Author Topic: sugar beet for ewes (Read 1903 times)

Missy · « **on:** March 26, 2018, 01:41:58 pm »

My ryeland ewes have all lambed and are looking quite thin. There is no grass yet. Can I add sugar beet (soaked) to their nuts? They are on ad lib hay as well and are still in at night.

Marches Farmer · « **Reply #1 on:** March 26, 2018, 02:56:06 pm »

You'll have got used to seeing them looking like wine barrels whilst pregnant. Condition scoring by feeling the covering over the spine is a useful tool for finding out their condition score. There's plenty of info on this forum on what to look for.

bj_cardiff · « **Reply #2 on:** March 27, 2018, 08:47:13 am »

My ewes wouldn't touch any nuts that get wet, if its raining when I feed, the next day I usually notice a load of uneaten 'porrige' in the troughs, so I wouldn't put soaked sugar beet in.

Can you buy sugar beet very cheaply? Last time I checked it was pretty much the same price as ewe nuts, and given the choice I'd def go for the ewe nuts! I have fed unsoaked sugar beet to dry ewes without any problems, I'm not sure if I'd want to feed to ewes in milk though as it would mean they'd need even more water?

twizzel · « **Reply #3 on:** March 27, 2018, 08:56:56 am »

Quote from: bj_cardiff on March 27, 2018, 08:47:13 am

My ewes wouldn't touch any nuts that get wet, if its raining when I feed, the next day I usually notice a load of uneaten 'porrige' in the troughs, so I wouldn't put soaked sugar beet in.

Can you buy sugar beet very cheaply? Last time I checked it was pretty much the same price as ewe nuts, and given the choice I'd def go for the ewe nuts! I have fed unsoaked sugar beet to dry ewes without any problems, I'm not sure if I'd want to feed to ewes in milk though as it would mean they'd need even more water?

Tip the troughs upside down once they’ve finished, so they are dry when you turn them back over to feed. Makes a huge difference.

VAnderson4 · « **Reply #4 on:** March 27, 2018, 09:05:09 am »

I feed my girls soaked sugar beet as well as ewe nuts, they absolutely love it. I buy the trident molassed sugar beet, I find it very effective for adding condition.

Southern Northerner · « **Reply #5 on:** March 28, 2018, 07:10:02 pm »

At the movement I haven't got much grass so I'm feeding each of my Ryeland ewes twice a day a half scoop of nuts and slightly less sugar beet with the beet not too watery - their condition can change very quickly so they need checking regularly as do their bottoms as too much beet can go straight through them. Once the grass starts growing (soon please!!), the ewes graze and the lambs eat creep pellets so I'll vary their intake.