The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: DavidnChris on April 18, 2009, 12:40:44 pm
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I've just got two ewes and each has a single lamb. I am told to get a mineral lick. The one I was shown was a big buckets worth for 2 / 4 animals. Can I get a smaller one? The suppliers where I've just been are closed so couldn't get any ideas there. Also would it be a cheaper option to buy a bag of sheep food to try to get the ewes to come to me rather than buy a dog. Haven't the energy to chase them round when I need to pen them for worming, drenching, clipping, trimming feet. etc. etc.
Thanks,
David.
New to sheep. Very much flying by the seat of my pants but with help available from my supplier, would prefer not to have to keep pestering him though.
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For such a small amount of sheep a dog is not necessary. Mine are all trained to come for food, and you can train them to have a harness on which will help you no end.
I tend to buy a block mineral lick as tubs are quite expensive, but you need a container for them and they are quite heavy.
Local agricultural suppliers are there to help, but don't let them talk you into buying something that you don't really want or can afford as at the end of the day they run a business. :sheep:
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It all depends what minerals your ground is lacking in? ask your neighbouring farmer what he/she uses. Your supplier will also help you, the buckets/tubs come in 20kilos don't worry they are not to big and your sheep will soon get through them, we use a variety of brands "crystalyx" "uniblock" there is also "rockies" mineral licks.
Buy a bag of cake and feed a little to them every 2 or 3 days if you want to, but bear in mind the object of your exercise is to get them to come to you not feed them up, with good grass on its way they don't need feeding, put a trough in the field put a bit of cake in it and walk away they will soon find it, you'll find after a couple of weeks they'll be knocking you over for it, don't overfeed them and if you want you can then stop and leave it for a while, don't worry they will soon remember the rattle of the bucket or bag!! May I suggest the best dog option is the plastic one!! ie: the bucket or the bag to get them to follow you. You haven't got enough sheep to warrant a working dog, it not fair on the dog when all he wants to do is work and you only have 4 sheep!!
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My block feed is a Rumevite spper energy for sheep. That lasts if I'm lucky 2days. So they get one once a week , the greedy pigs. :)
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Forgot to say, remember there is a big difference between "feed" blocks and mineral licks they do different things, we use feed blocks only over winter and pre and post lambing to help "feed" the ewes when they need it most, then change over spring/onwards to mineral licks that don't "feed" the ewe only supply the trace element minerals lacking in your area.
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You will not need a mineral bucket at this time of the year...the grass is growing!!!
To get them tame get a trough, put a small mugful or less of ewe nuts in it and shake well to get their attention and put in trough and retreat out of sight. they will investigate and its like giving a kid sweets.....they will soon want to come for more. Do this every day for a week and they will soon be knocking you over to reach the trough before you do!
Once you have them trained like this catching them for routine jobs is easy.....unless primitives .....but thats another story....
I have had up to 150 sheep at any one time and only once had a sheepdog....who hated sheep and preferred herding cows, so never went near the sheep without causing mayhem..........
I prefer bucket trained sheep ;D ;D ;D
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I beg to differ "thewoollyshepherd" it all depends on the individuals land/ground/stock levels, you could have the best grass in Britain, but if its lacking in vital trace elements, mineral licks/buckets do help, we farm 1700 ewes and we do have minerals out. However I agree, with such a small amount a sheep a odd cup full of cake should suffice.
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You must have a hill farm with that amount of sheep. I would not give my sheep mineral licks over the summer period and my lowland grass is full of just about everything good for sheep.
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No, a lowland farm, we have soil samples taken, and adjust deficiency accordingly then rectify with relavant dressing and or minerals, thats your choice not to feed mineral licks and if it works for you fine, but as I said you can have the best looking grass in Britain but it doesn't follow that its not missing something. We have just lambed at 189% which I'm happy with, it has steadily grown each year with our improvements of soil/grass quality and breeding. Each to their own and whatever works for your farm/smallholding..
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No probs Pentre, but grassland management is one of my 'qualifications' and I agree that if you have a problem with a certain deficiency you must do something.....however what many would see as 'the best grass in Britain' may be a mono culture green crop of #### which actually is not much good for sheep.
Mixed species grassland is what sheep thrive in and the mixed species all do jobs of 'fixing' minerals etc. The only places problems should occur is with over stocking or on known deficient grounds which are actually far and few between. I have spent years running good sheep that thrive, have a 180 - 200% lambing average and finish on grass........I get good prices in the market too for example today I had some moderate sheep in the market with lambs (my last lot as I am finishing with livestock) and they were over £100 for full mouth doubles and the lambs were 2 weeks old!! I also got £90 for a ewe and single!......so even with good prices at the mo I do know a little bit!
At this time of the year most people should, if they are not overstocked, be able to manage without too many extras like expensive tubs, providing their management is good!
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I bought ours a yellow Rockie lick - it was £2.35 plus a couple fo quid for a holder. The sheep lick away at it if they want to and they do sometimes.
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Yep woolyshepherd hear what you say and as said whatever works for you and your farm/smallholding. Perhaps I should have gone to your mart to buy ewes and lambs, yours seemed pretty cheap to me, we have just sold cull ewes at a crazy £119 a piece, and a small number of 3rd crop strong ewes with twin lambs at foot (April born) at £187.00. Like you say prices are good and I also know a little bit!!
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;D ;D I did say moderate ewes ;D ;D ;D ;D
I bow to your obvious greater experience.....I am getting out of livestock after nearly 30 years for personal reasons so will ot be around much ;)
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please 'woolly', dont disappear...
.....I have my 'woolly' radar on when i log in....and read your advice with great interest. People with years of experience will keep us newbies from making silly, or downright catastrophic mistakes!! I have earned so very much from being on the forum. Your input into my sheep's welfare, albeit from a distance, is definitely valued.
In fact that goes for all the experienced shepherds on the forum. By being there you are potentially giving a ewe, lamb or tup immediate protection from silly mistakes. Thank you!
Emma x
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Shouldn't it be a curtsy "Wooly" rather than a bow!! but surely it is I that should be bowing to you with your obvious greater experience of years.. I am sure your livestock and the site will miss your input deeply.. Please enjoy whatever you decide to do...
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Don't worry.....I will still be around......but just not as much......got tonnes and tonnes of wool to process.....
and I have to bow, my knees just wouldn't manage a curtsey ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
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I bought ours a yellow Rockie lick - it was £2.35 plus a couple fo quid for a holder. The sheep lick away at it if they want to and they do sometimes.
hello i was wondering what lick is the best hope to her back
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I bought ours a yellow Rockie lick - it was £2.35 plus a couple fo quid for a holder. The sheep lick away at it if they want to and they do sometimes.
hello i was wondering what lick is the best
Get a lick especially for sheep, not one of the horse mineral licks. They contain too much copper for sheep.
:sheep:
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I bought a lick for my sheep about 3 weeks ago but they haven't touched it has anyone else had this problem?
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We normally have two or three different licks out at a time depending on whats needed - there is nothing better (or funnier) than the gals coming for their normal feed with their chops covered in brown licky stuff.
We have a few which seem to live in the licks - I wonder if they self medicate? Or are just mad? ;)
As beginners we take advise off of our friendly neighbour - we are pretty clueless too when it comes to looking for whats needed for sheep in the fine print :)
One thing I have learned is that you cant scrimp and save if you want top quality and looked after animals - even if you think your 4 will not 'eat' all the lick - you have to get one. Its not been wasted even if you only use half as your bunch will need the other half.
Ta
Baz
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I bought a lick for my sheep about 3 weeks ago but they haven't touched it has anyone else had this problem?
We put out the Crystallyx Smallholder bucket and they all ignored it for two or three weeks but it has started to go down now. Perhaps they just have to get the idea
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I have had a SUPAlyx Magnesium out in the field since October and it's only half gone - there was 8 ewes/lambs for a month and then 3 ewe lambs since then, but I rarely seen any of them having a lick, think most of it has washed away with rain. On the other hand I've had SUPAlyx Super Energy Plus with Fish Oil tubs out with the tup and 5 ewes since Nov and they have gone through 2 the 2nd one in a fortnight and now are on their 3rd which I'm now restricting to opening it up twice a day, after their little bit of hard feed. I think they were begining to OD on it. On the bucket they say offer adlib 1 bucket per 35 ewes. ???
Ram has first go (a male thing!!) then I tell him thats enough and he backs off and stands there just looking, then the girls take it in turns -with a bit of head butting and pushing by Molly whose a suffolk cross (was a 'molly'/orphan lamb in her previous life). It does mean I have to stand there in charge for 15 mins but I'm surprised how as I say thats enough they back off and the next one takes their turn. At the end I put the lid on and say All Gone and they all turn and go off to eat the hay.
Sheep can be such funny things :sheep: :sheep: