Table 1. Nutrient Requirements Of Sheep: Daily Nutrient Requirements Per Animal.

Body Wt. (lb.)	Avg Daily Gain (lb.)	Dry Matter (lb./head) [a]	Percent Body Weight	Total Protein (lb.)	TDN [b] (lb.)	Ca (lb.)	P (lb.)	Vitamin A (IU)	Vitamin E (IU)
Early-Weaned Lambs, Moderate Growth Potential [c]
22	0.44	1.1	5.0	0.38	0.9	0.008	0.004	470	10
44	0.55	2.2	5.0	0.37	1.8	0.012	0.005	940	20
66	0.66	2.9	4.3	0.42	2.2	0.015	0.007	1410	20
88	0.76	3.3	3.8	0.44	2.6	0.017	0.008	1880	22
110	0.66	3.3	3.0	0.40	2.6	0.015	0.008	2350	22
Early-Weaned Lambs, Rapid Growth Potential [c]
22	0.55	1.3	6.0	0.35	1.1	0.011	0.005	470	12
44	0.66	2.6	6.0	0.45	2.0	0.014	0.006	940	24
66	0.72	3.1	4.7	0.48	2.4	0.016	0.007	1410	21
88	0.88	3.3	3.8	0.51	2.5	0.017	0.009	1880	22
110	0.94	3.7	3.4	0.53	2.8	0.021	0.015	2350	25
132	0.77	3.7	2.8	0.53	2.8	0.018	0.010	2820	25
Lambs Finishing, 4 to 7 Months Old [c]
66	0.65	2.9	4.3	0.42	2.1	0.014	0.007	1410	20
88	0.60	3.5	4.0	0.41	2.7	0.014	0.007	1880	24
110	0.45	3.5	3.2	0.35	2.7	0.012	0.007	2350	24
Replacement Ewe Lambs [d]
66	0.50	2.6	4.0	0.41	1.7	0.014	0.006	1410	18
88	0.40	3.1	3.5	0.39	2.0	0.013	0.006	1880	21
110	0.26	3.3	3.0	0.30	1.9	0.011	0.005	2350	22
132	0.22	3.3	2.5	0.30	1.9	0.010	0.005	2820	22
154	0.22	3.3	2.1	0.29	1.9	0.010	0.006	3290	22
Replacement Ram Lambs [d]
88	0.73	4.0	4.5	0.54	2.5	0.017	0.008	1880	24
132	0.70	5.3	4.0	0.58	3.4	0.018	0.009	2820	26
176	0.64	6.2	3.5	0.59	3.9	0.019	0.010	3760	28
220	0.55	6.6	3.0	0.58	4.2	0.018	0.010	4700	30
Ewes [e] Maintenance
110	0.02	2.2	2.0	0.21	1.2	0.004	0.004	2350	15
132	0.02	2.4	1.8	0.23	1.3	0.005	0.005	2820	16
154	0.02	2.6	1.7	0.25	1.5	0.005	0.005	3290	16
176	0.02	2.9	1.6	0.27	1.6	0.006	0.006	3760	20
198	0.02	3.1	1.5	0.29	1.7	0.006	0.006	4230	21
Ewes [e] Flushing: 2 Weeks Prebreeding and First 3 Weeks of Breeding
110	0.22	3.5	3.2	0.33	2.1	0.012	0.006	2350	24
132	0.22	3.7	2.8	0.34	2.2	0.012	0.006	2820	26
154	0.22	4.0	2.6	0.36	2.3	0.012	0.007	3290	27
176	0.22	4.2	2.4	0.38	2.5	0.013	0.007	3760	28
198	0.22	4.4	2.2	0.39	2.6	0.013	0.008	4230	30
Ewes [e] Nonlactating: First 15 Weeks of Gestation
110	0.07	2.6	2.4	0.25	1.5	0.006	0.005	2350	18
132	0.07	2.9	2.2	0.27	1.6	0.007	0.005	2820	20
154	0.07	3.1	2.0	0.29	1.7	0.008	0.006	3290	21
176	0.07	3.3	1.9	0.31	1.8	0.008	0.007	3760	22
198	0.07	3.5	1.8	0.33	1.9	0.009	0.008	4230	24
Ewes [e]: Last 4 Weeks of Gestation (130-150 percent Lambing Rate Expected)
110	0.40	3.5	3.2	0.38	2.1	0.013	0.010	4250	24
132	0.40	3.7	2.8	0.40	2.2	0.013	0.011	5100	26
154	0.40	4.0	2.6	0.42	2.3	0.014	0.012	5960	27
176	0.40	4.2	2.4	0.44	2.4	0.014	0.013	6800	28
198	0.40	4.4	2.2	0.47	2.5	0.014	0.014	7650	30
Ewes [e] Ewes [e]: Last 4 Weeks of Gestation (180-225 percent Lambing Rate Expected)
110	0.50	3.7	3.4	0.43	2.4	0.014	0.007	4250	26
132	0.50	4.0	3.0	0.45	2.6	0.015	0.008	5100	27
154	0.50	4.2	2.7	0.47	2.8	0.017	0.010	5960	28
176	0.50	4.4	2.5	0.49	2.9	0.018	0.013	6800	30
198	0.50	4.6	2.3	0.51	3.0	0.020	0.014	7650	32
Ewes [e]: First 6-8 Weeks of Lactation, Suckling Singles
110	-0.06	4.6	4.2	0.67	3.0	0.020	0.013	4250	32
132	-0.06	5.1	3.9	0.70	3.3	0.020	0.014	5100	34
154	-0.06	5.5	3.6	0.73	3.6	0.020	0.015	5960	38
176	-0.06	5.7	3.2	0.76	3.7	0.021	0.016	6800	39
198	-0.06	5.9	3.0	0.78	3.8	0.021	0.017	7650	40
Ewes [e]: First 6-8 Weeks of Lactation, Suckling Twins
110	-0.13	5.3	4.8	0.86	3.4	0.023	0.016	5000	36
132	-0.13	5.7	4.3	0.89	3.7	0.023	0.017	6000	39
154	-0.13	6.2	4.0	0.92	4.0	0.024	0.018	7000	42
176	-0.13	6.6	3.8	0.96	4.3	0.025	0.019	8000	45
198	-0.13	7.0	3.6	0.99	4.6	0.025	0.020	9000	48
Ewes [e]: Last 4-6 Weeks of Lactation, Suckling Singles
110	0.10	3.5	3.2	0.38	2.1	0.013	0.010	4250	24
132	0.10	3.7	2.8	0.40	2.2	0.013	0.011	5100	26
154	0.10	4.0	2.6	0.42	2.3	0.014	0.012	5960	27
176	0.10	4.2	2.4	0.44	2.4	0.014	0.013	6800	28
198	0.10	4.4	2.2	0.47	2.5	0.014	0.014	7650	30
Ewes [e]: Last 4-6 Weeks of Lactation, Suckling Twins
110	0.20	4.6	4.2	0.67	3.0	0.020	0.013	4250	32
132	0.20	5.1	3.9	0.70	3.3	0.020	0.014	5100	34
154	0.20	5.5	3.6	0.73	3.6	0.020	0.015	5960	38
176	0.20	5.7	3.2	0.76	3.7	0.021	0.016	6800	39
198	0.20	5.9	3.0	0.78	3.8	0.021	0.017	7650	40
Ewe Lambs Nonlactating: First 15 Weeks of Gestation
88	0.35	3.1	3.5	0.34	1.8	0.012	0.007	1880	21
110	0.30	3.3	3.0	0.35	1.9	0.011	0.007	2350	22
132	0.30	3.5	2.7	0.35	2.0	0.012	0.007	2820	24
154	0.28	3.7	2.4	0.36	2.2	0.012	0.008	3290	26
Ewe Lambs: Last 4 Weeks of Gestation (100-120 percent Lambing Rate Expected)
88	0.40	3.3	3.8	0.41	2.1	0.014	0.007	3340	22
110	0.35	3.5	3.2	0.42	2.2	0.014	0.007	4250	24
132	0.35	3.7	2.8	0.42	2.4	0.014	0.008	5100	26
154	0.33	4.0	2.6	0.43	2	0.015	0.009	5950	27
Ewe Lambs: Last 4 Weeks of Gestation (130-175 percent Lambing Rate Expected)
88	0.50	3.3	3.8	0.44	2.2	0.016	0.008	3440	22
110	0.50	3.5	3.2	0.45	2.3	0.017	0.008	4250	24
132	0.50	3.7	2.8	0.46	2.5	0.018	0.009	5100	26
154	0.47	4.0	2.6	0.46	2.5	0.018	0.010	5960	27
Ewe Lambs: First 6-8 Weeks of Lactation, Suckling Singles (Wean by 8 Weeks)
88	-0.11	3.7	4.2	0.56	2.5	0.013	0.009	3440	26
110	-0.11	4.6	4.2	0.62	3.1	0.014	0.010	4250	32
132	-0.11	5.1	3.8	0.65	3.4	0.015	0.011	5100	34
154	-0.11	5.5	3.6	0.68	3.6	0.016	0.012	5450	38
Ewe Lambs; First 6-8 Weeks of Lactation, Suckling Twins (Wean by 8 Weeks)
88	-0.22	4.6	5.2	0.67	3.2	0.018	0.012	4000	32
110	-0.22	5.1	4.6	0.71	3.5	0.019	0.011	5000	34
132	-0.22	5.5	4.2	0.74	3.8	0.020	0.014	6000	38
154	-0.22	6.0	3.9	0.77	4.1	0.020	0.015	7000	40
Source: Sixth Revised Edition, National Research Council, 1985. [a] To convert dry matter to an as-fed basis, divide dry matter values by the percentage of dry matter in the particular feed. [b] One pound TDN (total digestible nutrients) = 0.91 Mcal DE (digestible energy) [c] Maximum weight gains expected. [d] Lambs intended for breeding, so maximum weight gains and finish are of secondary importance. [e] Values are applicable for ewes in moderate condition. Fat ewes should be fed according to the next lower weight category and thin ewes at the next higher weight category. Once the desired or moderate weight condition is attained, use that weight category through all production stages.

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