The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Cattle => Topic started by: m3joeEm on May 12, 2016, 10:43:44 pm

Title: feeding ewe nuts 18% to cattle pre calving
Post by: m3joeEm on May 12, 2016, 10:43:44 pm
Hi,
anyone see a problem in feeding ewe nuts to sucklers just before calving? I have a fair bit left over and the sheep are on too much grass to be supplemented with nuts any more.
Title: Re: feeding ewe nuts 18% to cattle pre calving
Post by: shep53 on May 13, 2016, 08:40:38 pm
What we would personally do and what we may tell others to do on this forum are not always the same , you could try asking the manufacturer
Title: Re: feeding ewe nuts 18% to cattle pre calving
Post by: landroverroy on May 14, 2016, 03:37:24 am
As a feed for cattle, ewe nuts are fine. The main distinction between sheep and cattle feed being that the latter has added copper, whereas sheep feed doesn't. Therefore you wouldn't want to feed the other way round, ie cattle feed to sheep.
The only problem you might find at this time of year, when the grass is at its most nutritious, is that feeding an 18% protein feed to sucklers might make the calves too big if your cattle are already out at grass. You could therefore end up with calving problems, especially with heifers.
If however, they are still inside, then as part of their diet - and allowing for the relatively high protein content, they should be fine.