Author Topic: Aberdeenshire sheep keepers question re hay  (Read 2784 times)

Fishyhaddock

  • Joined Apr 2009
  • aberdeenshire
Aberdeenshire sheep keepers question re hay
« on: November 23, 2013, 09:02:37 pm »
My sheep are getting through a small bale of hay a day  for 20 ish ewes in number. I know that they only eat hay if they need it but driving around there seems to be very little hay in neighbouring fields. So question- are my sheep lazy and taking the easy route cos I am mollycoddling them? Or is my grass so poor that they prefer the hay? The field is under stocked. I don't want them to get fat and no one else seems to be putting out hay but they seem ravenous? :thinking:
Thanks. Fishy.

Graemscifi

  • Joined Nov 2013
Re: Aberdeenshire sheep keepers question re hay
« Reply #1 on: November 23, 2013, 11:09:39 pm »
This time of year the grass has little food value, if they are eating the hay, good, theres more goodness in it than the grass at the moment. never mind your neighbours, maybe they are doing it wrong? are your sheep pregnant or at tup then hay plus maybe block plus some dry food supliment might be needed. mine are getting that and have been for a month, and will through lambing, but i have hill sheep and am further north than you. its very unlikly that your sheep will get fat if you are not feeding dry supliment of sugar beet or oats or both, its the inappropriate over feeding of this that makes sheep dangerously fat. thinking about it a small square bale is not a lot for 20 sheep, thier demand will only increase through the winter. i think its a good sign they like your hay you either made it well or bought wisely.

Dougal

  • Joined Jul 2011
  • Port O' Menteith, Stirlingshire
Re: Aberdeenshire sheep keepers question re hay
« Reply #2 on: November 27, 2013, 12:09:01 am »
Where in Aberdeenshire are you? How many acres are the 20 running on? How long was the grass in the field when they went in and how long have they been there? When do you expect them to lamb?
Having farmed in Aberdeenshire I can tell you this much, If you are in Deeside then I've seen years when the ewes were needing hay 3 weeks ago because of the depth of snow, on the other hand down near the coast I've seen ewes getting fat on the grass growth in January!
Sheep will always take the easiest option but usually they only eat hay if they are hungry! One wee square bale should keep thirty medium sized ewes going for a day so you are being a little kind to them. If the ewes are bare then you'll have to keep feeding them but it's going to be a long and expensive winter feeding them until April. Perhaps look at shifting them over to silage or hayl;age or even bigger bales that at least will make it cheaper.
It's always worse for someone else, so get your moaning done before they start using up all the available symathy!

 

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