Sheep & Goat Plan Overview

UNIQUE LINE OF SHEEP AND GOAT VITAMIN MINERAL SUPPLEMENTS AND SPECIALIZED FEED ADDITIVES

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A Complete Line Of Products for Sheep and Goat Production

Raising sheep and goats is a growing sector in animal production. Genetic improvement of these species has resulted in larger mature sizes, greater lamb or kid numbers, and higher milk production. Nutrition must follow this trend to higher production animals. ISF products for Sheep and Goats were designed having in mind this reality. They provide the animal with optimum levels of vitamins and minerals. In addition, the ISF line of special feed additives can be combined with the base products whenever a special need should arise, providing the ISF customer with a complete line of sheep and goat feeding options.

All products in this line, when fed at the recommended feeding rate, will supplement the base diet with the required quantities of the major minerals – Calcium, Phosphorus, Magnesium and Sodium -and will provide all the trace minerals and vitamins needed for sheep and goat production. Herbs and Spices flavoring has been included in all ISF products with the name Herbageum to help improve palatability and rumination.

Product	Description
ISF Sheep	ISF Sheep Vitamin Mineral Supplement is great for milking sheep. These animals have considerable needs of vitamins and minerals to help them maintaining nutrient balances and a strong immune system. ISF Sheep Supplement is formulated specifically for sheep taking into consideration their special needs such as low levels of copper in their diets. ISF Sheep Supplement is also a very palatable mix, making it easier to supplement the diet either at the parlor or at the feedbunk. Its composition allows using it in all types of production phases (growing, dry, meat animals) just by changing the amount fed/head/day.
ISF Goat	ISF Goat Vitamin Mineral Supplement is great for milking goats. These animals have considerable needs of vitamins and minerals to help them maintaining nutrient balances and a strong immune system. ISF Goat Supplement is also a very palatable mix making it easier to supplement the diet either at the parlor or at the feedbunk. Its composition allows using it in all types of production phases (growing, dry, meat animals) just by changing the amount fed/head/day.
ISF Lamb Specific & ISF Kid Specific	These minerals are intended to be used in fattening lambs and kids.  There is a growing interest in this type of production, and ISF Customers are now able to use specifically developed mineral/vitamin supplements for this purpose. They are designed to be used from weaning till market.  Its mineral and vitamin composition is adequate to supplement the typical high grain diets fed to fattening animals and different combinations of forages.

These Vitamin Mineral Supplements can be combined with the ISF Special Products line to address specific situations. Here are some examples of the commonly used combinations.

Product Combination	Description
ISF Sheep / Goat + ISF Yeastpro	This combination is ideal for any stress situation: fresh sheep and goats, heat stress, high grain diets, high milk production. Adding Yeastpro to the already high nutrient base provided by the Sheep and Goat premix will provide Yeast, Organic Zinc, Niacin and extra Vitamins.
ISF Sheep / Goat + ISF Bufferpac	High milk production sheep and goats, especially after lambing/kidding have very high requirements for energy. Producers correct this by supplying more grain. Sheep and goats are very susceptible to acidosis due to this overload of grain. Bufferpac, with its combination of buffer substances will help to keep the rumen pH at its healthy levels.
ISF Sheep / Goat + ISF Superlac	High milk production sheep and goats, especially after lambing/kidding have very high requirements for energy. Superlac is an ideal supplement in this situation. Its combination of By•pass Fat, Yeast, Organic Zinc, Niacin and extra Vitamins will help to increase milk production and/or milk butterfat and/or body condition, without the adverse effects of feeding more grain.
ISF Sheep / Goat + ISF Vitamin E & Selenium	Vitamin E and Selenium work together improving the immune system. In dairy cow herds it is well documented that Vitamin E & Selenium may help improve problems with mastitis and retained placenta. Mastitis is a common problem in many sheep and goats milk operations. This product is available if these challenges arises.

SOME IMPORTANT ASPECTS RELATED TO SHEEP AND GOAT PRODUCTION

Small ruminants require energy, protein, vitamins, minerals, fiber, and water. Energy (calories) is usually the most limiting nutrient, whereas protein is the most expensive. Deficiencies, excesses, and imbalances of vitamins and minerals can limit animal performance and lead to various health problems. Fiber (bulk) is necessary to maintain a healthy rumen and prevent digestive upsets. Water is the cheapest feed ingredient, yet often the most neglected.

Dry matter intake -as a general rule of thumb, sheep and goats will consume 2 to 4 percent of their body weight on a dry matter basis in feed. The exact percentage varies according to the size (weight) of the animal, with smaller animals needing a higher intake (percentage-wise) to maintain their weight. It’s important to maximize dry matter intake. To do this we must pay attention to some aspects, like:

• Supply good quality forage;
• If it’s not a TMR (Total Mixed Ration) diet, feed the forages first and then the grain;
• Feed the grain in small quantities through out the day. If possible only 400 grams/meal or less;
• Always have free choice forage;
• Always change diets and feeds slowly;
• Don’t forget to have good quality water always available.

Milk production after lambing/kidding is greatly dependent on the dry matter intake at lambing/kidding. The objective in late gestation should be to keep a good volume of forage in the rumen. Save good quality forages for this phase. It is known that the intake of an extra 100 grams of dry matter per day in late gestation corresponds to an extra 120 grams of milk after lambing/kidding.

Start feeding the same feeds the animals will eat after lambing/kidding 6 to 7 weeks before it happens. The quantity of grain should be increased until it reaches around 50 % of the quantity they’ll eat at peak lactation. According to the animals, the quantity of grain will vary from 0.5 to 0.7 kg at lambing/kidding. Pay attention to an excessive body condition because that can cause pregnancy toxemia, difficult lambing/kidding and a difficult start of lactation.

Adding by-pass fat to sheep and goat diets may promote an increase in milk butterfat. This is especially true in the beginning of lactation. Add ISF Superlac to encourage this effect.

All lambs and kids must drink colostrum. It’s theirs life-insurance. Feed around 0.25 L in the first 2 hours of life.

Don’t forget to prepare the energy reserves of the animals for breeding. This is called “flushing” and consists of an increase in energy 3 weeks before until 3 weeks after breeding time. This can be done with extra grain (200 to 300 grams/hd/d). The objective is to have more eggs and hence more kids and lambs born.

There are many disease conditions for which sheep and goats may be vaccinated. Most veterinarians recommend flocks should be vaccinated at least for clostridial diseases, specifically enterotoxemia (type C and D) and tetanus. Talk to your veterinary about a good vaccination program.

Sheep and goats are very susceptible to worms due to their close grazing behavior and slow-to-develop immunity. Goats are more susceptible than sheep when forced to graze (versus browse). All sheep and goats have worms. The parasites that cause the most damage to sheep and goats are stomach worms and coccidia. The most important time to deworm a sheep or goat is prior to (or at the time of) parturition. When a ewe/doe lactates, her immunity to parasites is compromised. She is also the primary source of infection to her newborn lambs/kids. Deworming ewes/does prior to turning them out to spring pasture is also a good strategy because it helps to reduce the contamination of the pasture, as the worms resume their life cycle with the onset of good weather.

Quality forages – remember that forages are the most important feeds on a sheep or goat farm. Normally sheep and goat production is based on hay and more and more on ensiled feeds. ISF recommends SILO GUARD to help preserve hay and silage. Silo Guard is an additive that may help improve hay and silage quality, palatability and bunklife. Ask your ISF agent how and where to use it for best results.