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Sheep Housing

Sheep Shed

Size of a sheepfold

  • One ewe with its kids until weaning stage, requires 1,5 m ² of space ;
  • An adult sheep requires 2 m² ;
  • Up to 8 months, the lambs require 0,7 m² of space

Mérino ram

Sheep Feeding

Feeding (Sheep)

  • The Sheep is herbivorous ( it eats grasses and fodder species);
  • During gestation period, 100 to 150 gr of concentrates feed should be added to normal feeding of the ewe (especially during the last two months).This increases chances of having healthy lambs and ensures excellent health for the ewe itself. During suckling period, the ewe should be given 300 to 400 gr of concentrate feedr according to the number of kids;
  • Sheep in covering stage should be given 300 to 400 gr of concentrated feed per day.
  • At weaning time, lambs should be given 50-100 gr of concentrated feed per day .

Production

Output from a slaughtered healthy sheep is approximately 48-50% of its weight.

Sheep Animal Health

Diseases and control measures (Sheep)

Diseases and control measures

Disease Categories of affected animals Symptoms Control measures
1. Intestinal worms Young and adult Deceleration of growth, diarrhoea, loss of weight, hair standing at the end , cough Sanitary measures

De-worming treatment
2.Soremouth
(contagious ecthyma, scabby mouth, pustular dermatitis, orf)		 Young and adult Soremouth is the most common skin disease affecting sheep. It is a highly contagious viral infection that can also produce painful human infections. The virus causes scab formation on the skin, usually around the mouth, nostrils, eyes, mammary gland and vulva. It first appears as tiny red nodules, usually at the junction of the lips. Treatment is usually unrewarding. The disease will usually run its course in 1 to 4 weeks.

Effective vaccines are available. The vaccine is applied to a woolless area in the inside of the ear or under a leg where it cannot spread to the mouths of other animals. Once the vaccine is used on the premises, it should be continued yearly. Flocks that have not experienced sore mouth should probably not vaccinate for soremouth, since the vaccine introduces the virus to the farm.
3. Mastitis Mastitis is an inflammation (or infection ) of the mammary gland (udder) which is usually caused by a bacterial infection. There are two types of mastitis: acute and chronic. The glands of ewes with acute mastitis may be discolored and dark, swollen and very warm. The affected ewe may be reluctant to walk, may hold up one rear foot, and may not permit her lambs to nurse. Ewes with chronic mastitis often go undetected. Mastitis is usually treated with intramammary infusions of antibiotics, systemic antibiotics, and anti-inflammatory drugs. There is no vaccine for mastitis. It is best prevented by good management and sanitation..
4. Brucellosis (Brucella organisms) Adult  Abortion in late pregnancy is the feature of the disease, retention of placenta and metritis are common. In ram, , it causes legions in their reproductive organs ( called epididymitis), Sheep should be tested for brucellosis and isolated or cull the positive animals
5. Coccidiosis Young and Adult Diarrhea, anemia, weakness and death have seen in coccidiosis of sheep kids , in old animal milk production is reduced with foetid smell  Faecal Examination is needed. Sulphamezathine or sulphadimidine 0.2 gm/kg body weight. Amprosol 20% solution 100 mg/kg body weight 4-5 days are effective or zoaquin
6. Foot and Mouth Diseases Virus Young and Adult This disease has shown mild effect in adult sheep. Vesicles on the tongue, lips, checks, gums, dental pad and on the skin between claws, occasional blisters on teats and under. Lameness is also seen in adult sheep, Deaths have been observed in young sheep kids. Isolate the sick sheep and vaccinate the herd at the face of outbreak. Wash the mouth of infected sheep with mild disinfectants like Alum, Potassium permanganate. Apply boroglycerine on the ulcers.
7. Foot rot Young and adult Foot rot is one of the most economically devastating  and highly contagious diseases in the sheep industry. It is caused by the interaction of two anaerobic bacteria: Bacteroides nodosus, which can only live in the animal’s hoof; and Fusobacterium necrophorum, which is a normal inhabitant of soil and sheep manure. Foot rot can be controlled and/or eradicated by a combination of hoof trimming, vaccination, foot bathing and soaking and culling. Zinc sulfate is considered to be the most effective foot rot treatment.

Sheep Reproduction

Reproduction (Sheep)

  • Fertility rate : 85%
  • Rate of prolificacy: 140% for the local breed sheep and 180% for the improved breed sheep
  • The first covering takes place at the age of 2 months for improved breed sheep (23 kg) and at 12 months of age for local breed sheep,
  • One ram is sufficient to cover 50 ewes; it is sexually active at 15 months.
  • Gestation lasts for 149-152 days (5 months) •
  • Suckling period is 3 months. Therefore, the ewe can drop after each 9 months in intensive breeding
  • At 6-7 years of age, an ewe should be reformed. Indeed , at this age, it is already loosing teeth.

Sheep Record Keeping

Record keeping (Sheep)

Record keeping in sheep production is important because it gives a history of what has happened on the farm for a given period of time. In addition, it serves to improve farm management since it  helps to trace animal origin and select breeding animals. Besides, record keeping provides figures for farm planning and budgeting.

Below is a list of records that may need to be kept.  The value and  relevance of the different types of records will vary with differing sheep production systems:

  • Health records: including morbidity, mortality, signs and symptoms, diagnosis, treatments and vaccinations, etc.
  • Feed consumption: this is difficult to estimate on farms where animals graze, but for capital intensive farm businesses, such as finishing or fattening operations, the amount of concentrate fed should be recorded to calculate profitability.
  • Mating records: Sire, ewe  and progeny identification is important in breeding, sale, and culling decisions.
  • Lambing /kidding records, which include identity, ram ID, birth  weight, date of birth, type of birth and sex.
  • Milk production records: recording once weekly may suffice as this gives an indication of total milk production. Therefore, in dual-purpose sheep and goats, or even in meat types, a random sample of lactating females may be selected for recording their once a-week milk production.
  • Growth/ weight records: kept periodically (possibly on a monthly basis) by  recording the body weight of animals.
  • Inventory: inventory of available animals on the farm and other assets.
  • Carcass yield or dressing percentage: is a factor that has tremendous economic value, particularly in a community-based breeding program. This information could be obtained from slaughterhouses/abattoirs if the animals are slaughtered in slaughter houses.

Breeds

In Rwanda, we have two sheep breeds: the local sheep, Mérinos sheep breed for wool production and crossbreeds.

  • Local sheep

 

The local sheep is generally kept as cow companion and manure production. It originates from Africa and it is characterized by a long and fat tail.

  • Mérinos