Sheep Product
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Nature’s Formula IGF-1 Feed Additive
Product Explanation & Guaranteed Analysis for Sheep
INTRODUCTORY LETTER
Thank you for taking the time to read our explanation about the nine key components in Nature’s Formula IGF-1 feed additive, calibrated to duplicate a homogeneous parallel of vitamins and micronutrients found in green vegetation, like alfalfa, Lab Lab and clover, for optimum fortification in all biological groups of sheep.
The calculated inclusion rates and nutritional guidelines featured on our sheep page allow the feed mill nutritionist to formulate the required amounts of feed additive for each flock’s needs, based on the environmental conditions and forage available to your sheep.
Nature’s Formula IGF-1 can be used to fortify feed blocks, feed tubs, liquid feeds, cubed feeds, pelleted feeds or textured feeds for sheep, demonstrating how technologies supported by constant research can help move the industry forward and advance the knowledge of animal nutritional supplements with the science of nutrigenomics, also known as feeding your genetics.
We hope you find the information on this page educational and informative.
LET’S BEGIN WITH VITAMIN A
Nature’s Formula IGF-1 feed additive provides 5,500,000 (5 million 500 thousand) international units of Vitamin A in every pound.
Supplemental Vitamin A is a critical additive in sheep nutrition, especially during winter, drought or when animals are kept on dry, stored forage.
Because Vitamin A degrades rapidly in cut hay and dormant pastures, supplementation ensures the flock maintains optimal physiological performance.
Vitamin A primarily benefits sheep by boosting reproductive efficiency, strengthening immune defense, promoting muscle development in lambs and protecting vision and mucous membranes.
Key Benefits of Supplemental Vitamin A
Boosts Reproductive Performance
* In ewes: Supports normal ovulation, successful embryo development and pregnancy retention. It also improves the overall quality of colostrum for newborn lambs.
* In rams: Essential for maintaining spermatogenesis, including semen quality and production, and preventing testicular degeneration or infertility.
Maintains Vision and Epithelial Health
Vitamin A is vital for the production of rhodopsin in the retina, preventing night blindness and corneal ulcers. It also preserves the integrity of all mucous membranes and skin structures.
Strengthens Immunity and Disease Resistance
It plays a central role in the production of white blood cells and antibodies. Proper levels prevent cellular breakdown in the respiratory, digestive and reproductive tracts, lowering the flock’s vulnerability to infections like pneumonia, mastitis and scours.
Ensures Proper Bone Development
It regulates bone metabolism in growing lambs, ensuring skeletal structures develop symmetrically without malformations or joint issues.
Accelerates Lamb Muscle Growth and Meat Quality
Targeted neonatal supplementation, such as early stage injections in young lambs, has been shown to upregulate myogenic regulatory factors, significantly increasing final body weight and loin eye area. It also enhances the meat’s antioxidant capacity and intramuscular fat, or marbling.
DON’T FORGET VITAMIN D
Nature’s Formula IGF-1 contains 700,000 (seven hundred thousand) international units of Vitamin D in every pound of premix.
Supplemental Vitamin D is crucial for sheep, especially when they have limited exposure to sunlight, such as during winter housing, or during demanding production phases like pregnancy and rapid growth.
The primary benefits of supplemental Vitamin D for sheep include:
1. Skeletal Health and Growth
Enhances Calcium and Phosphorus Absorption
Vitamin D regulates the absorption of these essential minerals from the digestive tract. Without it, sheep cannot effectively utilize the calcium in their diet.
Prevents Rickets and Osteomalacia
Deficiencies lead to rickets in young, growing lambs, characterized by swollen joints, bowed or “bent” legs and poor growth, and osteomalacia in adult sheep, including bone softening and high fracture risk. Supplementation prevents these structural deformities.
2. Reproductive Success and Fertility
Improves Conception and Lambing Rates
Higher Vitamin D levels are directly linked to improved fertility. Studies show that ewes with optimal Vitamin D levels successfully conceive and carry more lambs, with higher instances of twins.
Enhances Uterine Receptivity
It modulates inflammatory cytokines and progesterone levels, creating a better uterine environment for successful embryo implantation.
Supports Ram Fertility
Vitamin D receptors exist throughout the male reproductive tract and play a supporting role in healthy spermatogenesis, or sperm development.
3. Metabolic and Immune Support
Reduces the Risk of Pregnancy Toxemia
Pregnant ewes with Vitamin D deficiencies have a significantly higher risk, up to 16 times higher, of developing subclinical pregnancy toxemia, or twin lamb disease. Supplementation improves their energy profiles and insulin sensitivity during late gestation.
Prevents Hypocalcemia, or Milk Fever
By regulating blood calcium levels, it helps prevent metabolic crashes around the time of lambing and early lactation.
Boosts Immune Defense
Vitamin D functions as an immunomodulator, increasing the flock’s natural resistance to infections and diseases.
VITAMIN E & THE FUNCTIONALITY OF VITAMIN E IN SHEEP
Nature’s Formula IGF-1 is infused with 30,000,000 (30 million) international units of Vitamin E in every pound.
Supplemental Vitamin E in sheep acts as a critical antioxidant that prevents cellular damage, boosts immunity, reduces lamb mortality and enhances reproductive and meat quality outcomes.
Because Vitamin E reserves last only about two months once green pasture dries up, supplementation becomes vital during periods of drought, winter feeding on dry stubble or grain, and late gestation.
Supplementing sheep with Vitamin E yields specific physiological and economic benefits:
Disease Prevention and Antioxidant Support
Prevents White Muscle Disease
Vitamin E works synergistically with selenium to prevent nutritional muscular dystrophy, also known as stiff lamb disease or white muscle disease, a debilitating tissue degeneration in rapidly growing young lambs.
Mitigates Heat and Environmental Stress
When combined with selenium, Vitamin E supplementation helps sheep maintain their body weight and improves feed efficiency during periods of extreme heat load by boosting their total plasma antioxidant status.
Lamb Survival and Immune Development
Enriches Colostrum Quality
Vitamin E does not efficiently cross the placental barrier, meaning lambs are born naturally deficient. Maternal supplementation before lambing significantly concentrates Vitamin E levels in the colostrum, passing critical early protection to the newborn.
Reduces Stillbirths and Lamb Mortality
Providing Vitamin E to ewes during the final three to seven weeks of pregnancy has been shown to significantly lower stillbirth rates in large litters, including triplets or more, and cut early season lamb mortality, resulting in higher total weaning weights per ewe.
Enhances Antibody Production
It promotes immune system development in weaners and lambs, accelerating the production of key immunoglobulins, IgG and IgM, to fight off infections.
Reproduction and Fertility
Protects Sperm and Ova Quality
Sperm and ovarian tissues are highly vulnerable to oxidative damage due to their high metabolic rates and fatty acid concentrations. Vitamin E safeguards these tissues, optimizing follicular development and overall reproductive efficiency.
Improves Conception Rates
Administering Vitamin E prior to breeding, either orally, via drench or through targeted injectables, improves the overall estrus response, conception rate and subsequent lambing percentages.
Meat Science, Quality and Shelf Life
Delays Discoloration
Supranutritional doses of Vitamin E deposit directly into muscle tissue, where its antioxidant properties continue working after death. It protects muscle pigments, dramatically maintaining the desirable red color of the meat on display shelves.
Improves Nutritional Profile
Supplementation of Vitamin E alters the fatty acid composition of mutton, decreasing unhealthy saturated fatty acids (SFAs) while increasing beneficial monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA).
THE BENEFITS OF SEL-PLEX ORGANIC SELENIUM
Organic selenium offers distinct health, reproductive and production advantages for sheep compared to standard inorganic forms like sodium selenite. Because it mimics the natural form of the mineral found in plants, organic selenium is highly bioavailable, easily absorbed and retained in the animal’s body tissues far longer.
Nature’s Formula IGF-1 has 60,000 ppm (60 thousand parts per million) of Sel-Plex Organic Selenium in every pound of premix.
It is an excellent dietary source of selenium and is manufactured to mimic Mother Nature. The selenium in Sel-Plex is in the same form that is found naturally in plants.
Nature’s Formula IGF-1 feed additive is structured with key ingredients to duplicate the nutritional resources found in fresh green vegetation.
Research shows that optimizing selenium nutrition in sheep feed increases the efficiency of meat and milk production.
Supplemental organic selenium provides critical physiological support for sheep, particularly in regions with soils deficient in selenium. Acting as a core component of selenoproteins, like glutathione peroxidase, selenium works in tandem with Vitamin E to maintain normal metabolism and cellular health.
Supplemental organic selenium offers superior bioavailability, tissue retention and health outcomes in cattle compared to inorganic counterparts like sodium selenite. Because organic selenium shares the same chemical pathways as methionine, it is directly absorbed and stored in the animal’s muscle and liver tissue, creating a biological “reserve depot” that sheep can draw upon during periods of high stress, lambing or heat.
A breakdown of the primary benefits of supplementing organic selenium in a sheep flock includes:
1. Superior Bioavailability and Tissue Retention
Longer Lasting Reserves
Organic selenium creates a physical reserve in the muscles and organs. Research indicates that sheep fed organic selenium maintain adequate blood levels six to ten times longer than those given inorganic sodium selenite.
Reduced Labor and Costs
Because the body stores organic selenium efficiently, producers grazing sheep in remote ranges deficient in selenium do not need to constantly haul heavy mineral mixes with short lasting effects into the field.
2. Enhanced Maternal Transfer to Lambs
Placental Transfer
When given to pregnant ewes during late gestation, organic selenium successfully crosses the placenta to boost the selenium status of unborn fetuses.
Enriched Milk
Lactating ewes pass high concentrations of selenium directly to their offspring through their colostrum and milk. Lambs born to mothers receiving organic selenium have been shown to have 30% higher blood selenium concentrations than those from mothers fed inorganic selenium, shielding newborns from deficiencies early in life.
3. Prevention of White Muscle Disease
Muscle Protection
Selenium works alongside Vitamin E to protect cellular membranes. Maintaining strong selenium reserves via highly absorbable organic supplements prevents nutritional myopathy, or White Muscle Disease, a debilitating condition in lambs that causes degeneration of the skeletal and cardiac muscles.
4. Powerful Antioxidant Support and Climate Resilience
Cellular Defense
Selenium is a vital building block for glutathione peroxidase (GPx), an essential antioxidant enzyme that neutralizes toxic free radicals.
Environmental Stress Mitigation
This antioxidant defense system is crucial for mitigating oxidative stress caused by transport, weaning and heat stress from climate shifts, helping sheep maintain their metabolic balance and energy efficiency in changing weather conditions.
5. Improved Growth, Immunity and Meat Quality
Weight Gains
Clinical research demonstrates that adequate organic selenium supplementation markedly improves lamb growth rates and overall body weight.
Immune Defense
It strengthens antibody production and triggers robust immunomodulatory action, allowing the flock to better resist infectious diseases like mastitis.
Nutritional Meat Value
Slaughter lambs supplemented with organic selenium produce meat with up to 50% higher selenium concentrations, creating a naturally fortified, healthier product for human consumers.
Overall Animal Nutrition chose this particular selenium to mirror the organic form of selenium found naturally in plants, assisting in creating a specialized feed additive formulated to duplicate the nutrient density and growth promoting compounds of fresh green vegetation across various ruminant species.
Sel-Plex® is a proprietary organic form of selenium designed to mimic the natural form of selenium found in plants, making it significantly more bioavailable and safer than inorganic selenium sources like sodium selenite.
Sel-Plex® guarantees that the body receives an optimal, safe supply of selenium to combat physical stress, support muscle function and maintain a robust immune barrier.
THERE ARE TWO B VITAMINS IN NATURE’S FORMULA IGF-1: BIOTIN & FOLIC ACID
Supplemental biotin (Vitamin B7) and folic acid (Vitamin B9) work synergistically to improve hoof health, fleece quality, milk production and metabolic efficiency.
Providing these water soluble vitamins yields targeted health and performance benefits.
Vitamin B7: Biotin
Nature’s Formula contains 10,000 mg (10 thousand milligrams) of biotin in every pound of premix.
Vitamin B9: Folic Acid
Nature’s Formula has 200,000 mg (200 thousand milligrams) of folic acid in every pound for hair, muscle, bone and overall tissue development.
Key Benefits of Biotin (Vitamin B7)
Improves Hoof Integrity and Reduces Lameness
Biotin is vital for keratinization, the biological process that builds the hard, protective outer layers of the hoof. Long term supplementation has been shown to reduce the incidence of hoof lesions in a dose dependent manner, heal existing ulcers and improve locomotion in sheep suffering from chronic lameness.
Boosts Fleece and Hair Growth
Biotin plays a direct role in protein synthesis and maintaining the viability of wool and cashmere hair follicles. Supplementation increases the proportion of active, growing follicles, yielding thicker, higher quality fleece and keeping the underlying skin from becoming dry or flaky.
Increases Milk Production & Early Lamb Growth
Biotin acts as a necessary cofactor in gluconeogenesis, the production of glucose in the liver. More available glucose translates into higher milk yields for lactating ewes, which significantly accelerates the growth and daily weight gain of their lambs during the first ten weeks of life.
Enhances Fiber Digestion
Diets high in grain or concentrates can alter rumen pH and lower natural biotin production. Supplemental biotin supports the growth of essential rumen bacteria that efficiently ferment fiber into usable energy.
Key Benefits of Folic Acid (Vitamin B9)
Prevents Anemia and Promotes Blood Formation
Folic acid is critical for cellular replication and the production of red blood cells. This helps prevent weakness, pale mucous membranes and poor growth, particularly in young lambs or growing stock.
Supports Fetal Development and Conception
Rapidly dividing cells in pregnant ewes demand heavy reserves of folic acid. Supplementation supports healthy embryo development, stabilizes reproductive hormones and enhances overall conception rates across the flock.
Accelerates Lean Growth and Appetite
Folic acid directly influences hormones related to growth, like IGF-1, and nutrient metabolism. In small ruminants, this stimulates appetite, enhances feed efficiency and increases overall muscle and carcass weight without adding excessive fat.
THE BENEFITS OF ZINPRO ORGANIC ZINC
Nature’s Formula IGF-1 provides 80 million ppm (80 million parts per million) of Zinpro Availa Zn 120, an organic zinc amino acid complex.
Organic zinc in sheep feed provides a highly bioavailable source of this essential trace mineral, leading to superior growth, immunity and reproductive performance compared to traditional inorganic zinc.
Because organic zinc is chelated, or bound to amino acids or proteins like zinc methionine or zinc proteinate, it mimics the natural mineral forms found in plants.
This structural advantage shields it from dietary antagonists in the rumen, allowing the animal to absorb and retain significantly more of the nutrient.
The primary benefits of incorporating organic zinc into a flock’s diet span several critical areas of health and productivity:
1. Enhanced Growth Performance and Meat Quality
Higher Bioavailability
Organic zinc is more readily absorbed into the bloodstream, elevating serum zinc levels far more effectively than inorganic zinc sulfate (ZnSO₄).
Improved Feed Conversion
Supplementation significantly boosts average daily gain (ADG) and feed conversion efficiency, helping lambs convert feed into muscle more efficiently.
Better Carcass Characteristics
Studies show that lambs fed organic zinc yield heavier cold carcass weights, better carcass compactness and higher quality meat.
2. Strengthened Hoof and Skin Integrity
Keratin Synthesis
Zinc is fundamental to the formation of keratin, the structural protein responsible for building tough hooves and wool.
Footrot Prevention
Superior tissue absorption helps sheep build a strong physical barrier against environmental bacteria, drastically reducing the incidence of footrot and lameness in wet, muddy conditions.
Postpartum Wound Healing
Organic zinc accelerates epithelial tissue generation, aiding ewes in rapid recovery from lambing injuries or minor abrasions.
3. Boosted Immunity and Climate Resilience
White Blood Cell Production
It supports robust immune responses and antibody production, which are critical during stressful periods like weaning, transport or shifting winter weather.
Thermal Regulation
In hot climates, organic zinc has been shown to protect lambs from the adverse effects of heat stress, allowing them to regulate their body temperature better and maintain healthy blood profiles.
4. Advanced Reproductive Outcomes
Ewe Recovery and Milk Quality
When given to pregnant ewes in late gestation, organic zinc enhances colostrum quality and increases milk lactose concentrations, giving newborn lambs a better chance of survival and faster initial growth.
Ovarian and Hormone Function
In breeding females, it improves follicle development and elevates essential reproductive hormones.
Male Fertility
For breeding bucks and rams, organic zinc contributes to an earlier onset of puberty and superior semen characteristics.
5. Superior Rumen Efficiency
Fiber Digestibility
While overall dry matter intake increases, organic zinc specifically enhances the rumen’s ability to digest complex fibers like cellulose and acid detergent fiber (ADF) compared to inorganic alternatives.
Nature’s Formula IGF-1 combines organic zinc with tailored vitamin and microbial packages to optimize trace mineral utilization across a flock.
THE IMPORTANCE OF ZINPRO ORGANIC MANGANESE
Nature’s Formula IGF-1 is enhanced with 80,000,000 (80 million ppm) of Zinpro Availa Mn, an organic manganese amino acid complex.
Supplementing sheep feed with organic manganese provides several key physiological benefits, particularly for breeding ewes and newborn lambs:
1. Superior Reproduction and Embryo Development
Manganese is vital for the synthesis of cholesterol and reproductive hormones.
Higher Conception Rates
Ewes receiving adequate manganese require fewer services per conception, preventing the reproductive inefficiencies common in marginal manganese deficiencies.
Embryo Support
It aids in optimal embryo production and early fetal development, which are critical for maximizing flock lambing percentages.
2. Enhanced Maternal and Lamb Antioxidant Defense
Manganese is a core component of superoxide dismutase (SOD), a primary antioxidant enzyme that protects body tissues from cellular oxidative stress.
Research shows that feeding ewes organic manganese during the transition period significantly elevates SOD, catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPX) levels in both the ewes and their newborn lambs.
3. Boosted Passive Immunity for Newborns
Transitioning ewes to organic manganese directly enhances the immunological payload delivered to their offspring.
Higher IgG Levels
It triggers a significant increase in Immunoglobulin G (IgG) concentrations in both the ewe’s colostrum and the newborn lamb’s plasma.
Reduced Scours
This immune boost translates directly to a healthier gut, significantly lowering both the incidence and duration of neonatal diarrhea, or lamb scours.
4. Better Skeletal, Cartilage and Hoof Integrity
Manganese activates the enzyme systems responsible for forming mucopolysaccharides, which are the building blocks of bone and cartilage.
It ensures normal skeletal elongation and joint development in rapidly growing lambs.
It works synergistically with minerals like zinc to support overall structural soundness and hoof integrity across the flock.
5. Improved Energy Metabolism and Hematology
Metabolic Efficiency
Organic manganese supplementation elevates plasma glucose, insulin and thyroid hormones (T3 and T4) in transition ewes, helping them better navigate the high energy demands of late gestation and early lactation.
Blood Profile Lift
It has been shown to raise red blood cell counts, hemoglobin levels and hematocrit percentages in ewes and their lambs, supporting better oxygen transport and general vitality.
Organic vs. Inorganic Efficiency
Because of its high absorption rate, organic manganese optimizes performance at lower dietary concentrations than inorganic supplements.
Thank you for evaluating and investigating the internal components found in Nature’s Formula IGF-1 feed additive.
Sincerely,
Overall Animal Nutrition