Best Sheep Feed in Saudi Arabia: Barley, Alfalfa, Rhodes, Pellets

There is no single best sheep feed in Saudi Arabia. The best ration is a combination: good roughage such as alfalfa or Rhodes grass hay as the fibre base, an energy source such as barley or concentrate pellets, plus minerals and clean water at all times. Proportions change with the stage: less grain for dry ewes, more in late pregnancy, lactation and fattening, and always raised gradually.

Most flocks in the Kingdom rely on purchased feed for most of the year, and feed is usually the largest running cost on the farm. Understanding the role of each feed, not just its name or reputation, helps you buy what your animals actually need rather than whatever is available or popular.

Roughage: alfalfa and Rhodes grass hay

Roughage is the foundation of any ruminant ration, because long fibre keeps the rumen working and the animals chewing the cud.

• Alfalfa hay (barseem): rich in protein and calcium compared with grass hays, and very palatable. Well suited to lactating ewes, young lambs and ewes in late pregnancy. Quality varies a lot: good alfalfa is leafy, smells fresh and is free of mould, dust and soil. Fresh green alfalfa can cause bloat when fed in large amounts to hungry animals.
• Rhodes grass hay: a grass hay widely grown and fed in Saudi Arabia. It is usually lower in protein than alfalfa but a good fibre source, suitable for dry ewes, maintenance and as part of a fattening ration. Fine, leafy hay is better than coarse, stemmy hay, which is often left in the feeder.

Many farms combine the two: Rhodes to fill the rumen with fibre, and alfalfa to add protein and calcium where a group needs it.

Grains and energy: barley and maize

• Barley: the most common energy feed for sheep in the Gulf. It is mostly starch and is fed whole or cracked. The problem is not barley itself but overfeeding it or introducing it too fast, which raises the risk of acidosis and digestive upsets. It is low in calcium, so it needs alfalfa or a suitable mineral supply alongside it.
• Maize (yellow corn): very high in energy and low in protein. It is used as part of fattening mixes and commercial concentrates and carries the same risks as other grains if raised too quickly.

The grain rule: increase gradually over about two weeks, split into two or more meals, and never remove roughage. Our barley and alfalfa ration guide explains the balance between the two most common ingredients.

Supplementary feeds: bran, pellets and date by-products

• Wheat bran: digestible fibre and moderate protein, often used in home-made mixes. It is high in phosphorus and low in calcium, so feeding a lot of it without balanced minerals can raise the risk of urinary stones in male lambs.
• Concentrate pellets (cubes): ready mixes of grains, protein sources and minerals. They are easy to store and feed and reduce waste. Their value depends on the formula: read the label (protein, energy, target class) and choose the product made for your animals' stage, because a fattening pellet is not a ewe pellet.
• Date by-products: unsaleable dates and date pits are used on some farms as extra energy. Quality varies, they may carry soil or mould, and pits are hard and need processing. Use limited amounts and ask a nutritionist first.

Sheep feed comparison table

The table below is a general comparison to explain the role of each feed. It is not a ration recipe.

Choosing feed by production stage

1. Dry ewes: good roughage (Rhodes, or a mix with alfalfa) and a little barley; watch condition so they do not get fat.
2. Before mating and late pregnancy: gradually raise energy and protein with alfalfa and barley or pellets.
3. Lactating ewes: the highest demand of the year; good alfalfa with enough energy, especially for ewes with twins.
4. Fattening lambs: concentrate becomes the larger share, roughage a smaller but constant part, with a gradual adaptation.
5. Rams: a maintenance ration most of the year, stepped up a few weeks before the breeding season.

And never forget sheep-specific minerals and clean water: no ration works without them.

Track what your flock eats and what it costs

Choosing feed is half the decision; the other half is knowing how much each group eats and what it delivers. In Throf you record the stock of each feed in kilos and log meals per group, which are deducted from stock; together with weights, you see how the ration affects growth. When you compare two batches on different feeds, the feed conversion ratio and cost per head tell you which is really more profitable, not just which bag is cheaper. To cut the bill without hurting performance, read how to reduce feed costs, or work out your numbers with the cost per head calculator.