As with cattle there are key stages in the sheep production cycle when Metabolic Profiles can bring huge reward. Primarily pre mating, pre lambing and for growing lambs post weaning to ensure their nutrition is not holding them back.
It is common for ewes to need additional protein (DUP) in the last month of pregnancy to help with milk production and colostrum quality. This also improves lamb birth weights and ultimately lamb viability.
In addition to energy and protein levels, results can also provide disease diagnosis or insights into how to direct diagnostic investigation. Mineral status is also assessed, ensuring the key minerals are being consumed at adequate levels. Nutritional adjustments can then be made for the benefit of the flock – which help ensure concentrate costs are kept to a minimum.
As is the case with cattle, for maximum gain, this should be combined with body condition scoring and tup fertility testing.
The power of metabolic profiling is to identify any deficiency in the ration in time to make adjustments thus helping to ensure a successful outcome.