The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: Bionic on August 09, 2014, 07:51:50 am

Title: To soak or not to soak?
Post by: Bionic on August 09, 2014, 07:51:50 am
I was told that I need to soak shredded sugar beet. Now I know that has to be done for horses (I don't have any horses) but thought it didn't need to be done when feeding to sheep.


Can all you knowledgeable folk out there advise please as it's been bugging me for a while.
Title: Re: To soak or not to soak?
Post by: twizzel on August 09, 2014, 08:17:54 am
I soaked it when feeding to lambs, didn't want to give them a reasonable excuse to bloat !
Title: Re: To soak or not to soak?
Post by: Buttermilk on August 09, 2014, 08:36:11 am
I do not soak the shreds for sheep but will not feed the quick soaking stuff unsoaked as it expands far too rapidly.
Title: Re: To soak or not to soak?
Post by: Foobar on August 09, 2014, 10:38:45 am
I feed sugar beet pellets dry (never used shreds). But I only use them on adult sheep, and I don't feed very big quantities anyway.
Title: Re: To soak or not to soak?
Post by: Anke on August 09, 2014, 10:51:17 am
Shreds can be fed dry, but I always soak mine for a bit, as it bulks them up and they don't gobble them up quite so fast.

For the goats - they love them still warm!

Never fed anything other than shreds.
Title: Re: To soak or not to soak?
Post by: Treud na Mara on August 09, 2014, 10:51:56 am
We have never soaked the shreds and found them to be quite good 'starter' feed for the lambs - they don't like much to begin with and they're easy for small mouths. Quite palatable too. Just gets them used to coming to the bucket and they wouldn't eat more than a small handful so didn't think it could be a problem. Bonus for us is the low input cost at £5 for a bag  :)
Title: Re: To soak or not to soak?
Post by: Hellybee on August 09, 2014, 10:43:50 pm
Watch out for  the squits unless your feeding as an extra  ;)  x
Title: Re: To soak or not to soak?
Post by: Bionic on August 10, 2014, 09:40:40 am
Watch out for  the squits unless your feeding as an extra  ;)  x
Yes, they only get a little bit mixed into any other food they get, which isn't much anyway.
thanks
Title: Re: To soak or not to soak?
Post by: Hellybee on August 10, 2014, 11:33:06 am
 :thumbsup:   :wave:  Xx
Title: Re: To soak or not to soak?
Post by: Bramblecot on August 10, 2014, 12:20:42 pm
Mine only get soaked when it rains, not that they usually last that long :roflanim: .  No problems so far :fc:
Title: Re: To soak or not to soak?
Post by: shep53 on August 10, 2014, 01:08:04 pm
Shreds are fine soaked or not ,  as said if soaked they tend to make the sheep feel full  .     While I have never lost a sheep eating  sb nuts dry it not unknown for sheep to choke and die , so personal choice