[ZaktheLad]

Me too  .  I did however see some perculiar looking chaff in my local Countrywide store last week that was packaged in some barbie type bag - no doubt to catch the eye of little girls to feed their ponies!  I think that had some name like Angie!!   I'm guessing Dengie is what Scotsgirls sheep liked so much - my sheep like to try and pinch a mouthful out of my horses chaff if they get a chance.  It's quite an expensive alternative to hay though!

[Old Shep]

Has anyone used glucose injections?  Also has anyone tried feeding soya?

[VSS]

The rumen needs fibre to work as has already been said. Sugar beet can be mixed as part if a balanced ration and that can be a complete diet. No need for hay or straw. I feel that you need to provide roughage in one form or another.
I should think that body condition and genetic tendency would have more if a bearing on the likelihood of prolapse than diet.
Standing in the lambing shed with 100+ expextantant mothers all filling their bellies with some really nice ryegrass hay. Only ever had one prolpse in 16 lambing seasons.

Who was giving the talk?

[Pedwardine]

Interesting stuff. I always thought cows milk was a no-no but then I have no access to the fresh stuff so not a consideration anyway. My ewes have been having ad-lib hay (though are now seen nibbling the meagre grass which is starting to come through) and ewe rolls twice daily (two buckets between 32 ewes morning and evening). Occasionally get some fresh beet thrown in - a couple of times a week. They have access to red lick buckets and CalciZinc blocks. Am I overdoing it then? I've a few ewes concerning me who are a bit too skinny for my liking but not lacklustre with it. Very few are top notch on condition score, it's been hard to get the balance right on feeding this year. I've had one ewe with a vaginal prolapse in four years' lambing.

[SallyintNorth]

Amanda - 2 buckets between 32 ewes twice a day sounds a lot.  But so much depends on the breed and genetics; ours are prone to growing overlarge lambs if overfed and in a good year nothing but the mules would get cake until 4 weeks before lambing, some Texel types not until after lambing.

Your 'lacklustre' sheep could be ailing something - my 'go to' remedy would be a good chelated mineral drench, if that doesn't pick them up, I'd be wondering about lice or something making them feel below par?  Or fluke?

[Old Shep]

The rumen needs fibre to work as has already been said.

It was presumed that the sheep would be lambed outdoors so they would get grass as well as cake.

Who was giving the talk?

A chap from SAC, brought up on Welsh sheep farm and had been farm manager for many big sheep farms - so knew his stuff.  SAC have been doing tests on feeding Soya and have found it very good in the last few stages of pregnancy.
 

[Old Shep]

Interesting stuff. I always thought cows milk was a no-no but then I have no access to the fresh stuff so not a consideration anyway.

My parents (lifetime hill sheep farmers) would not feed cows milk to lambs but WOULD keep some cow colostrum in the freezer for use at lambing if sheep colostrum not available so I think it is standard practice among farmers round here.

[Mel Rice]

My sheep are indoors from first snow (mid Dec usually) till its all gone and the grass is growing (mid April hopefully)
My first sheep lambed yesterday, so far all OK....very cold though highs of -4, 4 am temps of -13 or so!

[mark@farmhouse]

days of yore, farmers had molasses drums out for the sheep.  You can't seem to get the liquid molasses for them any more

sally you could try harbro as I have just got liquid molasses in 5ltr drum priced £9