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Ration Balancing Small Ruminant Webinar Willie LantzExtension Educator – Garrett County

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Ration – Feed fed to ananimal in one dayBalanced RationFeed required to meet theanimals nutritionalrequirements in one day

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Balancing Rations will:• Provide economical performance – Rate of Gain – Milk Production• Prevent nutritional disorders• Maximize profits

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Balancing Ration – Step 1 Environmental ConditionsGather Data Weight Stage of Age Lactation Number Kids in Gestation Milk Production Level Weight Gain Stage of Gestation

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Feeds to Use in Ration – Step 21. On Farm Feed Resources - Pasture, Hay, Grains2. Locally Available Feeds - Transportation greatly affects costs of feeds3. Costs of Feeds - Dry – Early Gestation animals  sell alfalfa hay purchase grass hay.

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Determine When Critical Times to Balance Ration – Step 3• Late Gestation – Last 60 days of pregnancy• Early Lactation – First 60 days of lactation• Late Lactation – 60 days post partum to weaning• Early Finishing – First 60 -90 days after weaning• Late Finishing – 90days post weaning to market

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Ration Timing• Matching Breeding Program to Market – Ration will be determined by nutritional needs of the female and offspring to hit a certain market. • Late July Market Goat for County Fair • Does Kid in January – wean at 90-120 days Feeding ProgramGreatest Need Early Lactation – Jan to Feb Late Lactation– March to April Least Need Dry – Not Pregnant to Early Gestation – May to Oct Late Gestation – Nov to Dec Early Growth (kids) – May to June Late Growth - July

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Match Breeding to Feed Availability• Sell kids/lambs in fall• Kid and Lamb in late spring (April)• Does/Ewes and Kids/Lambs to pasture – May 1stFeeding ProgramGreatest Need - Early Lactation – May – June - Late Lactation – July – August Least Need - Dry & Early Gestation – Sept to Feb. Feed Hay - Late Gestation – March – April - Early Growth – Sept to Oct - Late Growth – Nov to Dec

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Determine Animal Needs – Step 4 2007 NRC Small Ruminants Montana State University http://www.msusheepration.montana.edu/default. aspx Alabama Cooperative Extension Montana State University http://www.aces.edu/pubs/docs/A/ANR-0812/ANR- 812tab1.html Maryland Small Ruminant Page http://www.sheepandgoat.com/spreadsheets.html

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As Fed versus Dry Matter Basis• All feed have some moisture• AS FED = feed + moisture – Grains & Hay = 10-15% moisture – Silage = 40 – 70% moisture – Pasture = 80-90% moistureHay 5lbs X .85 DM X 9% CP = .38 lbs CPSilage 5lbs X .40 DM X 9% CP = .18 lbs CPPasture 5lbs X .15 DM X 9% CP = .07 lbs CP

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Make sure you understand if youare looking at nutrient levels based on Dry Matter or As Fed• Shelled Corn Dry Matter Basis = 9.0% CP• Shelled Corn AS Fed = 7.9% Crude ProteinHINT – If it list the %DM in a table it will be givingthe nutrients in a 100% Dry Mater Basis• Convert  AS Fed X Dry Mater % = DM BasisMost Animal Requirement are Based on DM

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Beginning to Balance RationStart with Dry Matter Intake (DMI) Animal Needed DMI/% Dry Matter Ewe Needs 4.5 lbs DMI Feeding Hay 4.5lbs DMI / .85 (DM) = 5.3 lbs Hay Feeding Silage 4.5 lbs DMI/ .45 (DM) = 10 lbs Silage

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Balancing for ProteinDetermine Animal Need for Crude Protein (CP)Ewe nursing twins – early lactation Needs 4.5 lbs DMI .6 lbs CPHay 5.3 pounds X .08 (%CP DM) = .424 lbs CP OR.6 lbs CP / .08 (%CP DM) = 7.5 lbs hay/.85%DM =8.8 lbs Hay as fed needed to meet CP requirement Need to add a high protein feed stuff to ration

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Ration Balancing SheepMontana State University Sheep RationBalancinghttp://www.msusheepration.montana.edu/

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Goat Ration BalancingLangston University Nutrient Calculator (forgoats):http://www.luresext.edu/goats/research/nutritionmodule1.htm

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Calculating a Grain Mix Step 1 Divide each ingredient by theIf your ration call for: total amount of feed per day. 1 lbs corn/2.12 = .47 1 pound of cracked corn .3 lbs Distillers/2.12 = .14 .3 lbs SBOM/2.12 = .14 .3 pounds of distillers grain .5 lbs Oats/2.12 = .23 .02lbs Limestone/2.12 = .009 .3 pounds of soybean oil meal .5 pounds of Oats Step 2 Multiply by the total pounds .02 pounds of limestone of feed you would like made. 2.12 pound of grain mix each day 1000 pounds of Feed Corn = .47 X 1000 = 470lbs Distillers = .14 X 1000 = 140lbs SBOM = .14 X 1000 = 140lbs Oats = .23 X 1000 = 230lbs Limestone =.009 X 1000 = 9lbs

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Calculating the Protein in your grain mix Corn = 470 pounds X .88 % DM X .09% CP = 37.2lbs CP Step 1 Distillers = 140lbs X .91 % DM X .29% CP = 36.9lbs CP Multiply Crude protein of SBOM = 140lbs X .84 % DM X .54% CP = 63.5lbs CP each ingredient X the Oats = 230lbs X .89% DM X .13% CP = 26.6lbs CP DM% and CP% for that Limestone = 0% CP 0.0lbs CP TOTAL lbs CP 164.2lbs CP ingredient. Step 2 164.2 pounds of Crude Protein / 1000 = Divide the total pounds of .164 or 16.4% Crude Protein Crude Protein by the total pounds of feed OR

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Go to the Maryland Small Ruminant Pagehttp://www.sheepandgoat.com/spreadsheets.htmlSelect “Ration Mixer”

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Comparing Feed Costs• Determine the cost per pound of protein or TDN• Cost per cwt/(100lbs X %DM X %CP)Distillers $13/(100 X .91%DM X .29%CP)=$.49/lb CPSBOM $18/(100 X .90%DM X .54%CP) = $.37/lb CPCompare protein feeds based on cost per pound of CP andEnergy Feeds based on cost per pound of TDNhttp://www.sheepandgoat.com/spreadsheets.htmlSelect “Comparison of Nutrient Costs”