We offer a range of specialized products that fully meet the needs of every breeding, from weaning to reproduction. Sheep and goats need a balanced diet, rich in energy, proteins and vitamins, in order to grow healthily and increase their productive performance in milk and meat.
KAZAKOS D. & G. OE

Sheep Nutrition

According to official Eurostat data, our country ranks 4th in Europe in the sheep breeding sector. Livestock reaches 8.0 million sheep, while sheep milk production is about 530,000 tons. In terms of meeting the needs of the domestic market in mutton, it exceeds 80% (s.s. with declining trends) and only a small percentage is exported to European countries, such as Italy and Germany. According to the World Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), China leads in sheep production by 24%. Australia and New Zealand follow with 8% and 5% respectively. In 6th place in the world and 1st in European territory is Great Britain with 3% of the world production of mutton and 23 million animals. They are followed by Spain with about 16.5 million sheep, Romania with 10 million, Greece with 8 million and Italy with 7 million animals.
The animal population of the country (employs about 84,000 stockbreeders), has the capacity to produce about 530,000 tons of milk (of which 95,000 tons of feta, 10,000 tons of other cheeses and 10,000 tons of traditional yogurt) are produced, while about 3 million lambs are slaughtered annually. . However, there has been a significant decrease in recent years and this is due to three reasons: The first reason is that some older breeders are now abandoning them, the second is that many sheep farmers can not cope with the current price of milk (0.90 cents / kg third) and third the production cost with 25% of the total cost in sheep breeding to be energy (electricity, oil). A typical example is the fact that 5-6 years ago No oil was 50% lower including today, while the price of electricity has tripled. Including the cost of feed, whose prices have increased in the last 10 years, the cost of animal husbandry is high and ranges from 170 to 280 euros per year.
Sheep farming in our country is traditionally based on extensive and semi-extensive farms. The special flora of the pastures of Greece is the one that makes the dairy products have a high added value. However, the used lowland, semi-mountainous and mountainous pastures are characterized by low productivity and short vegetation period (3 to 4 months in the lowlands and 4 to 5 months in the mountains) while in most of the pastures of our country no management system is applied today. mainly because 80% of them are Community or state, with the result that the majority of them are degraded.
Nutrition is a key element in the breeding of all productive animals as it directly affects their yields and health, especially sheep is probably the most complex and difficult part of managing a herd and this is because it represents about 50-60% of the cost of a livestock and is the cornerstone of the health of farmed animals.

Animal nutrition is required to be:

balanced in the nutrients it contains
adapted to the digestive and metabolic needs of the animal depending on the productive phase of the herd
safe for animal health and products produced, clean and attractive
Feed is generally divided into coarse and concentrated and the main characteristics of each category are:

Coarse Fodder Concentrated Fodder
High percentage of cellulose
Large volume
Low digestibility
Poor in digestible energy
Low density Cellulose poor
Low volume
High digestibility
Rich in digestible energy
High density
Proper nutrition of sheep is based to a great extent on the experience of every breeder, who must necessarily know very well the animals that have the potential to produce them, but also take into account the following factors:

The form, type and method of administration of the diet
The quality of coarse feed
The ratio of concentrated / coarse feed in the diet
The protein content of the diet
The age of the animals
The normal stage in which it is
Availability, quality and adequate water consumption
Coarse feeds include pastures, plagues, hay and silage. They are the basis of the diet of all ruminants because in addition to the necessary nutrients (energy, protein) they provide the animals with the absolutely necessary for the function of digestion, cellulose. Without cellulose, the normal growth and function of the microbial flora of the large abdomen is impossible. crucial role in the body of animals, so the quality of coarse food should be very careful.
Concentrated feeds are those in the unit of weight that contain many nutrients, digestible energy and protein. Such are cereals (corn, barley, wheat, oats), legumes (vetch, peas, lupins, etc.) and by-products of the agricultural industry (bran, flour, cotton pie, soy flour, etc.). )

The feed, which will be used in the diets, are examined in terms of suitability for the animal species and its productive direction, but also in terms of their attractiveness and impact on animal health and the quality of the products produced. The chemical composition of the feed is determined by chemical analysis after careful sampling. The diets provided should meet the animals' needs for energy, protein, vitamins and minerals. These needs depend on the body weight (BP) of the ewes and in particular on the normal stage at which they are, e.g. stage of pregnancy, stage of lactation and level of milk production. In addition, salt, soda, monocalcium phosphate, calcium phosphate and the necessary elements of vitamins and minerals should be added to the diet.
The critical periods of the reproductive and productive cycle of sheep and goats that require special attention to nutrition are: the period of vipers, the period of pregnancy (last month) and the initial phase of milk production.

Dry Season

The diet of sheep during the dry season is mainly based on their grazing. Sheep, by the fourth month of pregnancy, need about 4 times more water than before pregnancy. 70% of the growth of unborn lambs takes place during this period, there is an increased need for calories and energy to enhance growth. If pregnant sheep and goats are obese, the goal should be to lose weight by limiting the amount of food (corn, wheat) given to them, so as to lose fat in the stomach and create room for growth. It is worth noting that the toxemia of pregnancy occurs when the animals are fat and have extra fat around the kidneys and under the back. In the critical last month of pregnancy, the fetus becomes so large that it takes up more space than This is why protein-rich, low-volume foods (grains) are needed as ewes find it difficult to digest enough food to sustain both themselves and the fetus. use excessive amounts of stored fat, which can cause toxemia.

Milk production

The initial phase of milk production of sheep and goats usually coincides with the winter season. It is the most critical in terms of nutrition, as the basic foundations of annual milk production are entered. high milk production. The goal of the diet, which now needs to be more aggressive, is to help boost milk production, which is currently growing rapidly.
The highest milk production is usually observed from the 4th-5th week after birth and then stabilizes for the next 3 months. In this period, many producers make the mistake of forgetting that the milk consumed by newborns should be included in the product of the ewe , should therefore be taken into account for the calculation of production needs. Also, some producers believe that it may be better to start the improved diet after the removal of the newborns, ie after weaning. However, such a tactic leads to reduced milk production, as the stocks of the ewe are greatly reduced and then the level of milk production can not be easily increased. Feed, so as to best meet the nutritional needs of the ewe for its maintenance, but also milk production.
From the table below you can see in detail the daily necessary amount of compound feed (mixture) that is recommended to be given to the animals, depending on their weight and their milk yield.

Milk production 0.5Kg 1.0Kg 1.5Kg 2.0Kg 2.5Kg 3.0Kg
Animal Weight Food Food Food Food Food Food
40 kg 610 g 780 g 945 g 1110 g 1275 g 1445 g
50 kg 665 g 835 g 1000 g 1165 g 1335 g 1500 g
60 kg 725 g 890 g 1055 g 1225 g 1390 g 1555 g
70 kg 760 g 930 g 1095 g 1260 g 1430 g 1595 g
80 kg 810 g 980 g 1145 g 1310 g 1480 g 1645 g

Goat Diet

Goat farming (along with sheep farming) in Greece is one of the most important sectors of animal production. The geophysical and economic conditions of our country have always favored the development of goat breeding. Goat's milk and meat have always been an important source of protein of animal origin for the Greeks, which accompanied them closely with their long history with undiminished intensity. The number of young goats engaged in the industry, due to difficult production or living conditions, is not is large enough to replace the already aged goat breeders, who are about to retire from the profession.
The majority of goats bred in our country (> 70%) belong to the domestic Greek goat of the Capra Prisca type. A small number (10.0%) of purebred goats of the Saanen, Alpine, and Toggenburg breeds are also bred, as well as a significant number (> 25%) of breeds of these breeds and the Maltese breed with domestic Greek goats. The applied breeding system is intensive or semi-intensive for the domestic Greek goats and the mixed breeds and intensive for the goats of the purebred breeds. However, a significant number of goats are bred domestically. Thus, depending on the applied breeding system, Greek goats are divided into three major categories, which are the following:

Domestic
Non-pastoral mobile
Pastoral mobiles
In our country, the Region of Thessaly holds the largest percentage of Greek raw milk production. In particular, about 3 million sheep and goats are raised in Thessaly (of which about 500 thousand are in Elassona). According to breeders, a sufficient number of goats in order to start a unit and be viable, should be around 200. The price of each animal costs from 100 to 120 euros for meat and up to 150 euros for improved dairy breeds. .
The diet of goats in our country is based to a large extent on grazing. The pastures of our country provide nutrients only during Spring (March-May) and less in early summer, while during the rest of the summer months (July-August) and during most of the autumn the grazing material is very limited (due to climatic conditions).

The critical reproductive and productive phases of ovine and caprine animals do not coincide with the time of maximum grazing production. The critical periods of the breeding and productive cycle of goats that require special attention to nutrition are:

The period of the vipers
The gestation period and especially the last month
The initial phase of milk production.
The vulture season, in most cases coincides with the hottest time of the year (summer). The diet during this period is based exclusively on grazing, as a result of which the needs of the animals are not met. As a result, the animals reach the urns in poor nutrition, so there are reduced rates of capture. five weeks, ie three weeks before and two weeks after the introduction of the males into the herd.
The nutrition of goats during the gestation period is divided into three phases:

The first phase coincides with the beginning of pregnancy (first 3-4 weeks), where the survival of the fetus is linked to the nutritional status of the animal. Satisfaction of nutritional needs and especially that of vitamins is very important because it reduces fetal mortality.
During the 2nd phase, which coincides with the 5th - 15th week, if the animals are in good nutritional condition the development of the fetus is not affected by the diet even if it is deficient.
And the 3rd phase, the most critical period in terms of nutrition for goats, is the last stage of pregnancy. During the last 30 -40 days before the birth, the uterus with the embryos grow too much in the animal's abdomen, especially if there is polygamy. As a result, the stomach space is significantly reduced and shrinks. But the animal's needs at the same time, both to feed the kids in the womb and to shape its breast, are greatly increased. The small stomach should get richer "luxury" foods in small quantities.
It is crucial for the quality of colostrum and the survival of newborn goats, the mother to eat properly and balanced especially in winter. This is the period when the foundations of milk production that follow follow.
The feeding per day that best suits this period is:
1. 1- 1.5 kg of clover or oat hay, rich in leaves and reed (excellent quality) divided into two portions depending on the weight of the goat and the expected multiplicity.1.200 to 1,500 gr. concentrated feed (mixture) morning - evening divided into two portions. The dairy mixture must be enriched with vitamins and minerals and made from a variety of feeds. Not a single meal should be missed during this period as the risk of pregnancy toxemia awaits.

During the milk production period, in addition to the maintenance needs, the animals have additional needs mainly for energy and protein for milk production. In goats the maximum milk production is observed in the 4th week after calving for a period of time (120 days) and gradually begins to decrease until the period of vipers, where milking is practically stopped. When the amount of food provided is not sufficient during the period of milk production, then the animals consume bodily energy reserves resulting in weight loss. Weight loss during this period is a normal function without adverse effects on animal health. During this period the usual practice you follow is the administration of protected fat through mixtures intended for consumption to increase the amount of milk and to increase the milk fat.

FEEDING GOATS WITH FLAKES

Cereal flakes are a special form (thickness of flakes), produced after special processing. The main stages of this fruit processing are boiling (with the effect of steam) and compression (crushing) to take the form of flakes. But what matters is not the shape that the fruits of the cereals take, but the NEW PROPERTIES, the new characteristics that they acquire after the effect of the whole processing.

Thus the seeds of cereals acquire:

Pleasant taste
Starch assimilation much higher
Starch digestibility up to 100%
Increased porosity and volume surface
The diet with digestible flaky foods has the following effects (advantages):

Perfect functioning of the digestive system
Better use (from the digestive system - easier digestion due to its non-stress) of straw and hay
Less consumption of cereals and food in general (fast satiety)
Steady milk production even after 5-6 months of milk production
Normal and constant body temperature
Better quality and larger quantity of milk (higher fat content and production of quality cheeses)