The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: AnimalMadinAdrigole on February 19, 2019, 03:03:41 pm
-
Hi all :wave:
I have four lambs born early last April, three wethers and a ewe. I am keeping them as pets. They are fully vaccinated and wormed regularly.
The first question is about feed. At the moment they are on lamb finishing nuts and some grass nuts and they have hay as well. I've seen ewe feed which I'd be happy to get but what would I give the males?
Next is ear tags. As they are pets which tag would be the correct ones for them. I'm totally confused about them or would I get away with having those leg bands?
Thanks in advance
-
Keep with the lamb finisher nut for all of them- although if they aren’t breeding they shouldn’t need much or any hard feed.
Were the lambs born on your holding? If so they need double breeding tags, yellow eid plus a secondary tag of your colour choice.
If they weren’t born on your holding they need double red breeding tags. Ring Shearwell or your chosen supplier and they will advise. They must be double tagged though, by law regardless of them being pets or not
-
Many thanks Twizzel for your reply. Very helpful :thumbsup:
-
I wouldn't feed them any nuts at all, just hay if you have a shortage of grass and a mineral bucket. Pet sheep like yours will put a lot of weight on over the summer months when the grass is growing and it can be very hard to get them to loose it again. It would be better for them to loose weight over the winter months and put it on over the summer.
Twizzel has explained about the ear tags :)
-
Many thanks :thumbsup:
-
Oh pets!!! I have a pet Hogg, born December 2014 and with being Dorset Down, every time she inhales i swear she puts on weight. A hay diet is what she's on. Her half sister, I lambed her this year but the lamb died, though it doesn't matter as she's staying permanently as she has an ability that i have never seen before in a sheep - She teaches calves manners!! Each calf that chases my sheep she will charge and headbut! The cow doesn't bother either! She's done it with a pig too. That alone ensures her place on my holding. Well done for having the pets!
-
Thanks PipKelpy, glad I'm not the only one to have pets here. I love them all but have just posted as have had an issue with one of the wethers being aggressive :(
-
Looking at your other post, I'm presuming you know the breeder of the lambs, could you get them to tag them for you? They should have been tagged before leaving holding where born.
We get a feed called 'Tup and Lamb', but they probably shouldnt be needing anything now and over summer, beware hand feeding them as that can make them stroppy.