[ThomasR]

Hi I was wondering what the best way to put condition onto tups that are finished for this year and are around a 2.5 but would like them to be a 3.5 so that they have good growth with horns and fleece along with general body for the shows. One is 2 years, 2 are shearlings and there are 5 tup lambs. The tup lambs are probably more a 2/1.5 which is odd as the ewes who are in lamb and have gotten the same feed are a condition score 3.5 which is exactly where I want them to be for a april lambing. Also my ewe lambs are  2.5 as well and are better than the tup lambs but as I have said for the tups what do I do that will have them in peak condition as shearlings in june/july time?

[shep53]

If you really want to have them in top condition for showing , then its just the very best quality feed and lots of it , you can buy specialist show feeds for rams , the best grass you can find and rectify any vit /min deficiencys

[ThomasR]

Thanks is there anything you can add to the feed to add vitamins?

[GrannyAching]

Are the tup lambs thin because they have been working? If not do you need to think about other things like worms/fluke for example.

[ThomasR]

no actually the tups that I put to work this year are In better condition than the lambs who have done nothing, no worms or anything that has been checked. I think the bigger guys must have been bullying them away from the feed but now everybody is on hay and a bit of cake

[shep53]

Thanks is there anything you can add to the feed to add vitamins?

    Specialist show feeds will have the correct balance of vitamins and you get the vet to blood test your sheep to look for mineral deficiency , which may be the tup lambs problem ?

[Old Shep]

Maybe investigate cobalt and/or selenium deficiency - one of which particularly affects tup lambs (can't remember which).  Severe deficiency can lead to lack of immunity and death so worth looking at.