The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: Bionic on April 28, 2013, 09:00:51 am
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The sheeo have a high mag (blue bucket) lick in the field although they aren't very keen. They still go back to the red bucket which they have finished and turned over in disgust that there isn't any more.
Should they/can they have anything other than the high mag lick at this time of year or is the grass (when it grows through properly) enough?
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once the grass is growing properly (mag deficciency is only a problem in early growth) they dont need anything at all.
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Thanks Steve
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I give mine access to a yellow Rockie and rock salt once the molassed buckets are finished.
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Just yellow Rockies for mine
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Was going to ask a similar question!
Anyone use the licks that have garlic in them for insect repellent?
I assume that you can get a general mineral lick with garlic suitable for sheep? ??? (can for cows)
Wanted to give mine a lick for all year round minerals anyway- rockies salt lick or a molasses based tub? They have lifeline lamb and ewe atm.
Thanks
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You can get garlic buckets for sheep - just beware the meat withdraw.
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Mine are still finishing off the twin lamb buckets (6 weeks before lambing and 6 weeks after) The shearlings have the garlic bucket (I use these all summer long) Then I go onto a high energy bucket through the flushing and tupping in Autumn. I also use the rockies but they dont seem to bother with it and a supalyx orange bucket all year round so. I do have grass though in fact Im cutting the lawn once a week at present!
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My sheep didn't think much of the garlic bucket i gave them last year. However, they love it when I sprinkles garlic granules on top of their general lick bucket. So now I just do that from time to time. They also loved the seaweed powder/granules which I gave them in the same way. I think if I could come up with a decent design for a mineral feeder that would keep stuff dry and is easy to move, I'd have one with three compartments - garlic, seaweed and rock salt. And then ditch the licky buckets.
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Mole Valley do a fabulous lick block called Calcizinc which my sheep love. Downside is unless you're close to an outlet you have to buy a min of twenty blocks but you get a free dispenser/holder. Good value though, they last an awfully long time.
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Mine have Lifeline around lambing time, ordinary orange supalyx and then garlic in the summer. They are certainly not keen on the garlic licks (green tubs) but eventually they get eaten. Yellow rockie salt licks are there all year round and even the tiny lambs use them - I have noticed that the ram lambs use the salt licks more than the ewes. ??? ??? . And the Shetlands use them more than the Dartmoors.
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mine have red bucket... cause thats what my local farmers shop sells :( is there any other way of getting magnesium (ie that doesnt come in a heavy un shipable molasis bucket) I was wondering if there was a pure mineral lick?? Also still have a bucket of red, so hoping that keeps till the autumn ???
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I got a yellow rockie yesterday and have put it in the bottom of the red bucket, which was finished. So far though the sheep are still interested in licking the tiny bit of red bucket lick left in the crevices than they are the rockie. Still its early days yet.
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They should have access to a mineral bucket/lick all year round. I thought the high mag bucket was just for the lush spring growth, so they don't get the staggers. Mine never liked it either :yum:
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My breeding females only have a lick bucket in the tupping to pre-lambing hard feed period. I shut off the turnout field at the end of August so they go onto "old" grass growth - never seen a case of staggers. We have ancient meadow - full of deep-rooted plants like sheep's sorrel, yarrow and plantain, so slow but dependable growth all summer, even in a drought.
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I started last year putting out a crystalx (sorry about the spelling!) garlic lick last year to help with the midges i'm in Scotland surrounded by trees and a burn :) :'( The Soays loved it but the Jacobs were unconcerned.
This week in going to try a better value for money garlic lick and see how that goes!
Foobar where do you get your Seaweed from as I can't get any?