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

FEEDING OF GROWING, FATTENING LAMBS AND BREEDING RAMS

• When good quality fodders are available, the following concentrate mixture can be used.

Ingredients	Parts
Wheat/Rice bran	40
Maize	25
Groundnut cake	32
Mineral mixture	2
Sodium chloride	1

• The above mixture should be fed as per the following recommendations.

Body weight	Concentrate mixture /day
10-15 kg	50 gm
16-25 kg	100 gm
26-35 kg	150 gm

• If the quality of fodder is not good then the concentrate mixture should be given as 300g, 400g and 600 g respectively.

Feeding of fattening lambs

• The feedings schedule for fattening lambs is dependent on the age and weight expected at the time of marketing. Generally simple concentrate mixture consisting of

  • Cereal grains - 2 parts
  • Bran - 1 part
  • Oil cakes - 1 part
• Supplemented with mineral mixture and vitamin mixture can be used.
• This concentrate ration should be fed at the rate of 110-450 gm/day/ depending on the weight of ram to be fattened.

Feeding of breeding rams

• Rams used for breeding purpose should not be too fatty, which may influence rate of fertility and mating behavior.
• If breeding ram is fatty, the allowance of concentrate mixture should be stopped completely and ram should be fed on dry fodder.
• This procedure should be followed for 8 weeks before ram is allowed to mate with ewes.
• Before 2 weeks of mating again normal feeding schedule is followed.
• During summer months concentrate mixture consisting of
  • crushed grams – 2 parts
  • Wheat bran – 2 parts
  • Sodium chloride – 1 part, can be given.
•  During winter months crushed grams should be replaced by available crushed  oil seeds cakes.