The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: princesslayer on April 15, 2015, 11:02:37 am
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Newbie question, roughly when do lambs start eating grass enough to lessen the milk burden on their mothers?
Thanks
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I'm not sure I see it that way. As the lambs grow, their demands grow too. So eating grass helps with some of that increasing demand - but the demand on mum won't reduce for months.
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Maximum milk production is generally around three weeks old. The ewes will lose a little condition after that if they're not supplemented (milking off their backs) but should put it on again after weaning and before the tup goes in, providing grass growth holds up through the summer. The lambs will start nibbling at everything (as my waterproof trousers will bear witness) from about a week old but won't eat significant amounts of grass for about a month.
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Thanks both, but slightly conflicting!
Marches farmer, the three week maximum milk, is that from a study or from your experience?
I'd like to start lessening the amount of hard food I give my ewes as they have loads of grass and it is definitely starting to come through nicely now. Trouble is I have two fat ewes with singles and two thin ewes with twins!
The lambs are about three weeks now. I could try and separate the ewes with twins while they are having nuts so they can get a bit extra.
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The three weeks guide is from my own observation - after that the lambs spend more and more time away from Mama, eating more grass. They guzzle greedily when they do feed but do so less and less frequently.
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Ok, many thanks. Will observe and take note!