Under current feeding and management conditions, China's rural sheep breeding industry often relies on economic hybrids, with local high-quality mutton sheep breeds being the preferred choice for most farmers. Some of these local breeds are known for their high fertility rates, producing multiple lambs per litter. In particular, certain high-yield ewes may give birth to more lambs than they can adequately nurse, which can be both a blessing and a challenge.
While an increased number of lambs is beneficial for farmers in terms of production, it also poses risks. The ewes may become leaner and smaller due to the strain of nursing too many offspring. If not properly managed or fed, weaker lambs may fail to get enough milk, leading to starvation or death from cold. In severe cases, entire litters can be lost, turning a positive situation into a negative one.
To improve lamb survival rates and increase the profitability of mutton sheep farming, several practical feeding and management strategies can be implemented by farmers and farms:
1. **Lamb Foster Care**
When ewes produce more lambs than they can care for—either because they die during birth or have too many offspring—it is possible to transfer some lambs to other ewes for foster care. For successful fostering, the ewes should give birth within 3–5 days of each other, and the lambs should be similar in size. Since ewes have a strong sense of smell, especially local breeds, it’s important to mask the scent of the foster lambs. This is typically done by spraying the lambs with a mixture of water and either alcohol or the milk and urine of the foster ewe. The lambs are then placed together in a basket for 30–60 minutes so the ewe can recognize them without rejecting them.
2. **Batch Nursing**
If the number of lambs exceeds the number of available teats, farmers can divide the lambs into two groups and feed them alternately. It's crucial to ensure that the nursing ewes receive proper nutrition to maintain sufficient milk production. Lambs should be grouped based on size, strength, and health to reduce competition and promote balanced growth. Early feeding management is also important to ease the burden on the ewes and support healthy development across the entire litter.
3. **Artificial Milk Feeding**
For ewes with large litters or those who lack milk, it's essential to provide lambs with adequate nutrition. A temporary solution is to mix 20% cow’s milk, 10% sugar, and 70% water, then boil and cool it to around 37°C as a substitute for goat’s milk. Alternatively, rice porridge mixed with sugar or milk can also be used. Young or weak lambs can be bottle-fed directly, while larger numbers require training. A common method involves placing the artificial milk in a shallow bowl (8–10 cm high) and using a clean finger to simulate a teat, encouraging the lambs to suckle. After 2–3 days, most lambs will learn to feed from the bowl.
For long-term or large-scale artificial feeding, a more nutritious formula is necessary. For example, after 20 days of age, a mix of 50% wheat flour, 17% fried soybean powder, 10% skim milk powder, 4% yeast, 4.5% sugar, 1.5% calcium powder, 0.5% salt, and 0.5% trace elements can be used. This can be prepared with fresh water and boiled, then cooled to 37°C. As lambs grow, the amount of water can gradually increase, helping them transition to solid food.
Dried Seasoned Alaska Pollack,Dried Alaskan Pollock,Seasoned Dried Pollack,Alaska Pollock Seasoning
Yanji Yongzhen Food Co., Ltd , https://www.yanjiyongzhenfood.com