Feeding Ewes Before, During, and After Pregnancy
  • Factors determining the nutritional needs of the breeding ewe

  • What is her age, body size, and body condition?
  • What amount of confinement vs extensive grazing will she experience?
  • What is her stage of production (maintenance, pregnancy, lactation, etc.)?
  • If pregnant, what trimester of pregnancy is she in and how many fetuses is she carrying?
  • If lactating, how many lambs is she nursing?
  • Is the mother on an accelerated lambing program, or is she on the conventional once-per-year lambing cycle?
  • What is the quality of available feedstuffs, and in what form will they be fed?
  • What is the health status of the ewe? Has she been de-wormed and vaccinated?
  • What season of the year (i.e. summer vs winter) is it?
* Animals that are growing, pregnant, lactating, or have a high activity level may have a 25-75% increase in nutritional needs.
Above information from Infovets.com

designed with Homestead
This page was last updated: January 7, 2008