Sheep feeding in semi-arid regions of Brazil

Abstract

Sheep production is one of the most important economic activities of the semi-arid northeastern. However, the periodic seasonal in the region imposes restrictions to the supplement of fodder plants and, consequently, availability of nutrients in the systems of animal production. Considering that animal production is related to the consumption, nutritional value and the use efficiency of the available food, diverse methods of alimentary handling have been considered with sight to attenuate the nutritional problem of the flocks in the periods most critical of the year. The objective of this work was demonstrating some technological and scientific advances gotten in the scope of the exploration systems and nutritional handling of sheep in the semi-arid of Brazil. The results indicate that to improve the efficiency of sheep production is important use feeding strategies that serve the objectives of the creation systems, prioritizing rational and economic nutritionals plans. The adoption of efficient systems is praised if adequacy the conditions of the farm, with the use of available forages, longing for always the improvement of the zootechnical indexes and the environment preservation. Keywords: Alternative foods, nutritional management, production systems, ruminant.