co-managing sheep and goats important considerations dr. brian faris extension 4-h youth livestock...
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Co-Managing Sheep and Goats Important Considerations
Dr. Brian FarisExtension 4-H Youth Livestock Specialist
Department of Animal ScienceNorth Carolina State University
Introduction
• Born & Raised in Southwest Texas
• Raised Rambouillet Sheep and Angora Goats and Showed Market Lambs
• Worked for TAMU Sheep & Goat Center
• Angelo State University Ranch
• Came to North Carolina from New Mexico
• Currently raising fullblood and percentage boers and some Southdown sheep
Topics
• Similarities and Differences between Raising Sheep and Goats
– Nutrition– Reproduction– Management practices
Nutrition
• Similarities– Both are small ruminants
• CP and TDN requirements
– Stocking rate• 1 cow / 2 acres• 1 cow ≈ 5 sheep• 1 sheep ≈ 1 Boer or Boer cross goat
Small ruminants
Stocking rates
Nutrition
• Similarities– Both are small ruminants– Stocking rate
• Differences– Grazing habits
• Sheep tend to graze from the bottom upward• Goats tend to graze from the top downward
Grazing Habits
Nutrition
• Similarities– Both are small ruminants– Stocking rate
• Differences– Grazing habits– Grazing preferences
Grazing Preferences
• Sheep– Fairly Selective
• Forbs • Grass• Browse
– HAY• Alfalfa• Coastal Bermuda• Orchardgrass• Peanut
• Goats– Very Selective
• Forbs • Browse• Grass
– HAY• Peanut• Orchardgrass• Alfalfa• Coastal Bermuda
Nutrition
• Similarities– Both are small ruminants– Stocking rate
• Differences– Grazing habits– Grazing preferences– Specific nutrient requirements
Nutrient Requirements
• Sheep– ~2%BW Dry Matter– Very Sensitive to Cu– P requirements are
similar to goats but do not appear to be as sensitive
• Goats– ~3%BW Dry Matter– Need 2-3x Cu level– Very Sensitive to P
(Do not exceed 0.40% on the feed tag – 0.35% is ideal)
Nutrition
• Similarities– Both are small ruminants– Stocking rate
• Differences– Grazing habits– Grazing preferences– Specific nutrient requirements– Fat deposition
Fat Deposition
• Sheep • Goat
Nutrition
• Lambs– Self-feeder– Pellet or Textured
Feed– 16-18% CP– 1.5-2.5% Fat
• Kids– Self-feeder– Pelleted Feed
– 14-16% CP– 2.5-3.5% Fat
Reproduction
• Similarities– 5 month gestation (145-155 days)
• Differences– Chromosome number– Estrous cycle length– Flushing rates / Birth rates– Teat structure– Out-of-Season breeders
Differences
Sheep Goat
Chromosomes
Estrous Cycle
Flushing Rates
Birth Rates
Teat Structure
Out-of-Season Breeders
54 60
17 days 21 days
8-12 embryos 16-24 embryos
125-175% 175-225%
2 functional 2-4 functional
No, with a few exceptions
Yes, with a few exceptions
Management Practices
• Health
• Facilities
• Miscellaneous Management
• Guard animals
Health
• Sheep– Deworm– Coccidiosis– Overeating– Tetanus– CL– Ketosis– Orphan Lambs– Soremouth
• Goats– Deworm– Coccidiosis– Overeating– Tetanus– CL– Ketosis– Orphan Kids– Soremouth– Floppy Kid– Silent Pneumonia
Facilities
• Sheep– Shelters– Fencing
• Electric Fence
– Feed Troughs– Working Pens
• Goats– Shelters– Fencing
• Field Fence
– Feed Troughs– Working Pens
Miscellaneous Management
• Sheep– Less foot care– Some shearing
except Hair breeds– Horns/No horns –
Does not matter– Castrate lambs 30
days or less
• Goats– More foot care– Require no shearing
except for Angoras– May disbud kids
(wethers)– Castrate kids at 60-
90 days
Guard Animals
• Llamas
• Dogs– Great Pyrenees– Akbash– Komondor– Anatolian Shepherd– Maremma
• Donkeys
QUESTIONS