Five key points for raising sheep in winter, sheep farmers must master them
1. Keeping warm
Sheep have relatively strong cold resistance, but in winter the sheep shed must not be below 0°C, the lamb shed must not be below 8°C, and the lambing room should be kept at 10°C-18°C. Before winter, repair the sheep shed early, make necessary repairs to the roof and walls, and prevent wind and snow leakage. For sheep pens located in the open field, a windbreak should be set up outside the north wall using corn stalks. For enclosed sheep pens, wind-blocking straw curtains should be hung at the doors and windows. For simple sheep-raising greenhouses, the eaves can be extended forward, a plastic warm shed erected, and straw curtains covered on top. In excessively cold seasons, a stove should be lit inside the pen for heating.
2. Maintaining the flock
Winter grazing allows the flock to eat suitable forage and breathe fresh air, which helps enhance physical condition and build cold resistance and disease resistance. This is the main measure for maintaining the flock. For grazing, choose low-lying areas on sunny slopes that are sheltered from the wind and have good water sources. In early winter, some forage grass and wild vegetables have not yet withered, so seize the time to graze, making use of the relatively warm sunny middays to let the flock consume as much green grass and wild vegetables as possible. In deep winter, switch the flock to barn feeding. For weak sheep, implement special management measures, such as feeding succulent feed, increasing the amount of concentrate feed, and strengthening physical exercise.
3. Supply
Provide the flock with high-quality green hay and crop straw, and promptly supplement concentrate feed such as soybean meal, corn, dried melon slices, and wheat bran, ensuring each sheep can eat 200 g-250 g of concentrate feed per day. For young rams and young ewes kept for breeding, each sheep should be supplemented with 500 g-600 g of concentrate feed per day. Provide drinking water 2-3 times a day at fixed times, preferably lightly salted water at about 18°C. In deep winter, even if the weather is very cold, try to let the flock go outside to exercise at noon on sunny days, so as to enhance physical condition and improve cold resistance. Maintaining the body condition of ewes is very important. In early pregnancy, the ration can consist of 50% alfalfa, 30% green hay, 15% silage corn, and 5% concentrate feed; in late pregnancy, the ration consists of 1 kg-1.5 kg of green hay, 1.5 kg of silage feed, and 0.45 kg of concentrate feed.
4. Protecting the pregnancy
Rams and ewes should be raised separately to prevent rams from chasing and mounting pregnant ewes. Pregnant ewes should have separate pens, and the pen doors should be as wide as possible. The number of animals kept in the pen should be appropriate, ensuring each pregnant ewe has a floor area of 2 sq m-2.5 sq m to prevent accidental crushing of pregnant ewes. Provide pregnant ewes with more concentrate feed and lightly salted water. Warm water must be used, and avoid drinking ice water or eating frost-covered grass to ensure reasonable feeding and watering. Strengthen daily management to prevent fighting, quarreling, and collisions within the flock. Grazing routes should not be too far, and steep slopes and dangerous paths should be avoided. Avoid artificial chasing and beating to prevent pregnant ewes from being startled, jumping suddenly, or slipping.
5. Health care
In winter, sheep flocks are prone to diseases such as foot-and-mouth disease, streptococcosis, pox disease, dysentery, colds, and colibacillosis. In late autumn and early winter, the flock should be vaccinated in a timely manner. After a whole autumn of grazing, the flock may be infected with parasitic diseases such as tapeworms and liver flukes. Therefore, before winter, the flock should also be dewormed preventively in a timely manner. Commonly used drugs mainly include trichlorfon, ivermectin, bithionol, praziquantel, niclosamide, and so on. Normally, clean the pen frequently, keep the shed clean and dry, remove manure in a timely manner, and carry out harmless treatment through composting and fermentation. Residual feed should be screened and treated, and contaminated feed must not be used again. Pay attention to frequently brushing the body surface and hair coat of the flock to promote blood circulation and improve body health. Zhao Baolin