Hi guys- hope you can advise or reassure me!
i have four ewes.
Two have been with me for several years, one very greedy ( 4 yrs this will be her third crop ) texel cross and one older (?? 6/7yrs old ? with fifth crop ) swaledale cross. both are due to lamb at the end of April.
The other two ewes are young suffolk crosses (with second crop) who came to me a few weeks ago. Both were scanned one twins (a bit shy), and one with a single lamb (greedy ewe).... due to lamb in two weeks time
I recon that the swaledale (unscannned) has either twins or triplets- she is the same size as the suffolk with twins, but is a month behind! the texel cross is more difficult to judge coss she has such a huge fleece.
I am trying to work out a reasonable feeding reigime which will allow each ewe a good ration of feed appropriate to her needs, in a manner that caters for the pushier ewes and the quieter ewes. I feed 18% ewe nuts.
Over the last few days i have noticed that the 'twin'-suffolk and the swaledale may be losing a little bit of condition... or it could be their bellies are just dropping more!!
Am i correct in thinking it would be best to feed the fatter texel X and the greedy suffolk with (the single lamb) together...in a pen. they would then get equal amounts of a slightly smaller ration...and the swaledale and the 'twin' suffolk together out at the trough! that way these two can get more than the others.
I have tried this system over the last couple of feeds and it seems to work. IE the two, thinner, quieter ewes are getting a fair share of a generous feed without being shoved out by the two greedy ewes.
I am feeding to the ration levels required by the two due to lamb in two weeks time.
Does this ramble make sense?
? am i thinking along the correct lines
Emma T