1. Dairy sheep farming and nutrition U. Bernabucci Department of Animal Production University of Tuscia – Viterbo bernab@unitus.it

2. Main Dairy Sheep Breeds reared in Italy Massese Breed Sarda Breed Comisana Breed Department of Animal Production See: http://www.ansi.okstate.edu/breeds/sheep/

3. Schematic representation of the productive cycle of dairy sheep in Central Italy in relation with pasture availability Dry Lactation Primiparous Pluriparous Months Grazing forage availability JJJ Department of Animal Production

4. Structural characteristics of dairy sheep farms Department of Animal Production

5. Forages Pasture Hay Silage Department of Animal Production

6. Forage management in the dairy sheep farming system Environment and landscape Agronomic management Animal management Soil Characteristics Agronomic operations Grazing technique Animal health Quantity of forage Biomass Forage species Climatic and topographic condition Animal pressure Productive level Quality of the animal products Forage quality

7. Department of Animal Production

8. Forages Pasture Department of Animal Production

9. Grazing forage availability during the year estimated by grass height Department of Animal Production

10. HayStrawGrassland areasSilageTemporary grassland

11. Department of Animal Production

13. DM CPNDFADF ADLNSC FUMP/kg Mixed 18.920.944.928.95.420.60.83 7.1 5.4 6.5 5.7 2.2 7.3 0.08 Gramineae16.021.150.630.63.814.00.78 0.8 6.7 4.1 2.3 0.7 3.1 0.06 Clover16.921.443.928.86.120.80.79 9.1 4.3 7.0 6.5 2.5 6.5 0.09 Mixed field19.318.545.831.66.123.20.80 9.2 5.8 5.8 4.5 1.7 5.7 0.07 Nutritive value of pastures (% of DM; means ± SD) Department of Animal Production

14. DM CPNDFADF ADLNSC FUMP/kg Mixed 18.920.944.928.95.420.60.83 7.1 5.4 6.5 5.7 2.2 7.3 0.08 Gramineae16.021.150.630.63.814.00.78 0.8 6.7 4.1 2.3 0.7 3.1 0.06 Clover16.921.443.928.86.120.80.79 9.1 4.3 7.0 6.5 2.5 6.5 0.09 Mixed field19.318.545.831.66.123.20.80 9.2 5.8 5.8 4.5 1.7 5.7 0.07 Nutritive value of pastures (% of DM; means ± SD) Department of Animal Production

15. Nutritive value of pasture during the year (% of DM; means ± SD) DM CPNDFADF ADLNSC FUMP/kg Oct-Dec19.422.445.028.74.816.80.83 6.1 4.0 4.9 5.6 2.2 6.70.05 Jen-Mar19.122.642.226.54.921.70.85 7.0 4.9 5.6 4.7 2.1 7.10.06 Apr-Jun16.918.447.131.76.721.80.77 9. 3 5.1 7.4 5.9 1.9 6.30.09 Jul-Sept Grazing on straw :low energy and protein values Department of Animal Production

16. Protein, NDF and forage unit for milk production contents of pasture (% on DM) Department of Animal Production

17. Forages Hay Department of Animal Production

18. DM CPNDFADF ADLNSC FUMP/kg Italian89.213.159.342.6 9.517.10.64 ryegrass 4.6 3.3 7.2 4.8 2.3 6.3 0.07 Mixed85.512.358.642.0 9.219.20.63 5,0 3.6 7.4 5.0 2.9 7.6 0.05 Alfalfa88.117.854.939.810.316.20.65 4.2 2.6 7.5 5.3 3.0 6.3 0.07 Nutritive value of hays (% of DM; means ± SD) Department of Animal Production

19. Forages Silage Department of Animal Production

20. DM CPNDFADF ADLNSC FUMPpH NH 3 Italian33.0 9.856.143.3 7.021.70.654.59.8 ryegrass 5.7 2.610.712.6 3.111.50.120.47.9 Corn34.2 8.347.031.7 5.935.00.813.94.1 4.6 2.7 6.8 5.5 2.2 8.10.080.30.8 Clover39.315.656.042.010.417.60.704.57.7 13.1 4.6 2.2 1.1 2.0 4.00.080.51.2 Alfalfa37.415.956.341.7 9.216.20.664.45.7 14.2 4.4 4.4 3.1 2.0 4.80.060.51.3 NH 3 = % NH 3 -N / Total - N Nutritive value of silage (% of DM; means ± SD)

21. Relative utilisation of forages in the diet of dairy sheep during the year HayPastureSilage Department of Animal Production

22. Concentrate utilisation Department of Animal Production

23. Concentrate fed during the year  No changes in characteristics just in the amount fed Department of Animal Production

24. Requirements Department of Animal Production

25. Requirements of energy and protein for dairy sheep FUMP CP (g) 40 kg of LW0.53 80 60 kg of LW0.71104 80 kg of LW0.88122 FUMP = Fodder Unit for milk production LW = Live weight Maintenance Department of Animal Production

26. Requirements of energy and protein for dairy sheep Days before lambing Weight of lambs at birth30-45 15-300-15 FUMPCPFUMP CP FUMP CP 4 0.07320.17 62 0.31 79 6 0.10480.27 88 0.46 110 8 0.12650.36 114 0.56 142 10 0.14760.38 140 0.64 173 FUMP = Fodder Unit for milk production; CP = crude protein (g) Pregnancy values to be added to ‘Maintenance’

27. Requirements of energy and protein for dairy sheep Milk composition Requirements per litre Fat, % Protein, % FUMP CP 6.25.3 0.62 130 6.55.5 0.64 135 7.56.0 0.72 140 8.06.2 0.75 144 Lactation values to be added to ‘Maintenance’ FUMP = Fodder Unit for milk production; CP = crude protein (g)

28. Critical phases in the dairy sheep production system Department of Animal Production

29. Oct Sept Milk yield and energy requirements of dairy ewes Lambs Milk FUMP Department of Animal Production

30. Pluripaorus: Early lactation and first 2 months of lactation Primipaorus: Last phases of pregnancy: -  pasture availabilityNutritive lack - no  in hay and silage useRapid decline in milk yield - no  in concentrate useDecline in BCS Milk Grass Department of Animal Production

31. Improve grazing management and hay and silage use Possible solutions: -  grazing time -  hay and silage use -  concentrate use Example of diet:2.0-3.0 kg of silage 0.5-1.0 kg of hay 0.4-0.8 kg of concentrate Concentrate containing > 16% of CP Department of Animal Production

32. End of lactation - SPRING: -  pasture availability -  pasture nutritive value Flushing is not necessary -  concentrates utilisation Mating of pluripaorus ewes Milk Grass Department of Animal Production

33. SUMMER and FALL: -   pasture availabilityFlushing for primiparous ewes -   pasture nutritive valuePossible metabolic disorders -  concentrates utilisationImpairment of nutritional status Mating of primipaorus ewes Last phase of pregnancy of pluriparous ewes Grass Department of Animal Production

34. Improve hay, silage and concentrate use Possible solution: - utilisation of best hay - utilisation of silage -  concentrate (Flashing) Example of diet:1.0-2.0 kg of silage 0.5-0.8 kg of hay 0.3-0.6 kg of concentrate Concentrate containing > 13-14% of CP Department of Animal Production

35. Some considerations àImprove grazing management; àImprove hay and silage use; àWhen we feed silage (mais in particular) have to consider: àSilage =  protein --- Pasture =  protein àTo formulate concentrates in relation with forage availability and characteristics (pasture in particular) Low availability: 25% CP High availability: 18% CP  NSC (Grain) Department of Animal Production

36. Anyway, about forage it has to be considered possible environmental impact: Department of Animal Production

37. Major environmental impacts of semi-extensive dairy sheep farming system Grazing management Grazing Techniques High stocking rate High grazing pressure Continuous grazing Long grazing time Carrying capacity Annual cultivated forages (monoculture) Influence on soil fertility and stability Influence on biodiversity Foraging strategy Grazing areas degradation Department of Animal Production

38. Some considerations àTo formulate particular concentrates in relation with the physiological phase (last phase of pregnancy in particular) Example of special concentrate to prevent pregnancy toxaemia Department of Animal Production

39. Animals, housing and feeding 440 healthy and dry Comisana ewes were used. The parity ranged from 2 to 5. Animals were split in two homogeneous groups of 20 by body score, parity and genetic capability for milk production. 4The trial was performed under semi-extensive conditions. 4The ewes were fed the same diet during the first 100 days of pregnancy: - hay: ad libitum basis; - pasture: 7 hours a day; - barley: 100 g head -1 d -1 ; - commercial mixed feed (CMF): 200 g head -1 d -1. ( 1 ) Department of Animal Production

40. Treatment 4Fifty days before lambing to one of the two groups (T-group) 200 g head -1 d -1 of special CMF containing: - 5% of Na-propionate - 3.5% of Ca-salts of LCFAs - 3% of sorbitol - 208 mg/kg of niacin, was given in substitution of 200 g head -1 d -1 of traditional CMF. 4The other 20 ewes (C-group) were not treated. After lambing all ewes were fed the same diet. ( 2 ) Department of Animal Production

41. Body condition score (BCS) Days from lambing Department of Animal Production

42. Plasma  -OH butyrate (BOHB) and Non-Esterified Fatty Acids (NEFA) (mmol/l) Days from lambing Department of Animal Production

43. Least-square means of plasma metabolites in the last 28 days of pregnancy in ewes fed (T-group) or not (C-group) a special concentrate. N. of lambs born/ewe 1 2 Group C T C T N. of animals(7)(6) (13)(14) Glucose (mmol/l)2.41 B 2.30 B 1.97 A 2.17 B  -OH butyrate (mmol/l)0.657 A 0.514 A 1.190 B 0.682 A NEFA (mmol/l)0.522 A 0.397 A 0.662 B 0.555 A Ca (mmol/l)2.46 B 2.61 B 2.39 A 2.55 B Zn (  mol/l)15.21 a 16.65 b 15.89 a 16.54 b Albumin (g/l)32.8 A 35.4 B 33.6 A 34.1 AB Bilirubine (  mol/l)4.13 B 3.28 A 4.45 B 3.42 A a, b = P<0.05; A, B = P<0.01 Department of Animal Production

44. Least-square means of live weight at birth (LW 0 ), live weight at 30 days of age (LW 30 ) and average daily gain (ADG) of ewes’ offspring in ewes fed (T-group) or not (C-group) a special concentrate. N. of lambs born/ewe 1 2 Group C T C T N. of animals(7)(6) (13) (14) LW 0 (kg) 4.68 B 4.92 B 4.12 A 4.18 A LW 30 (kg) 13.57 B 13.67 B 12.59 Aa 13.00 Ab ADG (kg)0.296 ab 0.291 ab 0.282 a 0.294 b a, b = P<0.05; A, B = P<0.01 Sex ratio was not different between groups. No differences were observed for LW 0 between groups. The lower ADG was in C-group Treatment allowed to maintain normal lamb ADG