Nutritional principles for pregnant and lactating ewes

Estimated reading time: 3 minutes

When the correct nutritional principles are followed throughout mid- and late pregnancy, a ewe should retain at least 75% of the body fat she had at mating by the time she lambs. Up to 50% of the fat may be mobilised to supply the energy required for milk production. This highlights the importance of ensuring that ewes have an optimal condition score of 3,5 (on a scale of 1 to 5) at mating.

Ewes’ nutritional demands

Research shows that the ewe’s nutritional level after lambing has a significant impact on milk production. Ewes carrying twins produce approximately 30% more milk than those carrying single lambs and therefore have substantially higher nutrient requirements during the first eight weeks of lactation than those carrying single lambs during the same period or twin-bearing ewes during the later stages of lactation. Milk production varies considerably among individual ewes, ranging from 1,65 to 3,5kg/day.

Providing optimal nutrition during pregnancy and after lambing benefits not only the newborn lamb by supporting its growth and development but also improves the ewe’s reproductive performance, increasing the potential number of lambs born in the following breeding season.

Secondary wool follicles develop six weeks before birth until four weeks after birth in lambs. The ewe’s nutritional level during this period determines the number of follicles that develop and, importantly, their ability to produce wool.

Sufficient bypass protein is critical when the ewe’s energy intake during early lactation falls short of her requirements and body fat reserves are mobilised to support optimal milk production. The ewe will lose 0,5 to 1 condition score during this four- to six-week period. Research has demonstrated that the more bodyweight the ewe loses during the first six weeks of lactation, the later her oestrus (heat) cycle will start during the next breeding season.

Choose the correct supplement

It is important to recognise that both the quantity and quality of protein are critical. In addition to protein, the supplement must provide high-quality bypass protein containing the essential amino acids required to support production.

For maintenance, supplement ewes with Molatek CONDITION LICK or MULTIBLOCK at 180 to 250g/ewe/day. During periods of higher production, provide Molatek LAMB AND EWE LICK or ELITE BLOCK at 320 to 450g/ewe/day. Production lick and complete mixed diets for late pregnancy and early lactation are presented in Table 1.

Table 1: Self-mixed production and complete diets.

– Dr Vlok Ferreira, technical executive, Molatek

For further information or technical assistance, contact your local Molatek technical advisor or the Molatek head office at 013 791 1036.