Kerala, India
The primary goal of sheep farming operations should be producing healthy, rapidly growing lambs suitable for early market sale. Implementing creep feeding programs can facilitate achievement of this goal.
Optimal feed-to-gain conversion efficiency occurs within the initial 100 to 120 days of lamb development. Lambs readily achieve daily weight gains of 1 pound during their first 70 to 80 days. In properly managed flocks utilizing efficient, fast-growing breeds, lambs commonly attain 110 pounds by 120 days of age.
Young lambs achieve 1 pound of growth for every 3 to 4 pounds of feed intake. Conversely, mature feeder lambs necessitate 5 to 6 pounds of feed per pound gained. Creep-feeding programs offer several potential benefits:
- Enhanced weight gains, particularly for lambs from multiple births.
- Superior feed conversion efficiency.
- Accelerated market readiness.
- Early growth and development reduces weaning stress.
When feasible, introduce lambs to creep feed immediately following birth. Typically, lambs consume minimal feed quantities until reaching 3 to 4 weeks of age. Nevertheless, early consumption, though limited, proves crucial for establishing proper rumen development. Research indicates that without achieving average creep ration intake of 1/2 pound daily from 20 days through weaning, no performance improvement results from creep feeding.
Position creep feeders in locations promoting optimal lamb utilization. In drylot environments, install feeders in accessible, dry, well-bedded, sheltered locations. In pasture settings, place feeders near water sources, resting zones, or salt and supplement stations.
To initiate lamb creep feeding, ensure the starter ration offers high palatability. Incorporating soybean meal enhances palatability and supplies supplemental protein. However, soybean meal represents a costly ingredient. Premium alfalfa hay, alfalfa pellets, and oat grain also provide excellent palatability.
Creep rations need not be complicated. They should deliver minimum 15 to 16 percent natural protein. A basic creep ration consisting of 80 percent grain sorghum, 10 percent oats, 10 percent oilseed meal, with free-choice alfalfa hay proves sufficient. Based on grain pricing, corn can substitute for grain sorghum, while wheat or barley can replace half the grain sorghum component. Generally, young lambs favor coarsely rolled grains and pelleted feeds. Processing costs may increase ration expenses, but pelleting complete feeds, concentrates, and roughages enhances gain rates and feed efficiency. Pelleting additionally permits inclusion of various additives, standardizes grain-roughage proportions, and reduces feed wastage. Avoid feeding dusty, moldy, or wet feeds. When possible, transfer any remaining creep feed daily to ewes, providing lambs with fresh feed each day. Include antibiotics in creep rations following veterinary guidance to offer protection against subclinical infections.
Management systems vary individually, but frequently it becomes practical to eliminate grain feeding to ewes once lambs reach approximately 6 weeks and consume sufficient creep feed. Direct grain feeding to lambs proves more efficient since lambs convert feed to gain more effectively than ewes convert feed through milk to lamb gain.
Some producers implement weaning at 60 days of age. Early weaning of 40 to 50 pound lambs achieves success when lambs consume appropriate feed quantities. Studies demonstrate that ewe milk production peaks around four weeks post-lambing, declining steadily to approximately half by the 10th lactation week. Approximately 74 percent of total milk production occurs within the first eight lactation weeks.