Applied Animal Nutrition-I

MINERALS AND VITAMINS REQUIREMENT OF SHEEP

• Only 15 minerals are found essential for sheep.
• Out of which 7 are major mineral i.e. Na, Cl, Ca, P, Mg, K & S.

Sodium chloride

• Sheep consume more Sodium chloride per 100 kg body weight than do cattle.
• Under any managemental practice Sodium chloride should be provided regularly.
• Generally Sodium chloride is added at the rate of 0.5% in complete ration or 1% in concentrate ration in sheep.

Calcium and Phosphorus

• Sheep reared on good pasture or when 1/3 rd roughage is legume do not suffer from calcium deficiency and therefore benefit of adding Ca and P depends on the amount of these minerals supplied by feeds they receive.
• A phosphorus content of 0.16-0.19% in ration (an D.M. Basis) in adequate for ewes during pregnancy.

• In milch ewe it should be 0.23%, where as in fattening lambs 0.17.
• If rations low in phosphorus is fed to pregnant ewes, abortion or weak lambs occurs.
• In fattening lambs, deficiency result in low gain, poor feed utilization and depraved appetite.
• In protein deficiency phosphorus supplements should be given.

Cobalt

• Deficiency leads to anaemia, retarded growth, rough hair coat. Drenches of about 1.0 mg cobalt chloride twice a week corrects deficiency.

Copper

• It is essential in melanin production. It is observed that Cu reserve of the lamb can satisfy wool (Keratin) formation, upto 6 months of age after that Cu supplementation is necessary.
• Deficiency affects the quality and quantity of wool produced.
• The wool looses its characteristic crimp, this condition is called as "Stringy Wool" and the fibre resembles more like hair than wool.

Zinc

• Clinical signs of zinc deficiency occurs in ram lamb manifested by impaired testicular growth and complete stoppage of spermatogenesis.

Vitamins requirement for sheep

• If sheep have plenty of good roughage including pasture during growing season, all their vitamin needs are usually satisfied.
• Pasture suitable for sheep is generally high in vitamin A value (carotene content). Also they have considerable vitamin A storage in body.
• Generally vitamin D deficiency do not results, as they are generally outdoors and exposed to sunlight for much of the time during grazing. Field cured dry fodder supplies vitamin D.
• The B complex vitamins are synthesized in the rumen by microbial action.
• Vitamin E requirement is usually met with normal ration, however "Stiff lamb disease" can be prevented by vitamin E supplementation.