What to pay attention to when raising sheep in spring
Sheep should not graze too much alfalfa. Nowadays, more and more farmers in agricultural areas are planting alfalfa to raise livestock. Alfalfa has high nutritional value, but it should not be grazed too much. First, alfalfa contains saponin. If sheep eat too much, they are prone to acute bloating (i.e., rumen bloating). Failure to treat them in time can easily lead to acute death. Second, fresh alfalfa contains the photosensitive substance phylloxanthin. Sheep are easy to absorb after eating. Exposure to light on the skin of white sheep will quickly cause skin inflammation, reduce the detoxification function of the liver, and cause central nervous system disorders.
Sheep should not graze frost grass and rain grass. In early spring, the air is cold, there is often frost and dew in the morning and at night, and the grass is very moist. Especially when the sheep go out to graze in the morning, their stomachs are empty. If they eat a stomach full of frost and dew grass, they are prone to bloating. If not rescued in time, they may die of bloating. Therefore, it is not suitable to graze frost and dew grass. The preventive method is to put "hot grass", that is, you should go out late and return early every day for grazing, wait for the sun to come out to dry the frost and dew on the grass, and heat the grass before grazing again. You can also feed some hay or drink an appropriate amount of warm salt water before going out to graze every day. Rainwater grass has a greater moisture content, so sheep should not be allowed to eat rainwater grass. This is something that must be paid attention to when raising sheep.
Sheep should not be grazed in mixed groups. Although cattle and sheep are all herbivores, each has its own habits. The method of eating grass, the amount of grass eaten, and the speed of walking and eating grass are different. Even animals of the same category must be grazed in groups according to gender, age and health status. , which is easy to manage and can improve the grazing effect. In particular, male and female animals cannot be grazed in mixed groups. For example, spring is the peak breeding season for male and female animals, so male and female animals must be grazed in separate groups. Mixed grazing of male and female animals not only affects feeding and resting, but also inevitably leads to free mating, repeated mating and ineffective mating, leading to the emergence of inbreeding and inferior inheritance, which not only reduces the utilization value, but also shortens the service life. Management must be strengthened to ensure Improve grazing effects and economic benefits.
Do not disturb the herd. Although sheep have a gentle temperament, they are timid and easily frightened. If they encounter loud noises, strange colors, or sudden foreign objects, they will panic and run away. Occasionally meeting strangers makes me feel fearful and uneasy. Therefore, when grazing sheep, you must pay attention to safety and do not disturb the herd. If you feel uneasy, you should call softly to make it quiet. Sheep with bad habits and nervousness often appear restless or kick others. They should walk slowly when grazing so as not to frighten them.
When spring grazing, be careful not to graze in areas with many poisonous weeds to avoid poisoning. Because poisonous weeds germinate earlier than green grass in early spring, grow faster and taller, such as poison hemlock, which is tender, juicy and sweet. Sheep are greedy for green and prefer to eat. Once they eat too much, they will be poisoned quickly. There are many types of poisonous weeds, such as wolfsbane, hellebore, horsetail, cocklebur, hemp, etc. You should be more careful when grazing near grassy mountains and forests. In early spring, do not graze oak trees, green barwood, etc. Sheep like to eat the branches and leaves of trees, and their metabolites are more toxic and difficult to treat after poisoning.
Don’t drink harmful sewage when raising sheep. As the weather gets warmer, sheep drink more water. Pay attention to giving them clean well water, river water and mountain spring water. Do not allow them to drink ditch water containing pesticides and chemical fertilizers. They must not drink stagnant or smelly water containing cysticercosis larvae, etc., and they must not drink metal-contaminated water flowing out from near factories to prevent sheep poisoning and ensure the safety of sheep drinking water.