily.
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