Introduction to Sheep and Goats
Sheep and goats are together due to their similar management and requirements. A few sheep breeds include merino, suffolk, cheviot, dorset horn, and katahdin. Alpine, angora, boer, damani, kamori, saanen and xuhai are just a few of the goat breeds. BCS of sheep and goats is in a range of 1-5. One is too thin, three is ideal, and five is too fat. Sheep and goats are like cows in the way they digest foods because they are also ruminants. Sheep and goats have different eating behaviors, but it is all processed the same way. Sheep give birth to lambs, where goats give birth to kids.
Digestion
Sheep and Goats are ruminants and they digest their food in the same manner as cattle. For more information on ruminant digestion, refer back to the beef cattle page. One difference between sheep and goats is the food preference. Sheep are grazers, meaning they eat close to the soil surface, on plants like grasses, clover, and forbs. Goats on the other hand are browsers and prefer to eat leaves, twigs, vines, and shrubs.
Lamb and Kid Digestion
Similarly to the calf digestive system, lamb and kid use mostly abomasum to digest milk because the other compartments are not yet fully developed. The abomasum and omasum represent 70% of total stomach capacity in the lamb and kid (Figure 2).
Nutrients
Water is essential for life and rumen development. If there is no clean water, sheep and goats are less likely to drink which will lead to them being less likely to eat. This is because with poor water intake the rumen can not work properly. Grains are often fed to provide energy to sheep and goats. Grains are fed in higher amounts to lactating sheep and goats because their energy requirements are much higher in order to produce milk. Roughages are fed to these animals as a good source of fiber. FIber stimulates growth and rumen development, as well as stimulate rumen movement. Fiber also helps to slow the rate of passage of incoming feed by creating a "rumen mat." By slowly the passage of food, more nutrients can be digested, which is better for the animals. Added to grain rations include protein sources like soybean or cottonseed meal. Vitamins and minerals are also added to grain rations to make a balanced diet.
Reproduction
- Reproduction works in the same manner as the cow and bull. The differences are in the lengths of estrus, estrous, gestation, and parturition.
- Female sheep and goats are called ewes and does, respectively. Sheep and goats are seasonally polyestrus, meaning they cycle regularly at the start of fall. The estrous cycle (from one heat period to beginning of next heat cycle) varies slightly in sheep and goats. Sheep have an estrous cycle between 14-20 days, with the average of 17 days. Goats have a longer cycle usually 18-22 days, with 21 days being the average. Estrus lasts 24-36 hours in ewes and 24-48 hours in does. Gestation period for both ewe and doe is from 147 days to 155 days. Stage one of parturition lasts 2-7 hours in both ewes and does. Stage two, birth of lamb or kid, takes anywhere from a few minutes to 3 or 4 hours. Stage three, ewes and does can expel the placenta in as little as 30 mins, but more often require 2-3 hours. Ewes and does more commonly give birth to one lamb or kid, however they can give birth to 2-3. Presentation of the lamb and kid at birth is similar to that of the calf, if not in proper positioning, human assistance will be necessary.
- Male sheep and goats are called rams and bucks, r-espectively. Both animals have an enlargement in the vas deferens called the ampulla, like in the bull. An ejaculate volume of 0.8-2.0ml is produced by the ram and buck.
References
- Schoenian, Susan. "Reproduction in the ewe." Sheep 201: A Beginner's Guide to Raising Sheep. N.p., 2011. Web. 18 July 2015. <http://www.sheep101.info/201/ewerepro.html>.
- "Lamb & Goat Kid Rearing Guide." Lambs & Goat Kids. Veanavite. n.d. Web. 18 July, 2015. <http://veanavite.com.au/RearingGuide/LambsGoatKids.aspx.>
- "Goat Reproduction Puberty and Sexual Maturity." eXtension. N.p., June 2014. Web. 15 July, 2015. <http://www.extension.org/pages/19720/goat-reproduction-puberty-and-sexual-maturity#.VbqMUPm96ec>.
- "Sheep and goat production." Sheep101.info. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 July 2015. <http://www.sheep101.info/sheepandgoats2.htm>.
- "What's for dinner?." Sheep101.info. N.p., n.d. Web. 18, July 2015. <http://sheep101.info/eating.html>.
- "Reproductive Management of Sheep and Goats." ANR-1316. Alabama A&M and Auburn Universities. n.d. Web. 20 July 2015. <http://www.aces.edu/pubs/docs/A/ANR-1316/ANR-1316.pdf>.