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As the much-anticipated rains begin sweeping across the country, small livestock farmers must prepare their sheep and goats for breeding to ensure a productive season.
The onset of rains brings fresh pasture and sprouting shrubs, which is beneficial for animal grazing and browsing but also requires specific essential preparations to maximise reproductive success.
This article discusses the critical steps, insightful strategies, and key considerations every farmer needs to know to ensure a successful breeding season.
Understanding the optimal breeding season in Zimbabwe
The breeding season for small ruminants, such as sheep and goats, typically coincides with the rainy season from November to March. This timing is advantageous for farmers, as it ensures births occur during the dry season, providing a warmer and safer environment for lambs and kids.
Breeding during this period allows farmers to benefit from the abundance brought by the rains, resulting in lush green veld ideal for grazing.
The plentiful forage sustains pregnant does and ewes throughout gestation, boosting their health and vitality, as well as the growth of their offspring.
This strategic timing maximises the natural resources available, supporting healthy, thriving animals.
Evaluating Body Condition Scores (BCS)
One of the most important preparations is to assess the body condition score (BCS) of your does and ewes. A BCS is a practical way to measure an animal’s fleshiness or body fat, scored on a scale from 1 (emaciated) to 5 (obese).
Does and ewes should ideally have a BCS of 2.5 to 3.5 before breeding season. A lower score suggests the animal may struggle with fertility, while a higher score could increase the risk of complications like pregnancy toxaemia.
Toxaemia is a metabolic disorder in pregnant does and ewes and occurs when energy needs exceed intake — often due to rapid foetal growth — causing fat breakdown and ketone accumulation, especially in cases of under nutrition and poor feed quality.
BCS can be evaluated by feeling the ribs and spine to determine fat cover.
If the BCS is below 2.5, consider providing high-quality pasture and grain supplements with 10-12 percent crude protein to boost their condition. This process, known as “flushing,” is particularly effective if done two to four weeks before the breeding season.
Pre-breeding assessment of bucks and rams
While does and ewes are the primary focus, bucks and rams also require careful assessment. Bucks and rams should have a BCS of 3 to 3.5 to ensure they have sufficient energy reserves for the physically demanding breeding period.
If their condition is too low, it will reduce their stamina and breeding efficiency; if it is too high, it may affect their mating drive. If their condition is suboptimal, it is advisable to supplement their diet with high-protein grains about a month before the breeding season.
Health checks and parasite control
Parasite management is crucial for successful breeding, as internal parasites such as gastrointestinal worms can negatively impact fertility. The rainy season increases the risk of parasites due to wet grazing conditions. Farmers should monitor the FAMACHA score, a method for assessing anaemia levels in small ruminants, to gauge parasite burden.
The FAMACHA (FAffa MAlan CHArt) system is a practical tool for farmers to assess anaemia levels in small ruminants like sheep and goats. It is mainly used to detect animals affected by the barber pole worm (Haemonchus contortus), a blood-sucking parasite that can cause severe anaemia or death if untreated.
The system involves examining the animal’s lower eyelid and comparing its colour to a chart ranging from red (healthy) to pale or white (anaemic), with scores from 1 to 5:
1-2: Minimal or no anaemia; de-worming not needed.
3: Moderate anaemia; de-worming may be needed.
4-5: Severe anaemia; de-worming is generally necessary.
FAMACHA helps farmers de-worm only affected animals, reducing drug-resistant parasites and conserving de-wormers. Regular checks are especially beneficial in rainy seasons when parasite loads increase.
Alternatively, a faecal egg count can help determine worm load.
Animals showing signs of anaemia or high worm loads should be de-wormed before breeding season, as parasites weaken their immune system and reduce the chances of successful conception.
Foot health is crucial, as wet conditions increase the risk of foot rot, particularly in animals grazing in moist areas. Inspect hooves for signs of infection, overgrowth, or soreness in them.
Treat infections at least two weeks before breeding to allow healing. Lameness can hinder breeding success in does and ewes, reducing bucks and rams, mating ability.
Importance of nutrition and supplementation
Proper nutrition before breeding season directly affects reproductive success and pregnancy outcomes.
The rainy season brings an abundance of forage, which provides a natural advantage. However, some regions may require additional feed, especially if the grass quality is low or drought has previously affected pasture availability.
Supplementation with energy-dense feeds like maize bran and protein sources such as legume hay (lucerne) helps improve body condition in undernourished animals.
Mineral supplementation is equally important, as deficiencies can impair reproductive performance.
Common mineral supplements for breeding animals include calcium, phosphorus, and selenium, along with trace minerals like zinc and copper (in safe, species-appropriate quantities). Mineral blocks or licks can provide a convenient source of these essential nutrients.
Vaccination and disease prevention
Ensuring animals are vaccinated against common diseases is a preventive measure that can improve breeding outcomes. Common diseases such as pulpy kidney and contagious abortion can severely impact herds if not managed.
Vaccinate all breeding animals at least a month before the breeding season to prevent disease outbreaks, which can lead to poor conception rates or even spontaneous abortions in infected females.
In addition, biosecurity measures should be maintained to minimise disease transmission.
New animals should be quarantined for at least two weeks before being introduced to the main herd, and overcrowding should be avoided, as it increases the risk of disease spread.
Managing the breeding environment
Create a controlled breeding environment by grouping does and ewes with similar body conditions and strategically introducing bucks or rams. For optimal results, limit the number of females per male to ensure that each female has adequate exposure to the male for successful breeding. A one-buck or ram ratio of 20–30 females is generally effective.
This method reduces the risk of females remaining open after the first breeding attempt.
Identifying and removing non-productive animals
Identifying non-productive animals early on can enhance herd productivity. Animals that consistently fail to conceive or have health issues affecting fertility should be considered for culling.
In the long run, removing non-productive animals reduces resource competition and allows farmers to focus on productive breeding stock, improving the herd’s overall performance and profitability.
Breeding strategies and record-keeping
Breeding strategies, such as planned breeding cycles or synchronisation techniques, help streamline the process and concentrate lambing or kidding into a manageable period.
Planned breeding is especially useful in communal setups where herds are often mixed. By syncing breeding efforts, farmers can maximise available resources, from labour to supplemental feed, and better manage offspring.
Maintaining detailed records of each animal’s health, breeding dates, and outcomes is invaluable. These records allow farmers to track genetic strengths, productivity, and any issues that arise, enabling informed decisions on future breeding plans and herd improvements.
Preparing for rainy season challenges
Although the rainy season brings fresh forage, it also brings challenges like increased risks of parasites, foot rot issues, and diseases. Preparing for these challenges requires regular monitoring and swift responses.
To minimise stress and infection risk during wet periods, ensure animals have access to clean, dry shelter.
Wet environments can lead to illnesses that compromise both fertility and general health, so keeping livestock housing clean and dry is essential.
Conclusion
Preparing sheep and goats for the breeding season at the start of the rainy season is a multifaceted process that goes beyond basic nutrition.
It requires assessing body conditions, managing parasites, providing supplemental feed and minerals, maintaining hooves and health, and ensuring a well-planned breeding environment to optimise breeding outcomes and contribute to healthier, more productive flocks.
Sheuneni Kurasha is the managing director of Chivara Farm, a diversified farming operation which specialises in stud breeding for small livestock (Boer goats, Kalahari Red goats, Savanna goats, dairy goats (Saanen and Toggenburg), Damara sheep and Meatmaster sheep) as well as Boran cattle. For feedback, kindly get in touch on email: [email protected]; X: @chivarafarm or WhatsApp: +263 77 2874 523.
Online Reporter