Newly purchased Mecheri lambs should not be pushed onto full TMR immediately. Sandhai animals have stress, uncertain previous feed, transport dehydration, and rumen microbes adapted to a different diet. A slow transition protects intake and reduces bloat, acidosis, and loose dung.
Transition schedule
| Days | Plan |
|---|---|
| 1-2 | Clean water, good roughage, small quantity of familiar concentrate. Observe appetite and dung. |
| 3-4 | Introduce 25% of target TMR. Keep roughage available. Do not chase full intake yet. |
| 5-6 | Increase to 50-60% TMR if dung is firm and animals are active. |
| 7-10 | Move to full ration gradually. Separate weak or non-eating lambs. |
Warning signs
- Loose dung, dullness, bloated left flank, grinding teeth, or sudden drop in intake.
- Animals crowding water after salty feed but not eating enough roughage.
- Fine dusty feed causing cough and refusal.
Practical rules
Feed at fixed times, keep troughs clean, never change concentrate suddenly, and give enough feeding space. A small delay in reaching full ration is cheaper than losing animals during the first week.
Recommendation: use 7-10 days to shift Mecheri lambs from sandhai feed to farm TMR. Protect rumen health first; fast gain starts only after stable intake.