The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: maddy on March 11, 2013, 07:04:48 am
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This is my first time lambing with my 3 ryeland ewes. They are due on Wednesday so bought them into a nice big airy shed on Sunday.
I am worrying as they are eating hardly any hay. They eat their sheep nuts no problem. Should I get redi grass or somethg.
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I think very close to lambing ewes appetites do drop off a lot, lambie squashing the tummy too much or something, tho Im sure someone else will comment.
I wouldnt be too worried so long as they are eating the nuts and drinking well at this close up to lambing, tho you could try the readigrass, but my ewes didnt like that even when not pregnant.
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my ryelands like their hay but when heavily pregnant just tend to nibble on it. The same as yours ours are happily munching nuts and drinking well but less interested in the bulky stuff. I do have one who is a bit straw obsessed though and loves it when I put clean straw down for them. All the ewes that have given birth have appreciated the hay once the lambs are out and tucked in heartily. I'm not sure if mine are 'normal' ::) but that is what happened last year and this year too. I hope everything goes well for you and your three girls :thumbsup:
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I'm sure you will, but just make sure they have plenty of clean water. They can't eat hay if they can't drink water.
But yes, their tummies will be full of lambs and there isn't much room for bulky forage ;)
Do you have any horsey neighbours could let you have some haylage to try for them? Just a little to see if they like it, it's less dry than hay so they may prefer it.
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I agree with the above, that you probably have nothing to worry about.
It's funny how sheep are so different though. Our Welshies have had silage ad lib since the beginning of Feb and over a month only ate about 6 bales between 140 of them.
Since we brought them in to lamb last Tuesday (started lambing yesterday) they have been going through a bale and a half a day! It is the same every year.