The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: dairymaid on October 06, 2021, 11:06:40 am
-
Just wondering if anyone knows of a decent mineral lick bucket with no GM content? Tall order I know!
MVF make one but my ewes really didn't take to it last year so I am looking for alternatives. I did end up using molasses only last year (which they loved) but I'm not sure if the cobalt and selenium in there are enough? Any thoughts?
I have dairy ewes and we use the milk to make cheese, so the GM-free part is really important.
I will continue my (never-ending) research but thought I'd ask here for the collective wisdom and experience!
:-) thanks in advance
-
Could you not just bolus them?
-
I think most of us use a good chelated drench once or twice a year, or boluses, as well as licks; I don't think they will get all they need from licks alone.
-
Thanks for both those replies. I've never given boluses before but open to it! Can you recommend anything specific? My dairy ewes work hard once they are milking and I give them a good non-gm 20% mix of feed. I was pleased/relieved to see they were in pretty good condition at shearing but I'm sure I could help them more.
Drench/bolus recommendations would be gratefully received - I've just had a look and its a minefield!!
-
If you are giving them feed then they are getting some minerals in those. (I should have thought of that with it being dairy sheep. :dunce:) So they may be okay with just their cake and a lick, but you'd have to get the vet to do bloods to be sure.
Fleece is a good indicator of cobalt and copper, though - if the fleece is tender, miscoloured, has a harsh feel you wouldn't expect, any of those things would indicate mineral deficiencies. How were their fleeces this year? (And did you save one for me? :eyelashes:)
A lot of us use Jonathan Guy Animal Health for our drenches; he is very good and will make up smallish quantities, hence his popularity with smallholders. I would suggest you chat (or e-chat) with him about your situation and see what he recommends.
I've not used boluses in sheep myself, but several on here do or have. Have a search on "bolus" in "Sheep" and come back and ask if you still have questions. (And indeed, to tell us what you did and how it worked out for you - it's always good to know the outcomes!)
-
I concur with Sally - I use Jonathan Guy for both my sheep (Shetlands) and dairy goats for their mineral drenches. I use the sheep drench with copper for my goats about 3 to 4 times per year, and the Shetlands get the same (with copper) once per year, usually around lambing time. If they are lambing the next year again I will give them the one withpout copper in the autumn, but have found they do ok just cruising through their years off. The sheep are only fed during the last 4 weeks before lambing and after (depending on grass coming through).