Sheep FAQs

The creep should be set up by the time the first lambs born are 7-10 days old. Lambs will begin nibbling on creep feed soon after. The feed offered must be palatable and in a form easy for tiny mouths to pick up. Creep feeding is especially beneficial for lambs born as twins or triplets, or for those with mothers producing less milk. We recommend Kalmbach® Start Right Lamb Creep, Formula of Champions® Cherry Krave or 18 Starter Developer. All three feeds are an 18% mini pellet of highly-fortified nutrition.

A quality lamb creep ration should be 18% protein with a fat content of 3-5% and a maximum fiber level of 15%. Mini pellets are ideal, allowing babies to get started on superior nutrition early. A lamb creep should be medicated with either Bovatec or Deccox to aid in the prevention of coccidiosis. Self-feed the creep ration – meaning the babies should be allowed to eat all they want 24 hours/day.

If lambs have had access to a self-fed creep ration prior to weaning, the transition is easy. Just continue the same feed for at least 1-2 weeks after weaning, still at the self-fed rate. Then the final disposition of the lambs will determine what happens next. Replacement ewe lambs should be separated from lambs that are earmarked for market, and changed from self-feeding to a hand-fed ration of 15-18% crude protein. Even if they are on pasture, a daily offering of approximately 1-2 lb of a grain-based diet or pellet in addition to their roughage source will keep them developing into brood ewes. Lambs destined for market should be kept on a high-protein, high-energy diet to maximize their growth and gains.

Depending on local conditions, sheep should start grazing with the spring flush of grass, which in the Midwest is usually late March through April. Rotational grazing, which is dividing the pasture into sections and moving sheep from one section to another every few days, ensures the grass has time to recover and grow back. This approach maximizes pasture use while at the same time maintaining quality for future grazing. Be sure to keep a high-quality sheep mineral in front of the flock at all times. Kalmbach’s 2:1 Sheep Mineral with ZinPro® or DryGuard™ Sheep Mineral are excellent choices.

When pasture is unavailable, good-quality hay becomes the primary source of nutrition. A mixed hay is an ideal choice. The key is high-quality, in both protein and energy. It is beneficial to have hay tested to know with certainty the nutritional values that are present. Protein is usually adequate, but hay that was not made at the proper time or under ideal weather conditions may be deficient in energy. In such cases, supplemental grain or pellets may need to be fed. Whether hay is tested or not, always keep Kalmbach 2:1 Sheep Mineral with ZinPro® or Dry-Guard Sheep Mineral available free-choice.

Sheep are sensitive to copper and, although a necessary mineral for sheep, it is required in very low levels. Avoid manufactured feeds designed for other species, as they may contain harmful levels of copper. Kalmbach sheep feeds do not have added copper, ensuring that copper is only present as a component of necessary ingredients in the ration, thereby ensuring that the final levels of copper are acceptable for sheep. Additionally, all Kalmbach sheep feeds contain ammonium chloride at the levels determined to aid in the prevention of urinary calculi. Urinary calculi is a metabolic disorder of the urinary tract, similar to kidney stones.

Certain plants are toxic to sheep and can be deadly if consumed. Some offenders include members of the nightshade family, wild cherry, milkweed, and ornamental rhododendron and yews. Refer to: https://content.ces.ncsu.edu/poisonous-plants-to-livestock for a more complete list of poisonous plants for sheep and other livestock. Regular inspection of pastures will identify these potential hazards.