Types of Sheep Roughage

Roughage refers to food that contains fiber or indigestible matter that can act as fiber. While roughage is nutritionally beneficial to all herbivores and omnivores, it makes a unique contribution to that grouping of mammals known as ruminants. Present among farm animals and wildlife, ruminants possess four stomach chambers and chew "cud" -- food partially digested by the first chamber before returning to the digestive tract. Sheep are among the ruminants for which roughage fortifies the microbes in the first stomach chamber, known as the rumen. They consume roughage in several forms.

  1. Maize Silage

    • Maize, or corn, silage consists of fermented ears, stalks and leaves of the maize plant, harvested, cut and chopped when it is high in moisture. When stored in an enclosed space, such as a silo, the compressed forage cells and micro-organisms interact with the confined air to yield carbon dioxide and heat. The expansion of the carbon dioxide, in turn, stifles plant respiration, allowing beneficial bacteria to form. For bacteria to thrive, the storage area must be hot -- between 80 and 100 degrees Fahrenheit -- and rid of all air. Sheep should be current on all vaccinations and de-worming protocols before feeding on maize silage. Lambs require finely chopped silage.

    Lucerne Silage

    • Lucerne, or alfalfa, silage ferments in much the same way as corn. However, maize has higher levels of fermentable carbohydrate on which the resulting bacteria feed. Preservatives in the form of chemical substances or other forage crops are thus added to the silage to spur the formation of bacteria and its subsequent acids. Farmers and those who make their trade selling alfalfa silage recommend storing the silage in plastic-covered bales rather than silos or bunkers. Citing better marketability and ease of transport, advocates of baling are given heed when schedules are tight and revenues are low.

    Hay

    • Hay is any type of grass that has been cut and dried for use as fodder. With sheep ewes, hay of lower nutrient content is fed during pregnancy, leaving the higher-quality hay for the lactation period. The hay richer in calcium and protein is harvested from alfalfa, while the less nutrient-dense hay is often baled from clover. When the hay is cut also determines nutritional value; earlier harvesting yields richer content. During gestation, the ewe is often fed clover hay supplemented by grain feed. Regardless of the hay type, farmers are advised to have samples tested to determine precise composition of elements. They are further counseled to keep the hay in square bales to prevent waste and allow for adaptable feeding methods.

    Straw

    • The dried stem and stalk of grain crops, known as straw, is an excellent source of roughage for sheep, though low in other nutritional elements. Some farmers have tried to augment the metabolic energy in straw with chemical and organic treatments, to little avail. At its highest and best use, straw serves as a satisfactory supplement to a sheep's diet, not a staple.