ram management november 21, 2003 jeff held, sdsu
TRANSCRIPT
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Ram Management
November 21, 2003
Jeff Held, SDSU
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Mature ewes (180 lb) exposed to terminal sires
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Ram Facts
• Use 35 to 120 days
• Store 8 to 11 months
• Often inadequate holding facilities
• Water and feed feeding resources below average
• Productive life span short
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Common Ram Observations
• Greatly underfed/overfed
• Structural/reproductive unsoundness
• Ram lambs turned out to grass for extended periods
• Lack of planning to house and manage rams post-breeding
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Facilities Designed for Rams
Ease of handling and feeding
Reduce injury among rams (humans)
Manage aged rams separate from ram lambs
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Desired Ram Outcomes
• Utilize superior genetic merits to improve economic performance – growth, wool milk or phenotypic traits
• With excellent fertility (conc and motility) we expect rams to settle ewes in 2 heat periods– < 12 months….20 ewes– > 12 months….40 ewes
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Breeding Season
• Pre-breeding– Select rams with superior merits and soundness– Free from footrot– Deworm, shear– Above ave body condition– Reproductive soundness exam
• Post-breeding– Protect your investment for genetic improvement– Nutrition and Health
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Nutritional Management
• Ram lambs should be at least 6 months old and be at least 60% of mature wt
• Expect some weight loss during the breeding season for all ages (10-20%)
• Supplemental feeding or rest periods can limit weight loss (improve conception rate)
• Feeding management pre-breeding is most important critical!
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Pre-breeding Nutrition
• Ram Lambs 3.0% of BWT– 4.5 lbs of TDN / 0.60 lb Crude Protein– 5 lbs forage / 2 lbs grain (65% TDN ration)– Moderate growth rate (60-80% of max)
• Mature Rams 2.5% of BWT– 4.0 lb of TDN/ 0.50 lb Crude Protein– 6.5 lbs forage / 1.5 grain (55% TDN ration)– Increase body condition (fat cover)
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Nutritional Observations
• High levels of grain offered
• All ages fed together
• Mineral mixtures for ewes also offered to rams
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Nutritional Disorders (Health)
• When more than 25 % grain offered for long periods – Reduces fiber digestion (10-15%)– Increased risk of off-feed conditions (acidosis)– Negative impact on rumen function– Increased risk of water belly (Ca:P ratio)
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Protein Requirement
• Generally less than 0.75 lb per day
• Decreases with maturity 0.50 lb per day
• Most rations will meet the protein requirement for older ram lambs and mature rams
• Sheath rot often associated with high protein rations
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Minerals and Vitamins
• Zinc, Selenium and Vitamin E could be associated with improving fertility in male animals
• A good commercial sheep trace mineral salt will satisfy the requirement for rams
• Sheep salt mineral mixtures for sheep are designed for ewes, not rams
• Commercial grower or finisher pellets are reasonable method to deliver minerals and vitamins for rams
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Summary
• Select sound rams with longevity traits
• Take care of the management and nutrition (health) tasks to increase the years of service and annual conception rates
• Facilities planned for housing rams can reduce injury (animal and human) and increase observation opportunities
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