Feeding to support optimal rumen function will be the best way to help ewes overcome any summer deficits and ensure they make best use of available feed in the run up to tupping.
This is the advice of Rumenco’s Technical Services Manager Dr Alison Bond, who says supplementation that offers the right combination of energy with the most appropriate protein sources, and includes key nutrients that may have been lacking in drought-stricken pastures, may well be the most cost-effective route to building and maintaining condition.
©Tim Scrivener Photographer
She recommends Rumenco’s Rumevite Sheep Super block as an ideal supplement to complement grazing or conserved forages, pointing to a balanced formulation that is geared to supporting the rumen.
“Rumevite Sheep Super includes urea, which is used by the rumen microorganisms to produce microbial protein,” explains Dr Bond. “This is a very efficient way of providing true protein and can reduce the ewe’s reliance on protein from other sources. It also provides high-quality natural soya and rapeseed protein, providing sources of digestible undegradable protein (DUP) to support ewe condition.”
“The extra high energy also provided by Rumevite Sheep Super, in the form of fermentable starch and sugar and protected fats, feeds the rumen microorganisms, ensuring they are maximising microbial protein production.
“This balanced formulation in a free access, little and often feeding format, helps to support a stable rumen environment and maximise feed use efficiency, allowing sheep to gain condition more quickly and make the most of available forage.”
Dr Bond acknowledges the challenges that sheep farmers have faced during the summer, particularly in the more drought-affected areas, and says the right supplementation will not only help build condition but also ensure ewes receive the important minerals and trace elements that will be essential to future performance.
“Sheep farmers will be focused on ewe body condition, aiming for the optimum of 3.0 to 3.5, depending on their system, by the time the tups go in,” she adds. “Feeding for optimal rumen function will help greatly towards achieving these targets, but it will also be important to consider other potential deficiencies.
“Short supplies of poor-quality forage may have left ewes short of vitamins, trace elements and minerals, so providing adequate supplies through supplements such as Rumevite Sheep Super may well help to avoid problems further down the line. Fish oil, which provides a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, is another important inclusion, helping to support fertility at a critical time.”
Dr Bond points to studies that show Rumevite Sheep Super blocks can increase live lambing percentages by up to 22% compared to unsupplemented ewes.
“The formulation helps ewes reach optimal body condition ahead of tupping, supporting ovulation – which can lead to more ewes holding service in the first cycle,” she adds.
As the challenging heatwave and drought conditions persisted well into August, sheep farmers across the country will be hoping for timely rainfall and a boost in grass growth.
“When conditions do improve, it will provide a welcome uplift for sheep farmers,” concludes Dr Bond. “However, to ensure that later summer grass growth isn’t ‘too little, too late’, it’s all the more important to supplement the ewes in advance. This will help to ensure that ewes are primed with an efficient rumen and are best able to utilise forage.”
