Nutrition is of the utmost importance in livestock keeping. Similar to humans, the production, health and the overall well-being of sheep is largely determined by the type of feed provided. For this reason, nutrition management is an essential aspect of breeding sheep. The need for a skilful feeding system has become even more pronounced due …
Ruminants are known for their superior ability to feed on a wide variety of plants, including those considered to as toxic. This is because they have some form of tolerance to some toxic compounds. The same applies to sheep as they also have a digestive system consisting of four compartments, thus being part of the …
Livestock keeping has grown tremendously over the years leading to a sharp increase in the cost of feed. This challenge has been exacerbated by climate change with most areas receiving less rainfall, hence low quality forage. Even in areas receiving substantial amounts of rainfall, forage availability is a major problem during the dry season. Farmers …
The world’s changing climate has led to most areas recording unpredictable, low annual rainfall. As a consequence, forage quality is often low. It has therefore become a common practice to supplement livestock feed with hay or grain. These are however expensive, sometimes beyond the financial capabilities of most farmers. As such, a great deal of …
Sheep dietary plans normally consist of pastures. The challenge faced by farmers is that good pasture diets are difficult to maintain, especially during dry seasons. It is therefore a common practise to supplement pasture based dietary plans with hay. Since the digestive system of ruminants is naturally designed for pasture based diets, sheep can eat …
Livestock feed is currently a source of major challenges in the agricultural industry. This is due to the constant increase in commercial feedstuff beyond the financial capabilities of some farmers. Even for a few farmers that are able to sustain well-balanced diets, the exorbitant cost of feed cuts across profits. The challenge is more pronounced …
Sheep and goats are both ruminants and so their diets are somewhat similar. Both animal species have dietary systems designed to digest forage which is their primary feedstuff. This basically means that sheep can eat goat feed. This is most valuable during the dry season when there is inadequate forage to sustain sheep and goats. …
Fruits are said to be among the most nutritious foods. They consist of nutrients and minerals required by animals and humans alike. For this reason, sheep can eat fruits. As a matter of fact, fruits have been proven to be an ideal supplement for livestock, especially during dry seasons when forage quality is low. Fruits …
Protein is of the utmost importance in the diet of livestock. It is the standard against which all feed supplements are measured. Due to its importance in achieving high production levels, it is the most expensive type of livestock feed. As a matter of fact, it is expected to increase even further within the next …
Sheep are ruminant species that can feed on variety of feedstuff. They have been known to eat food that is primarily meant for humans and other animals such as dogs. As a matter of fact, sheep can eat dog food and are said to find it highly palatable. A number of farmers have reported cases …
