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Author Topic: Winter feeding for lambs (non pregnant sheep)  (Read 3087 times)

Ladygrey

  • Joined Jun 2012
  • Basingstoke
Winter feeding for lambs (non pregnant sheep)
« on: December 05, 2012, 05:54:10 pm »
Hi there :)

Just wandering if this all sounds right, two (tiny) groups of sheep at the moment and trying to get the feeding right,
the sheep baah even if they arent hungry, I think they are just being greedy.

Group 1 is 5 lambs, two wethers that didnt grow big enough for the chop (will have to be done as older lamb next year), 3 ewe lambs that werent quite heavy enough for the ram
I have also stuck a pregnant shetland ewe in with them as she is TOO FAT!!! and seems to get fat off fresh air.

As they arent producing anything (apart from shetland) is it ok to just give this group hay over winter? Is it ok to have the shetland on so little?
they are in a 1-2 acre paddock with next to no grass at all and apart from the wethers (who have always been thin) they seem fine for now.

The other group is 3 (big) ewe lambs who could do with just that little bit more weight on them and a charolais ram, I have given them a protein bucket plus they have hay and the ram is getting 0.5kgs concentrate a day after I thought he looked a little thinner than when he arrived  :innocent.

They have very little grass but I think slightly more than the others do




humphreymctush

  • Joined Jul 2010
  • orkney
Re: Winter feeding for lambs (non pregnant sheep)
« Reply #1 on: December 05, 2012, 06:54:32 pm »
They will be fine on just hay

Ladygrey

  • Joined Jun 2012
  • Basingstoke
Re: Winter feeding for lambs (non pregnant sheep)
« Reply #2 on: December 05, 2012, 07:02:49 pm »
Thankyou :) minds put to rest

SteveHants

  • Joined Aug 2011
Re: Winter feeding for lambs (non pregnant sheep)
« Reply #3 on: December 05, 2012, 08:01:01 pm »
As long as they have plenty of grass I wouldn't even bother with hay, specially as one needs slimming down and that can be hard to do when a sheep has gone fat.


If the grass gets sparse, then I'd give hay only + hard mins... Rockies maybe.

lachlanandmarcus

  • Joined Aug 2010
  • Aberdeenshire
Re: Winter feeding for lambs (non pregnant sheep)
« Reply #4 on: December 05, 2012, 09:49:35 pm »
agree - yellow Rockies lick for vits and mins, fresh water and whatever grass they can find unless there really is nothing - then hay.
Only the underweight need any quantity of nuts, the pregnant ladies might like a pinch each but no more unless you scan and know some are having multiples where you might give a little more esp for any oldies.

Dougal

  • Joined Jul 2011
  • Port O' Menteith, Stirlingshire
Re: Winter feeding for lambs (non pregnant sheep)
« Reply #5 on: December 11, 2012, 11:31:34 pm »
If the weather turns colder and more wintery then I'd stick a  bucket or feed block in with them. Wouldn't bother with high energy just the cheapest you can find. Otherwise hay should store them through fairly well.
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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