Norfolk Hill Farmer
Member
Mouthed older ewes this week, mostly NC mules, found lots with badly worn down teeth and many of them only 2015 born. Could this be from grazing fodder beet in situ ? Anyone have any thoughts or experiences.
Grazed Fodder beet and ewes teeth
- Thread starter Norfolk Hill Farmer
- Start date
easyram1
Member
- Location
- North Shropshire
we have grazed fodder beet for last 7 years with our in lamb ewes. Like Neilo I may have other issues with fodder beet but certainly no problems with teeth. Have 7-8 year old ewes here and teeth are fine. We do use lower dry matter varieties like Lactimo that grow well out of the ground.
spin cycle
Member
- Location
- north norfolk
kiwis reckon no issues with beet and ewes teeth and they're always right 
- Location
- Montgomeryshire
I culled a few with worn down teeth in the last few weeks, but they were 7-9 yrs old. Last year I would have happily let them run another year, but the memory of last year’s harsh winter is still fresh, so being harder on them.
I’ve not noticed any additional problems with ewe’s teeth from grazing (medium DM) beet, compared to wintering on any other roots. Are low/medium DM varieties much harder than turnips or swedes? I would think they’d be slightly softer than swedes tbh, certainly later in the winter.
I’ve not noticed any additional problems with ewe’s teeth from grazing (medium DM) beet, compared to wintering on any other roots. Are low/medium DM varieties much harder than turnips or swedes? I would think they’d be slightly softer than swedes tbh, certainly later in the winter.
Feldherr is a fair bit softer to bite than maincrop turnip and swede as indeed mangles were.
7-9 years is good going although some old girls do have good teeth. Probably more down to genetics.
Norfolk Hill Farmer
Member
Thanks for all the replies. No real conclusion reached unfortunately other than something needs to change. Not sustainable to buy mule Shearlings at £120 + and only get 4 crops.
- Location
- Montgomeryshire
Probably going to get lambasted by all the mule & BFL fans on here, but losing teeth prematurely seems to be a common tale, with plenty seeing it without grazing beet/root crops. Given the similar reports on Aberfields, it would point to it being a problem with the BFL part of the mix.
Norfolk Hill Farmer
Member
There's an irony, have started breeding my own replacements using an Aberfield (SR) hopefully at least when they are culled ,there value will be closer to what they stand me in at than mules usually are.