Key Technical Points and Precautions for Raising Sheep in Winter

There are actually many things to pay attention to when raising sheep in winter, because all kinds of problems can arise if you are not careful. The most important one is that if winter management is not done well, it will cause sheep to lose body condition, and sheep that were not easy to fatten up will become thin again. This really means the loss outweighs the gain, so raising sheep in winter requires great care. Today let us take a look at how to raise sheep in winter.

1. Cold protection and warmth keeping

The temperature in winter is relatively low, which has a certain effect on the vital signs of sheep, so before winter we need to first deal with the sheep shed, repair the places in the shed that are drafty, and keep the interior dry. At the same time, we can also keep warm by thickening the bedding in the sheep shed or switching to warmer materials for bedding. Finally, we can also use more advanced modern techniques for indoor warmth, but the cost is relatively high, so it is generally not recommended unless absolutely necessary.

2. Group management

Before winter we should divide the flock into groups, usually scientifically grouping them according to age, sex, physique, growth stage, whether pregnant, and other conditions, because different groups of sheep need different points of attention during raising. To make later management easier, the flock should be divided well before winter. One point to note is that sheep that are very weak under normal conditions and sheep with poor reproductive capacity should be fattened and sold as much as possible, and should not be kept for raising through the winter.

3. Do vaccinations well

We all know that the temperature in winter is relatively low, and the temperature difference between day and night is also relatively large. Not only is the disease incidence rate of sheep high during this period, it is also a peak period for disease in many animals. If we usually pay attention, we will find that after a long winter, the number of many animals has not increased but decreased. So during this period we should carry out vaccine injections in advance, improve the immunity of the flock, and reduce the occurrence of disease, and also conduct physical examinations and supplementary vaccinations for the flock from time to time.

4. Scientific feeding

Sheep raised in winter will have a reduced appetite, so we only need to feed them twice a day, and the amount of feed each time does not need to be too much, but it should mainly be concentrated feed, so as to maintain the nutrition needed for normal growth of the flock. However, some green feed or forage should also be fed in appropriate amounts to maintain nutritional balance. Because the temperature in winter is relatively low, many people only change the water once every several days when raising sheep. This actually has a great impact on the sheep's stomach and intestines. The best method is to use warm water for raising sheep, and to change the drinking water at least twice a day. The last point to note is that when the winter temperature rises slightly and there is more sunlight, the flock can be appropriately driven out for grazing, which can also help enhance immunity.

5. Sanitation and cleaning

In winter, people are actually very afraid of the cold and also very afraid of trouble, and quite a few people think that in winter the sanitation of the sheep shed can go without cleaning for a period of time, believing that during this period the activity of bacteria is very low and their reproduction speed is very slow. In fact, this is a wrong idea. In winter, the sanitation of the sheep shed needs even more attention to cleaning. Many pathogens are only active in winter, and they spread extremely quickly and cause great harm to the flock. Therefore, we should at least ensure that the sheep shed is cleaned about once every three to five days, and thoroughly disinfected once every half month, so as to ensure the sanitation of the sheep shed. Of course, we can also use fermentation beds for raising, which can also help ensure the sanitation of the sheep shed while also protecting the environment.