ANN 121: Applied Animal Nutrition-I (2+1)

WATER AND DRY MATTER REQUIREMENT OF SHEEP

Water requirement of sheep

• Plenty of fresh clean water should always be available.
• Adult sheep on dry feed in winter may drink about 2 liters/head/day and 3.5 - 4 liters during summer.
• Water requirement increases during growth, gestation, lactation and heat stress, when salt content of diet is more or when animals are made to travel long distances.
• Normally a sheep will drink approximate 2-3 liters of water for every kg of dry feed consumed.
• Sheep can tolerate salt content upto 1% in the drinking water.

Dry matter requirement of sheep

• In general a adult sheep consumes 2.5 to 3% dry matter of their live body weight under stall feeding and grazing conditions.
• However for a satisfactory growth, lambs require DM of about 4-5% of the body weight.