The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: moprabbit on June 08, 2018, 11:31:19 pm

Title: Overweight ewes!
Post by: moprabbit on June 08, 2018, 11:31:19 pm

My ewes haven't lambed and consequently are rather on the fat side, one in particular is rather obese now she has been sheared,we can see what was under all her fleece. I'm going to restrict their grazing to a very small area. The grass is quite coarse and quite long and under normal circumstances they don't eat it. I was wondering about cutting it first before they go on it. Just wondered if that was a good idea. Any advice on slimming down fat sheep would be greatly appreciated. Thank you

Title: Re: Overweight ewes!
Post by: twizzel on June 09, 2018, 08:32:04 am

You could top it and then strip graze any regrowth. I think that’s what I would do. I’ve got a couple of ewes who either haven’t reared a lamb or only a single and they need to lose a bit... they will probably come in for a week onto straw to dry them off then out onto a postage stamp paddock of freshly cut field for a few weeks.

Title: Re: Overweight ewes!
Post by: bj_cardiff on June 09, 2018, 10:20:21 am

I assume you mean that your ewes aren't in lamb this year, rather than haven't lambed yet? I'd turn them out onto the coarse grazing. If you top or cut it you'll get lots of fresh new growth, which is exactly what you don't want! They'll hate the coarse old stuff and they'll trample lots of it, but its better for them if there fat.

Title: Re: Overweight ewes!
Post by: moprabbit on June 09, 2018, 02:53:16 pm

Thank you for your replies and adviceTwizzel and bj cardiff!  Sheep now in a small paddock, with coarse grass they haven't previously eaten. So now they will be grumpy! Just hope it has the desired effect of them losing some weight, which will be better for their health hopefully. I hope I see a difference!

Title: Re: Overweight ewes!
Post by: shep53 on June 09, 2018, 06:02:58 pm

Don't expect any difference short term , poor grass is still going to fill them up

Title: Re: Overweight ewes!
Post by: moprabbit on June 09, 2018, 10:10:04 pm

Thanks Shep! How long do you think it will take to see any difference?

Title: Re: Overweight ewes!
Post by: shep53 on June 10, 2018, 12:44:41 pm

Once every blade of grass is eaten and you can only see droppings plus the grass has stopped growing  ;D  If you really need condition off then inside on straw and water, often this is done after weaning ewes  :farmer:

Title: Re: Overweight ewes!
Post by: moprabbit on June 11, 2018, 12:33:02 pm

Thanks Shep! Nowhere to keep them in, so I'll just have to keep them on this small area for quite a while!