Author Topic: Newbie to sheep... (Read 7330 times)

Foobar · « **Reply #15 on:** July 31, 2012, 05:09:47 pm »

Fyi, Countrywide made an error on their original description of Shepherds Choice nuts - they should not be fed to male sheep. I bought a bag thinking it would do for my lambs, and then I read the ingredients and got back in touch with them about it. [/size]CW have since updated their feeds webpage (at least) to reflect this and it now says "ewes and ewe lambs".[/color]

Foobar · « **Reply #16 on:** July 31, 2012, 05:17:17 pm »

And yeah it's magnesium that male sheep need to avoid.

You want a feed that has as a *maximum* 2:1 ratio of calcium to phosphorous, preferably less, with no added magnesium. And preferably Ammonium Chloride (that is the additive they they add to protect the boys). And preferably salt too (sodium chloride) which will encourage them to drink more.

I found that manufacturers descriptions were rubbish and that feeds are designed for either ewes or rams (mostly just ewes), so I did a bit of research on the feeds available (to me) so that I could pick the right one(s) for my system. I did a spreadsheet 'un everything

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Fleecewife · « **Reply #17 on:** July 31, 2012, 05:53:15 pm »

<<I did a spreadsheet 'un everything

!>>
Woo-hooh - gotta be good

Thanks everyone for all the info, and Blackbird for the URL. It's more complex than I thought, and I didn't know it was more dangerous for wethers - all very useful stuff. I try to rear my meat lambs on grass alone, but up here in the winter we do give them Tup&Lamb mix when the snow lies deep - I'll have to go and re-read the label now in light of my new knowledge

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SallyintNorth · « **Reply #18 on:** July 31, 2012, 07:52:01 pm »

Tup & Lamb mix will be okay for all sheep, includuing males. It's the ones for Ewes or, sadly, also some of the ones for Lambs (rather than "Ram 'n' Lamb" or "Tup & Lamb") you have to watch.