SHONE FARM SHEEP & GOAT GUIDELINES
NUTRITION
Sheep & Goats are ruminants and have four-compartment stomachs: Rumen, Reticulum,
Omasum and Abomasum. Absorbable nutrients are available to the animal after foodstuffs
enter the rumen and are broken down via microbial fermentation.
Nutritional requirements in sheep & goats depend largely on what stage the animal is in
(growth, breeding, pregnant, lactation) and other factors (breed, sex, age, weight, genetics and
environmental conditions). Dietary components necessary for sheep & goats to stay healthy
are: water, energy, nitrogen, vitamins, minerals and fiber.
Minerals: Mineral requirements for sheep & goats include: Calcium, Cobalt, Copper, Fluoride,
Iodine, Iron, Magnesium, Manganese, Molybdenum, Phosphorus, Potassium, Salt, Selenium,
Sulfur and Zinc. Sheep & goats that graze or are fed hay that have a deficiency in required
minerals may be supplemented. Goat supplement blocks should never be fed to sheep
because they contain high levels of copper.
Vitamins: Sheep & Goats have the ability to synthesize most required vitamins (B and K are
synthesized in the rumen and Vitamin D is synthesized when the animals are exposed to
sunlight and can also be found in some sun-cured forages. Vitamins A and E are the only
vitamins that may need to be supplemented – Vitamin A precursors and Vitamin E can be found
in high-quality forages.
Lamb/Kid Nutrition: Orphaned lambs & kids or those not receiving enough milk from its dam
(multiples or lambs/kids with dams that have compromised udders) may need to be
supplemented because, due to an underdeveloped rumen, it cannot utilize roughages or other
dry feeds that mature ruminants can eat. Commercially available milk replacers can be fed to
an orphaned lamb or kid to meet its nutritional requirements after the initial intake of colostrum.
Newborn lambs & kids must receive proper amounts of colostrum so care must be taken to
assure this. If a lamb or kid is weak and unable to nurse, it must be tube-fed until able to nurse
from a bottle (if it’s orphaned) or from its mother. Grafting lambs or kids onto an adoptive
mother is preferred over bottle feeding with a milk replacer.
SHONE FARM – SHEEP & GOATS
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SHONE FARM SHEEP & GOAT GUIDELINES
~ STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE ~
Feeding
Sheep & Goat Unit
Pens
Insufficient Pastures (Hay Supplementation)
 Follow feeding directions laid out by Livestock Tech
 Decrease number of flakes if there is hay left over by the next feeding
 Increase if the animal is thin, agitated and/or crying all day
 Inform Livestock Tech of any observations and changes
Quality Pastures
Breeding Sheep & Goats
 Rotate Sheep & Goats on pastures of highest nutritional quality
 Rotate Sheep & Goats according to pasture health
Ewes/Does (Gestational Maintenance)
 After breeding, start Ewes/Does on pastures with good nutritional quality but not necessarily
the best quality
 Rotate Ewes/Does according to Body Condition Scores and pasture health
 Move pregnant Ewes/Does into Porter Barn/Lot Pasture 4 weeks before parturition
Ewe/Doe – Lamb/Kid (Lactation Maintenance)
 After lambing/kidding, Dams and their young should remain in the Porter Barn/Lot Pasture
until weaning
 Depending on Lot Pasture condition, Sheep & Goats may have to be supplemented with hay
and/or grain under the direction of the Livestock Technician
Yearlings (Growth Maintenance)
 Yearlings should be allowed access to the Coyote pasture – accompanied by a few mature
ewes/goats and a guard animal
 Bring Yearlings up to Porter Barn to spend the night to avoid any predator loss and
supplement with hay & grain under the direction of the Livestock Technician
Lamb/Kid (Weaned)
 Young lambs will not be out on pastures due to predator risk
 Follow feeding directions laid out by Livestock Tech
 Hay shall be spread out so that every animal has access to food
 Adjust feed as needed based on body condition and animal behavior
SHONE FARM – SHEEP & GOATS
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