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Ovine Housing and Nutrition
Shelters & Equipment
Some type of shelter should be provided for use when the weather is too hot, wet or cold. This is especially important for baby lambs. Existing farm buildings are routinely converted into adequate shelter for sheep. It is essential to provide lambing pens or jugs for ewes and their newborn lambs. These small pens should be clean, dry, and warm and will house the new sheep family for the first few days of the lamb's life. Keep rams housed separately from ewes except during the breeding season.
Nutrition
Whole grains should be fed to ewes prior to breeding (this practice is called flushing) and during pregnancy and lactation. This will help them to get bred sooner and produce enough milk to feed their lambs. Lambs should be introduced to grain early via creep feeders so that only the lambs have access. Pasture and/or hay should be provided ad libitum year round.
Supplements of salts and minerals should also be provided year round. Do not give cattle or horse supplements, as these are often too high in copper, which is toxic to sheep. Clean, fresh water should be available at all times, especially when it is very hot.
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