How to improve lamb survival rate? Scientific breeding management methods
Sheep do not have a very high lambing rate each time, so every lamb is precious, but the survival rate of lambs has always been a big problem. So how can the survival rate of lambs be improved? And from which aspect should we start? Let's learn about the relevant precautions together with Qinnong Web below.
1. Prepartum management
The management of ewes before lambing is very important. Healthy ewes can provide lambs with a high-quality growth environment. Therefore, ewes should be carefully managed in the late stage of pregnancy. First, in terms of feeding, the protein content of the feed should be increased so that the mother can provide more nutrition to the lambs. Then the supply of various trace elements to the ewes must be ensured. At this time, the lambs are in a stage of formation, and various trace elements are in urgent demand. If the supply of trace elements is ensured at this time, the lambs can have a healthy and strong physique while in the mother's body.
2. Postpartum care
After the lamb is born, the dirty blood and similar substances on its body should be wiped off immediately to keep the lamb's body dry, and the mouth, nose, and eyes of the lamb especially should be wiped clean. Then move the young lamb to the ewe's side and help it take its first mouthful of ewe's milk. Newborn sheep actually need nutrition very much, because when the lamb is about to be born, the nutrition supplied by the mother gradually decreases, so it is very important that the newborn lamb can immediately drink ewe's milk. When ligating the umbilical cord, it must be disinfected, otherwise it will cause infection.
3. Adjustment of the sheep shed
At this time, the sheep shed must be adjusted. First, the ewe must not directly contact the ground, and the place where the ewe lies should be padded thicker, otherwise if the ewe becomes ill, the ewe's milk will also be unfavorable for the lamb's feeding. Second, the ground should be covered with bedding as much as possible. Many breeders do not pay attention to this point, causing newborn lambs to suffer diarrhea when walking around and resting everywhere, and in severe cases leading to death. Second, the temperature of the sheep shed at this time should be maintained at around 30°C, otherwise the lambs are very likely to die from cold.
4. Artificial feeding
The early feeding of lambs is still very important, so at this time, artificial feeding should be carried out as much as possible for some thinner and weaker lambs. Weaker lambs often cannot feed independently, thus starving to death later. If we assist these lambs in feeding at this time, it will greatly improve the lamb survival rate. These lambs cannot be saved by feeding ewe's milk alone. Artificially feeding some fresh and tender feed can effectively improve the lamb survival rate, because this will help them supplement a lot of nutrition.
Relatively speaking, lambs are still fairly easy to raise, because many of their conditions are extremely obvious. As long as everyone does the above preventive treatment well, I believe the lamb survival rate will definitely increase greatly. Carefulness is a necessary condition for raising lambs in the early stage, so everyone should not do it perfunctorily.