[Hillview Farm]

I need your a advice ladies and gents.


Long story short,  I've got my ewes due to lamb in a week. They are inside,  I have a group of shearlings due on the 30th and there are some in lamb ewe lambs too (not planned!) Grazing with them.  Now I need to be feeding my shearlings but I don't want to feed the ewe lambs and have massive lambs but I can't get any more inside until the ewes have lambed. I've got two fields free at the moment ,  one with a small picking of grass and one with alot moreright next to the shed. So do I put the ewe lambs on the grass and the shearlings on the tight field with haylage or the other way around?

[Jukes Mum]

You may also want to consider leaving one of your fields clean for the ewes and their lambs to be turned out onto.

[SallyintNorth]

I'd be feeding the ewe lambs.  They're still growing themselves, as well as their lambs and trying to make milk.  I'd be much more worried about overworking them, having no milk, having weak lambs, than having large lambs from them.

[shep53]

I'd be more inclined to separate the twins and singles , as you don't want big singles out of shearlings either . singles on the poorer field  and twins on the better

[Hillview Farm]

Ewe lambs are well grown,  planned to have them slaughter in January and I'm glad i had them scanned! And all scanned singles. I'm really not keen on feeding them as I don't have a due date for them.

Which ever field the shearlings  go in will be split and they would be fed according to  scanning numbers. I have fields resting for ewes and lamb turnout.

[Marches Farmer]

I'd consider reserving the good grazing for the ewes after turnout, unless it's a field that was grazed by lambs last year.  The weather over the next few weeks could be a major consideration as to how the ewe lambs are handled.

[waterbuffalofarmer]

For the ewe lambs if you don't want to feed them it may be best to give a feed block or lick, just to keep strength up.

[shep53]

Since your ewe hoggs  are carrying singles and fit then certainly don't put them on the good grass , the haylage  and maybe a tiny amount of food to keep them tame should be fine

[Hillview Farm]

Okay I've made my decision.

My twin baring shearlings will be put in the shed and fed. I've had a jiggle about in there. My single shearlings are going on the tight field with nuts and haylage and my ewe lambs on the field with a picking of grass but I will make the field smaller with electric fencing,  no nuts. Someone just said a nice little quote 'every mouthful of nuts is a rod in your own back, feeding ewe lambs is a dark art'

The most difficult part is not knowing when exactly they are due. I've narrowed it down to a month!

[Sbom]

I agree about not feeding ewe lambs, decent grass and high energy lick 

[GrannyAching]

The most difficult part is not knowing when exactly they are due. I've narrowed it down to a month!

It's too late now but my scanner can estimate when the service date was. I know because when we had a small flock I knew exactly when everyone was covered and we had a little game. (He was to the day for most of them.) So if you or anyone else is ever in the same boat it might be worth asking. (Maybe you did, if so sorry.)

[BenBhoy]

So long as in decent BCS I don't feed any pregnant ewe lambs. They in with single bearing ewes, grass & hay.

[shep53]

Breeding From Ewe Lambs-AHDB beef and lamb