Introduction. Whole-grain feeding of lambs improves feed efficiency, increases average daily gain, and lowers overall feed costs per pound of gain. It is the most profitable feeding program that can be used for grain-based finishing of feedlot lambs.
http://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/410/410-024/410-024.html
Example #2 Determine the 60-day adjusted weaning weight of a ewe lamb with a birth weight of 12 lbs. and a weaning weight of 85 lbs. at 75 days of age. She was born and raised as a single. Her dam is 5 years old.
http://www.sheep101.info/201/adjweanwts.html
Feeding lambs past their optimum slaughter weight results in poor lamb performance, increased costs per pound of gain, and overfinished carcasses. Lambs on whole-grain diets in excess of 80 days may stall or cut back on feed consumption.
http://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/410/410-024/410-024.html
If lambs are fed from 3 to 4% of their body weight daily, they should gain between .6 and 1.0 pound per day. When finishing lambs on high grain diets acidosis, enterotoxemia and urinary calculi can be potential problems.
http://ag.ansc.purdue.edu/sheep/articles/feedlamb.html
Thus, lambs do quite well on mothers milk only, until about 25 to 30 days of age. After about 30 to 40 days of age the lambs needs for nutrients to support a reasonable growth rate are greater than most ewes ability to produce milk. If the sheep operation is a pasture or range based system, the lambs will begin serious grazing at this age to compensate for these increased needs.
http://ag.ansc.purdue.edu/sheep/articles/feedlamb.html
For lambs that are weaned at less than 75 days of age (on-average), 60-day weaning weights should be calculated. For lambs weaned over 75 days of age, 90-day weaning weights should be calculated. To calculate an age-correct weaning weight, you need to determine the lamb's pre-weaning average daily gain (ADG).
http://www.sheep101.info/201/adjweanwts.html
This period usually lasts a minimum of 30 days, depending on weight on feed and target weight at finishing. Lamb requirements for the finishing phase are 73 to 78% TDN, 12-14% protein, .5% calcium and .25% phosphorous.
http://ag.ansc.purdue.edu/sheep/articles/feedlamb.html
Lamb processors prefer lambs in the 110 to 140 pound range, with a minimum of fat cover (.2 inches) to grade and dress at a high percent.
http://ag.ansc.purdue.edu/sheep/articles/feedlamb.html
Most importantly, feed efficiency (pounds of feed per pound of gain) and feed cost per pound of lamb gain were significantly lower for the whole-grain diet. Lambs netted approximately $4.20 more per 30 pounds of gain on the whole-grain diet compared to the pelleted diet containing alfalfa meal. Assuming a 150% lamb crop marketed, that equates to $6.30 more income per ewe per year.
http://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/410/410-024/410-024.html
Calculations. 40 lb. target weight – 7 lb. birth weight = 33 lbs. of gain. At ½ lb. of gain daily your growthy kids will need about 66 days to be ready to market. 30 lb. target weight – 7 lb. birth weight = 23 lbs. of gain. At 1/3 lb. of gain daily, these kids will need about 69 days to be ready to market. Count backwards on a calendar 66 to 69 days before March 21st to see when your kids need to be born.
http://sheepgoatmarketing.info/education/targetbreeding.php
increase average daily gain in lamb
If lambs are fed from 3 to 4% of their body weight daily, they should gain between .6 and 1.0 pound per day.