Grazing System

Relies on natural forage. Key supplemental nutrients are energy, protein and trace minerals.

Follow the principle: Mandatory supplementation in winter & spring; optional supplementation in summer & autumn; priority supplementation for special groups (pregnant, lactating and lambs).

Confined Feeding System

Fully reliant on artificial feeding. The core is to formulate a complete balanced total mixed ration, strictly control the concentrate-to-forage ratio, feeding sequence and drinking water quality to prevent metabolic disorders.

Universal Core Rule

Both systems require salt and mineral supplementation (via mineral blocks or feed mixing). Extreme caution must be taken with non-protein nitrogen such as urea: never feed it alone or dissolve it directly in drinking water.

Nutritional Supplementation for Grazed Sheep

Timing & Target Groups for Supplementary Feeding

Supplementation is mandatory during winter/spring dry forage periods, late gestation, lactation, and for weak sheep.

Supplementation can be reduced or skipped in lush summer/autumn grazing seasons, except for vulnerable special groups.

Concentrate Supplementation

Feed concentrates first after returning to the pen (0.5%–1.0% of body weight, approx. 0.5 kg/day for adult sheep), followed by roughage.

Increase concentrate rations for lambs and late-gestation ewes.

Minerals & Trace Elements

Hang mineral / salt licks inside pens (30–50 cm above ground) for free access. This reduces pica and nutritional deficiency disorders, while avoiding excessive supplementation and waste.

Special Additives

Urea may be added in limited amounts (≤1% of dry matter feed, mixed evenly with moist feed) only when adequate energy feed is provided.

Withhold drinking water for 2 hours after feeding urea. Never administer urea to hungry or sick sheep.

Nutritional Supplementation for Confined Sheep

Daily Ration Structure

• Base formula: 2/3 roughage, 1/3 concentrate (concentrate can be adjusted to 40%–60% during fattening periods)
• Must include hay / silage, energy feed (corn), protein feed (soybean meal / oilseed meals), and premixes.

Feeding Regime

• Follow the rule: roughage first, concentrate later, feed small amounts frequently (2–3 meals daily)
• Add 0.5%–1% baking soda to concentrates to prevent acidosis, especially in high-silage diets.

Full Nutrient Balance

• Use compound premixes to supplement vitamins and trace minerals, alongside nutritional licks
• Provide clean drinking water (warm in winter, cool in summer; daily water intake ≈ 3–4 times dry matter feed intake).

Exercise & Management

• Provide exercise yards or scheduled movement to prevent poor health and foot diseases
• Make gradual feed transitions over ~7 days to avoid digestive upset.

Key Precautions

Safe Urea Use

• For grazing sheep: strictly limit daily urea dosage (10–15 g/day for adult sheep), mix evenly, and withhold drinking water for at least 30 minutes after feeding
• Sheep fed total mixed rations (TMR) indoors generally do not require extra urea.

Mineral Lick Guidelines

• Free-range flocks: primarily use mineral licks to meet trace mineral requirements
• Confined flocks with adequate premixes in rations may use basic salt blocks only.

Stage-Based Feeding Adjustment

Ewes in late gestation and lactation have drastically increased nutritional demands:

• Grazed ewes: double concentrate supplementation
• Confined ewes: increase ration nutrient density and feeding frequency.