The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: princesslayer on March 24, 2015, 03:23:33 pm
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Just realised I have no idea how to feed my ewes after turnout. We have loads of grass but it's still winter/low quality grass at the moment. Should I give hay? How much hard food is recommended until the grass gets up and running?
They are Jacobs, four ewes, two sets of twins and two singles. Thanks
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I give them access to hay - they'll eat it if they need it; and a Harbro Vitality bucket plus maybe 1Kg a day hard feed dropping away over four weeks or so, depending on the condition of the ewes.
We have no grass - or so it looks but the ewe hoggs have a hay rack and are barely touching it.
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Ewes with plenty of grass tend not to touch hay , if your going to feed 1kg per day then 2or 3 feeds
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I used to increase the daily amounts of cake weekly for the 6 weeks leading up to lambing to peak at 1.1 kg then reduce it again by the same amounts to zero. Ad lib hay available. However, concerned about the size of lambs this might produce from my new Hampshire tup, this year I have taken the advice given on here from a regular contributor who really knows his/her stuff. I am now peaking at 900g per day ( in 2 feeds obviously) but then once lambed, dropping to 150g per lamb per day. No grass for weeks yet.
First ewe due to lamb Sunday, so I will not know if this plan has worked until then.
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They've been having about 1/2 kilo per day per ewe until lambing, so will keep that up, plus they'll have plenty of grass. Will put hay out if they want it and a lick, so should be ok on that I think?
Now I'm wondering whether they had enough before, but they aren't huge ewes, and we've had easy births and no staggers or problems, so must've been ok! Phew!
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It's all just guidance - and I guess every ewe is an individual too. I think it's a case of finding what works in your situation then tweaking it as you need to. No-one gets it right all the time. Helpful to document what you've done though becasue you won't remember :)
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It's all just guidance - and I guess every ewe is an individual too. I think it's a case of finding what works in your situation then tweaking it as you need to. No-one gets it right all the time. Helpful to document what you've done though becasue you won't remember :)
Excellent advice Rosemary, I won't remember!
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The other thing is that, unless your climate and other environmental factors are identical year on year, there is no one formula that always works. Every year I am in agonies worrying have I caked enough for milk or too much and will get big lambs. ::)
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^ I'm so glad it's not just me then!! :)
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Lambed ones on ewe nuts, a little creep put in for lambs to pick, a little ram mix for variation, life line bucket and big bale haylage.
Un Lambed ones, lots of protein/high energy discs, big bale haylage, life line buckets, maxx red buckets.