How to raise sheep in the cold season? Fine-tuned flock management

As temperatures drop, sheep need more nutrients to fend off the cold, and flock management must be more meticulous. Even a slight lapse in attention can cause sheep to lose condition, abort, or even die in large numbers. Therefore, the following points should be done well:

I. Focus on keeping warm

Sheep are relatively cold-tolerant, but in winter the sheep shed must not drop below 0°C, the lamb shed must not drop below 8°C, and the birthing pen is best kept at 10-18°C. Before winter, repair the sheep shed early, making necessary fixes to the roof and walls to prevent wind and snow from leaking in. For enclosed sheep pens, hang wind-blocking straw curtains at the doorways and windows; for simple sheep-raising greenhouses, extend the eaves forward, set up a plastic warm shed, and cover the top with straw curtains. When temperatures are too low, light a stove inside the pen for warmth.

II. Adequate nutrition

Provide the flock with high-quality green hay and crop straw, and promptly supplement concentrated feed such as soybean meal, corn, dried melon slices and wheat bran, ensuring each sheep can eat 200-250 grams of concentrated feed per day; for young rams and young ewes kept for breeding, each sheep should be supplemented with 500-600 grams of concentrated feed per day.

III. Provide adequate drinking water

Provide water 2-3 times a day at regular times, avoid drinking ice-cold water, and it is best to drink lightly salted water at a water temperature of around 18°C.

IV. Raise rams and ewes separately

Prevent rams from chasing and mounting pregnant ewes; pregnant ewes should have separate pens, the pen doors should be as wide as possible, and the number of animals housed inside should be appropriate, ensuring each pregnant ewe has a floor area of 2-2.5 sq m to prevent pregnant ewes from being accidentally squeezed.

V. Do a good job of cleaning and hygiene

Clean the pens, keep the interior clean and dry, remove manure promptly and treat it harmlessly, and screen leftover feed for handling; once contaminated, it must not be used again. Regularly brush the sheep's body surface and fleece to promote blood circulation and improve overall health.

Chengde County Agriculture and Animal Husbandry Bureau Wang Haichun Cui Xinyong