Author Topic: Creep -v- Nuts (Read 4497 times)

Kimbo · « **on:** August 26, 2015, 06:16:59 pm »

I apologise if Im asking a basic/stupid/asked before question.
At what age do I stop creep and start sheep nuts?
Im not exactly feeding, as such, but I am using a little bit of feed to attract the 8 boys into the corral when I want to check them over. The first ones will be going off to abattoir in about a month
My 5 ewes get a few ewe nuts for the same reason but Im assuming that I shouldn't feed those to the males ( otherwise they wouldn't be called Ewe nuts

)
Many thanks for your patience and advice

Buffy the eggs layer · « **Reply #1 on:** August 26, 2015, 06:55:56 pm »

Kimbo creep is an old word that comes from feeding lambs in an area accessible only by them and not the ewes. The lambs "creep" through to eat. What they eat in the creep is up to you. If you are fattening the lambs to butcher then you may want to give a finisher ration if your keeping the ewe lambs for breeding you may have them on a ewe and lamb pellet or a course mix.

Finisher tends to be in small pencils or pellets like chicken feed as does ewe and lamb mix. Adult feeds can come in pencils or larger nuts. As sheep lose their baby teeth at around 12 months then many people only feed nuts after this age.

I never feed my Ryelands the larger "nuts" or rolls though I know breeders who do feed them especially to show lambs of around 6 months of age as they find them a handy treat in the show ring.

HTH

Kimbo · « **Reply #2 on:** August 26, 2015, 07:16:01 pm »

thank you Buffy XXX. It makes sense. Sorry to be a dunce

Womble · « **Reply #3 on:** August 26, 2015, 10:43:58 pm »

Quote from: Buffy the eggs layer on August 26, 2015, 06:55:56 pm

The lambs "creep" through to eat.

Ah, I'd wondered why it was called that. It's really obvious once it's pointed out!

.

Buffy the eggs layer · « **Reply #4 on:** August 27, 2015, 07:47:59 am »

Another similar word, probably used more commonly for cow feed but occasionally for sheep is "Cake" it just means concentrates or hard feed if your mixing straights. It comes from a time when feed was supplied in a large round block or cake that the animals worked on as they required it a bit like a mineral lick.

And so ends the lesson for today

Kimbo its not a stupid question its and interesting question.

landroverroy · « **Reply #5 on:** August 27, 2015, 10:37:03 am »

If you're only feeding a minimal amount for the purpose of gathering them then it doesn't really matter what feed you use.
Under those circumstances, I personally would buy(for all of them) the cheapest stock nuts.

shep53 · « **Reply #6 on:** August 27, 2015, 07:22:35 pm »

While I'm not old enough to have used an oil cake breaker we had one in a shed at home when I was young . After extracting the oil from cottonseed / linseed flat dry cakes about 2ft x 1ft 1"thick were put through a cake breaker , a hand driven drum with flutes and cutters to make into small pieces