RSG - Phases of Production Guide

PRODUCTION PHASE // MANAGEMENT GUIDE

RSG PRODUCTION PHASES Dry Phase (Weaning - Flushing) Flushing Phase (3-4 Weeks Prior to Breeding) Breeding Phase Early Gestation (Breeding - 110 Days Gestation) Late Gestation (110 Days - Lambing) Lactation (Lambing - Weaning) Weaning (Weaning - Dry)

INTRODUCTION The phases of production are a systematic way to look at your annual production model. This is a tool designed to help make periodic evaluations and adjustments to your animals’ nutrition to ensure that you are optimizing input cost and maximizing productivity.

UNDERSTANDING BODY CONDITION SCORE (BCS) It is critically important to start each phase with an accurate Body Condition Score (BCS) of each animal. Once the animals are scored you will need to sort them into groups based on a score range of 1 – 2’s together, 2.5 – 3.5’s together and 4 – 5’s together. This will allow you to feed and manage the groups based on their basic needs. During each phase description in this guide we will assume that proper BCS has been completed and they are grouped accordingly. Each phase of production will fall at a different time of year based on producers’ goals for lambing and kidding. If the producer is on a fall lambing/ kidding rotation or a spring lambing/ kidding rotation that will change which months of the year, the animals are in the dry phase as an example.

Adapted f rom “Body Condition Scoring of Sheep”

by J.M. Thompson and H. Meyer (Oregon State University)

SEASONAL ISSUE (SHEEP) Primarily we want you to consider management of heat for those sheep producers based on geography and climate variables. Take into consideration which months of the year are the hottest temperature wise and which months have the greatest pressure for insects such as flies, mosquitoes etc. There are advantages to have a minimum of ½ an inch to ideally ¾ of an inch of wool regrown by the time the animals are in the peak of heat and insect season. This is a twofold consideration. One, wool is a hollow fiber which allow the animals to increase heat dispersion f rom their skin, when shorn to the skin during the hottest days of the year, sheep will have a higher body temperature compared to those with some fleece. The second consideration is the wool length helps to protect the animals from insect bites which in turn reduces disease transmission for viruses such as Cache Valley Virus. In most systems it is best to shear between March 1 and April 15.

IMPORTANCE OF HYDRATION In all phases of production, it is critical to state the most important nutrient is fresh clean water. This is a daily requirement that if not looked after will have a significant impact on feed consumption and over all animal well being.

PASTURE AND DRY FORAGE While feeding small ruminants the consumption of fiber sources is very important and is an extensive topic of discussion. Here we briefly want to outline a few principles to keep in mind. While grazing on pasture take note of the plants besides the grass they are eating.

White clover is a common plant that often over takes grazing areas that are devoid of grass or have been over grazed. We have seen a significant impact on timing of synchronization on the animals who have been grazing on white clover. On average we will see 15 to 20% reduction in conception rates as a result. The animals need to be withheld from white clover for a minimum of 14 days prior to breeding and until conception is confirmed post breeding. From a dry forage stand point we prefer a grass alfalfa mix hay for most of the year. This allows for optimal rumen health while maintaining a good level of nutrient value. Once these animals approach the lactation phase we find it highly valuable to have quality high percentage alfalfa to maximize lactation.

BONUS SECTION This guide includes a bonus section on ram/ buck management. This section will provide maintenance steps you can take to help ensure a successful live cover and/ or collection phase.

1 DRY PHASE

WEANING - FLUSHING OR NON-LACTATING The dry phase, also referred to as the maintenance phase of production, will be the least demanding in terms of energy requirements for your animals.

TARGET BCS The goal is that by the end of this phase your animals are brought to a BCS of 2.0 to 2.5. In some instances, it is perfectly acceptable to see weight loss in the higher BCS animals which can be compensated for at a later time when feed intake increases.

NUTRITIONAL REQUIREMENTS For small ruminants the Dry Phase occurs after the offspring are weaned f rom the mother, and before the females are being prepped for the next stage of production. Like the overview states the females are maintaining themselves, it does not mean that we neglect a proper nutrition program. Ideally we are lowering intake, reducing feed cost while utilizing high quality micronutrients.

NUTRITIONAL RECOMMENDATION RSG suggests that the majority of the time, females can meet their protein and energy requirements on a well maintained, fertilized pasture, or hay exclusively. Although this seems pretty simple, we need to make sure that we are constantly offering supplemental vitamins and mineral into their diet by offering RSG Nutrition’s Free Choice Mineral. It is important to remember this is subject to the age, climate, body condition, and the amount of exercise the females incur on a day-to-day basis.

ANIMAL HEALTH This is also the ideal time to work on improving the overall wellbeing of your animals through eradication of disease or prevention of future disease processes. This is also an ideal time to administer any preventative vaccinations needs in your programs in preparation for the breeding season such as Chlamydia, Vibrio, CDT. More detailed evaluations of production systems and consulting options are available through the RSG Veterinary Services Consulting Group, if needed.

In general, RSG recommends using this phase to eradicate foot rot and foot scald f rom your program, which is also one of the largest causes for economic loss in small ruminant production. In many countries foot rot and foot scald is considered a federally reportable disease. RSG recommends Nuflor, Oxytetracycline, LS50, and Zactran along with foot trimming, foot baths and moving animals into clean facilities to break the cycle of the bacteria. RSG has a fully developed eradication program for producers dedicated to eradication of foot disease f rom their farm.

SUMMARY This phase is a critical time to monitor ewes and does as they are rebounding f rom the stress of raising lambs/ kids. Focusing on their health and well being is a top priority as they recharge their systems for the next phase.

2

FLUSHING PHASE

3-4 WEEKS PRIOR TO BREEDING

In preparation for the breeding season there is a short phase described as the flushing phase, which starts three to four weeks prior to breeding season. Since the body condition and energy levels of the female plays a role in the number of oocytes she will ovulate, it is very important to have the females in a gaining plane of nutrition. In essence, the flushing phase will not serve its purpose if the females were not in an energy deficit in the dry phase. Not to be confused with a nutritional deficit as they always need to have the proper micronutrients available.

TARGET BCS From a nutrition standpoint, RSG recommends entering the flushing phase at a BCS of 2.0 – 2.5. Since this window of time is relatively short, it’s crucial that we have the accurate dietary energy program in place for this to work successfully. Our goal is to improve the BSC a half of condition score as we head into the breeding program regardless of natural cover, LAI or ET .

NUTRITIONAL REQUIREMENTS This is a critical time to ramp up and fine tune the animal’s system as we prepare for breeding season. We are striving to improve immune support and provide top quality micronutrients.

NUTRITIONAL RECOMMENDATION The SS Breeder Balancer line up is a complete source of all your micronutrients as well as added technologies to help improve overall GI health.

ANIMAL HEALTH At the beginning of the flushing phase, it is highly important to group your females into their respective breeding groups. This improves your breeding success in several ways. Over this four-week period the females will establish the new pecking order which will get the stressful social interaction done with before you are working to get them to conceive. During this same time the females will share the various “bugs” that they have and allow each other to build immunity before their system is working to grow young fetuses. This is also a good time 45 days before breeding to administer 1ml of Estrumate, along with 8ml of Nuflor. We have found these to sync the ewes in their cycle and provide a clean up of lingering infection processes.

SUMMARY As minuet as a three to four week phase may seem, it’s a major factor in the long-term success of your breeding season. This elevated nutrition phase helps optimize ovulation, aids in conception rates, and increases embryo implantation rates which all are cornerstones of any successful LAI or Embryo Transfer Program.

3 BREEDING PHASE

IN PROGRAM FOR LAI, ET AND CLEAN UP The Breeding Phase constitutes the time period it takes to get your females bred and the implantation of the fetus. This is a time period that we need to monitor yearly in all good production systems.

Ideally we want the females targeted in any given breeding window to become pregnant within two cycles and not over three.

TARGET BCS From a nutrition standpoint, RSG recommends entering the breeding phase at a BCS of 2.5 – 3.0. It is important to not jump too rapidly in BCS as there is still time to prepare for late gestation.

NUTRITIONAL REQUIREMENTS Total protein in your females’ diet should not exceed 14%. It has been shown that higher protein levels can reduce the retention rates of embryo implantation, regardless of your breeding methods.

NUTRITIONAL RECOMMENDATION RSG Nutrition has developed a 12% crude protein complete feed with our SS Breeder Balancer and a Commercial Breeder Balancer product that can be used in this phase to improve body condition and still provide critical micronutrients. The Commercial Balancer was originally designed for recipient ewes and does used in ET work but can be a cost savings option for AI and Donor ewes and does. Access to the RSG Breeder Mineral f ree choice is still important in this phase.

High quality grass pasture or hay is also essential.

ANIMAL HEALTH The goal in this phase is to not need to change the animal’s health status. It is important to come into this phase at an optimum health status and to maintain that standard while breeding.

SUMMARY The breeding phase is straightforward as long as all of the other targets have been met in the earlier phases. It is critical to have minimal stress, as well as proper health and nutrition planes in the breeding phase, which translates into high pregnancy rates.

4 EARLY GESTATION PHASE BREEDING - 110 DAYS GESTATION

The period of time right after breeding, the females should be in good body condition as they are just coming off the period of flushing. If this is the case then just grazing good quality grass pastures or providing some good quality grass hay should be enough to meet the animal’s requirements.

TARGET BCS By the end of this phase your females should be between a 2.5 – 3.0 BCS. NUTRITIONAL REQUIREMENTS Some producers like to supplement a little bit of grain or by-product during this time just to have a reason to look at and monitor the health and body condition of the females. If this is something you want to do no more than ½ lb per hd per day would be needed.

As with any phase, the female’s diet is important for retention of pregnancy rates, and the health of the offspring as well. A large misconception we see is the continuous mindset of having the females on a rising plane of body condition in this phase. During early gestation a female’s nutrient requirements are only slightly higher than the dry phase. Although these females are bred and implantation has occurred, the fetuses are only growing a small amount during the first two trimesters. If we are coming into this phase in a proper BCS then overall little change will be needed.

NUTRITIONAL RECOMMENDATION It is important to provide RSG Nutrition’s f ree choice mineral if no additional grain feed is being supplemented. However, if the females are not in acceptable body condition some additional grain products maybe required during this time to ensure proper weight and condition of ewes prior to lambing. The RSG 12% complete feed can be utilized to achieve your goals.

ANIMAL HEALTH The first trimester is the foundation to lamb development, particularly up to the 45-day mark when there is still higher vulnerability of the fetus. A low stress operation early on yields the best environment for future mothers, and it’s highly recommended to avoid mixing groups and transporting your ewes. This would be a prime opportunity to analyze your feeding systems, handling systems, and climate to ensure the best atmosphere for your operation.

Any additional vaccination for anti-abortion can occur in the 60 to 90 days following breeding.

SUMMARY Early gestation is a step above maintenance. It is important to maintain good health and an average body condition. Allowing females to exercise by traveling pastures is positive. This is a good time to do any final abortion vaccine boosters.

5 LATE GESTATION PHASE 110 DAYS - LAMBING/KIDDING

This is an important production phase while the female’s nutrient requirements are greatly increased as the fetuses grow. We want the females to have adequate body condition, but not be excessively fat. We are also trying to build quality colostrum in the females and create a healthy environment for the offspring to be born in.

TARGET BCS As the babies are using energy from their mother, we need to pay close attention to the females BCS and the energy levels they are consuming. As a benchmark, we want to see the females be between 3 – 3.5 BCS while in this phase. BCS on the extreme side of 3 – 3.5 or energy intake less than required by the female, can lead to metabolic disorders, such as ketosis, or other birthing problems due to dietary imbalances.

NUTRITIONAL REQUIREMENTS Using a current BCS and understanding the increased energy demands for the females is very important during this phase. As the fetus enters its final stages of development, it will be consuming increased energy from its mom. As a result calorie intake of the female must also increase. When the female enters a negative energy balance it likely will result in metabolic pregnancy disease.

NUTRITIONAL RECOMMENDATION RSG nutrition has several products available to make adjusting feeds simple during this phase of production. RSG 12% complete feed product, breeder balancer as well as topdress can be utilized. A major advantage to using the RSG SS line of products in this phase is increased GI heath and reduced risk of abortion. The top quality micronutrients used in all the RSG products are more bioavailable to the female, which can translate into improved Selenuim and Vitamine E delivery in the colostrum to the babies. Additionally the importance of the high quality micro nutrients in late gestation has been shown to improve the brown fat deposits in babies, which is key to the early energy needed for the young stock to burn off during the first 24 hours of life. Using the RSG nutrition line up all translates into healthier babies with increased production.

ANIMAL HEALTH It is recommended to ultrasound your females, not only to get confirmation of pregnancies, but to know how many babies the mother has to produce energy for. It is also vital to keep in mind the breed and body type of your animals, to help get a more accurate read on her nutritional game plan. For example, a hair-based breed of ewe carrying twins will use more energy versus a Hampshire based female carrying a single lamb.

From a management standpoint, keeping your environment as low stressed as possible is RSG’s number one goal. If shearing your ewes during this time frame is a necessity, it is suggested to do so at a minimum 60 days prior to your lambing date. Also, if choosing to deworm your bred females we suggest a clear dewormer.

SUMMARY A well-managed late gestation phase will translate into a smooth lambing phase. Monitor energy needs and over all animal health. This will be the highest that your animals’ BCS will be at any point in the year topping out at 3.5 – 4.0.

6 LACTATION PHASE LAMBING/KIDDING - WEANING

This is the phase where the females will have the highest nutrient requirement. Providing adequate nutrition during this phase is important for the proper growth of the babies and the overall health of the moms. Additionally, there are several potential health challenges to be aware of during this time. We have tried to identify the most common ones and suggest treatment or prevention options to help manage this critical phase of production.

It is important to notice that while the requirements listed here are not that much different f rom late gestation, the thing that is different is that the females will consume a lot more feed and intake should not be restricted during this time. It is also essential to know the nutritional requirements for the breed you are feeding and the number of babies she is nursing.

TARGET BCS In many ways the BCS in this phase is the least controlled. If the female is producing a good level of milk, it is expected that her BCS will drop. By the end of this phase we want the females BCS to be at its lowest point of the year. Ideally, it would not be lower than 1.5.

PHASES OF LACTATION Lactation phase can be broken down into three sections to help better accommodate management practices, build appropriate nutritional plans, and accurately help transition mothers seamlessly into the dry phase. This three-step plan starts with the assumption that the females are coming into lactation with the proper back grounding.

--- FIRST STAGE The first stage is f rom parturition to lactation peaks. During this time, it is important to make sure the female’s milk production is normal and the babies are nursing regularly. Each half of the mammary glands need to stay soft and pliable, with teat shape that the babies can easily latch onto.

During the first day following parturition we recommend feeding good quality grass alfalfa mixed hay and water. During the second day introduce a half ration of grain, and full ration of grain on the third day. Once entering the lactation phase total diet protein needs to be increased to 16% protein and 3 - 5% fat. Also increase higher calorie grains and carbohydrates such as corn.

Within the first 30 days of lactation peak milk production will be reached.

Within the first week of lactation, I like to see the hay switched over to a high alfalfa based forage.

--- MIDDLE STAGE The middle stage of the lactation phase begins approximately 30 days post lambing. The female will require the highest levels of energy and protein in their diet as any time of the annual phases. The rations should be fed at a targeted intake of 2.75% of the females body weight, or more if they will consume it. Forages should compose 55% of the diet or greater and concentrates should compose 45% of the diet or less. Adjust based on need.

--- FINAL STAGE The last stage of the lactation phase is the transition of the females into their dry phase. The start of this stage may vary based on the various production models, however for this discussion, we will say from day 60 until the weaning date. At this point it is important to stop feeding all grains and concentrates.

Switch your alfalfa-based forage, to a grass hay with a reduced digestible fiber content. This period could be two weeks or three weeks based on the rate at which your females reduce their milk production. As the milk production is low the babies will start to gradually wean themselves off as they continue to increase consumption on a well-balanced creep feed.

NUTRITIONAL RECOMMENDATION RSG 16% Lactation Complete feed is the most simple product to use at this time.

ANIMAL HEALTH As you are within the final days of weaning you may choose to withhold the females f rom the babies for 24 hours, then allow the babies to nurse out the females before separating them again. Other recommended management practices include administering a teat tube treatment to the females once nursing is completed, with a goal of reduced dry phase mastitis issues. Deworming the females as they lamb or kid is recommended as parasites will tend to increase due to the compromised immune system of the females at parturition.

Overeating and Tetanus combination shots can be given to the lambs or kids two weeks after birth and boostered at 30 days to prevent overeating disease. However, if the females are vaccinated two weeks prior to parturition there will be an increase in colostral antibodies, protecting the offspring for the first several weeks of life, so start vaccinating the offspring at 28 days. A second CDT booster should be given around 60 days.

SUMMARY Lactation phase is the period when we need to get all we can f rom the females to get the next generation off to a great start. We never want to cut corners on nutrition during this time. Using the highest quality products and highest volume of quantities will result in more success.

7 WEANING PHASE WEANING - DRY

This is a very short phase with the primary goal of stopping lactation.

TARGET BCS This will be the lowest level of BCS your females should ever reach.

Ideally, never lower than 1.5.

NUTRITIONAL REQUIREMENTS The females need nothing more than clean water, poorly digestible fiber and free choice minerals.

NUTRITIONAL RECOMMENDATION RSG recommends that the females are constantly offered RSG Nutrition’s Free Choice Mineral.

ANIMAL HEALTH In this phase it is of primary importance to prevent and or treat any signs of mastitis. Depending on the time of the year this may be a good time for deworming.

SUMMARY The weaning phase is primarily about getting lactation stopped with no residual infection. It is also a critical time to adjust the offspring over to eating concentrate feed and hay.

CREEP FEEDING Creep feeding is not necessarily a phase of production in the sense that it not totally necessary to do. However, with high growth potential lambs and kids it is needed if maximum growth rates are desired.

NUTRITIONAL REQUIREMENTS The creep should always be made f rom high quality clean ingredients with little dust and no mold. Some good quality hay should also be made available in the creep area for digestive health and to promote rumen development and function. Creep feeds should range between 18 – 20% crude protein, 2/1 cal:phos ratio, and have a highly digestible energy source. Home rations can be developed, however, purchase of a commercially available complete pelleted creep is less complicated and convenient. With creep feeding the usual recommendation is to get them started as soon as possible and continue until they are around 60 days of age or through weaning.

ANIMAL HEALTH Once the lambs are comixing and eating f rom the same feeder it is easy to transmit sore mouth. As a result we recommend soremouth vaccination be given to the lambs to prevent outbreak in lambs and affecting ewe udders.

SUMMARY The creep phase is vitally important to the early health and development of your new crop. Providing high quality feed, and a healthy environment will increase productivity as well as adding value to the offspring.

MALE MAINTENANCE RAM AND BUCK MAINTENANCE This topic of how we best manage our rams and bucks has evolved, or at least been discussed more in the last 10 years with the rapid increase of laparoscopic artificial insemination, embryo transfer and semen sales. Often the males are overlooked during the non-breeding season windows however their health and wellbeing are no less important.

Semen production is an event that occurs over time. For example the semen collected on breed day or when your male live covers the female has been in production for 60 days. The sperm cell moves through development and maturation during that 60-day period so as a result poor health or poor nutrition can significantly impact the development of those sperm cells and reduce the capacity of the cell to function and create pregnancies.

The sperm cells can also become “stale” or aged while waiting in the reserve pool for ejaculation. So before bringing the rams/bucks to RSG or an RSG collection site, it is vital to help the process become more successful. First and foremost, we recommend getting your rams/ bucks used to being around people, especially in tight quarters. We also suggest getting your males experienced with mounting a ewe/ doe while a person holds the female. Multiple people will be around your rams/bucks, so getting them well-rehearsed around people will create much less of a stressful environment for them.

The “clean out” of the rams/bucks before a collection is also crucial to any success. This practice helps in the removal of the stale and abnormal sperm cells from the system of the male and should be done in the days before the collection of the semen for a high quality freezing. This will expand your odds of product in a timely manner, which will reduce the overall cost of collecting and f reezing the ram/ buck. 72 hours prior to bringing your male to get collected, you are encouraged to stop collecting him and let him rest.

TARGET BCS Rams should have a body condition score of 3.5 before the beginning of the breeding season. Once turned in for breeding, the males will often spend less time eating and more time working. They can lose up to 12 percent of their body weight during a 45-day breeding period. That equates to 30 pounds for a 250 pound ram, assuming there are left out with the females 24 hours a day. If the male is not getting turned out for breeding then a max BCS of 3.0 is desired.

NUTRITIONAL REQUIREMENTS Poor nutrition is a major cause of male infertility and potential mortality. In many cases, forage alone is not adequate nutrition for placing rams in proper body condition for the breeding season. At the very least, rams should be evaluated for body condition six weeks before breeding. Thin males should receive grain supplementation as a means to increase body weight and condition. It takes 50 days and approximately 2.5 pounds of feed per day if gaining 0.5 lbs per day to move him f rom a weight of 225 pounds to 250 pounds. Mature males, not in breeding, can be maintained on pasture or wintered on good quality hay along with RSG mineral available at all times.

ANIMAL HEALTH AND PRODUCTION SCHEDULE A mature male’s annual production schedule is simply divided into two phases. They are: 1) maintenance and 2) breeding season. The maintenance phase is the longest period of the year and is nine to ten months in length. This is a period, if the male’s do not have any special needs, then it is relatively easy to care for them. This also makes it easy to overlook those basic needs. Often, it seems that people forget about rams until just prior to needing them for breeding.

At the least, males need to be subjected to a basic and minimum health and management program. This includes an internal and external parasite control program, proper vaccinations, hoof maintenance, an annual shearing, and proper feed and water. Also, periodic evaluation of body condition, health and physical soundness exams should be done.

Proper nutrition of males during the inactive period will depend upon their age and body condition. For a mature male in his prime that is in good body condition, feeding is easy. They will need to consume 2 to 2.5% of their body weight daily in feedstuffs that are 55 to 58% TDN. Good to average quality forages either as pasture or hay will generally suffice. If hay or forage is of marginal quality or available in limited amounts, some grain supplementation can be used effectively.

One to one and one-half pounds of a grain mix per ram per day will stretch forages a ways. Males should also have RSG mineral available at all times. Water is the most important nutrient fed to all animals and should not be overlooked.

365 DAY APPROACH Year around attention needs to be paid to the quality of the micronutrients your animals receive. The combination of products RSG has constructed are vital to maximize oocyte and sperm development besides connective tissues and other biological systems.

These systems can’t be turned on and off so they need managed and cared for year-round. Since RSG is not associated with one specific nutrition company we have been able to use the best ingredients and technologies f rom each of the companies.

This feed program has been designed by RSG since 2006 to be a user-friendly program offering flexibility, economic consideration, and technical support. It is supported by Dr. Tad Thompson and the team nutrition experts supporting RSG Nutrition. The program is also supported with an all-inclusive management program of the GYST and RSG Genetics, RSG Pharmacy and RSG Breeding Services.

Our major focus is to implement the most advanced nutritional technology available through a trace mineral premix supporting healthy immune systems and enhancing reproductive performance.

We have provided within this premix a special form of cobalt for improved rumen function and utilization of forage products that should be central to a sheep or goat operation whether it is in the form of pasture, hay or fibrous byproducts. Additionally, we have included a blend of organic and inorganic trace minerals for optimal absorption to support improved breeding performance and health of the herd or flock.

Information about the products discussed in the various phases of productions can also be found on our website www.reprospecialty. com. Products, feeding directions, tag information and features and benefits.

NOTE This guide is intended to be educational and not a specific

recommendation for small ruminant breeders. Please consult RSG directly to discuss your programs needs. In some geographies and environmental conditions recommendations contained in this guide may vary.

OUR VISION Leading the small ruminant industry by providing cutting edge tools for total program management through the RSGI four cornerstones of Animal Health, Nutrition, Genetics and Breeding Services.

If you’re ready to take your breeding program to the next stage, RSG is ready to help. Please take our 10-minute assessment that will help you understand more about your breeding program as well as provide some simple ways you can improve your results right away.

Start your assessment today f rom the home page of reprospecialty. com.

2590 N. 500 E. LEBANON, INDIANA 46052 765-978-0301

w w w. r e p r o s p e c i a l t y. c o m