Feeding in lamb sheep

Dachie · Nov 8, 2022

Yes I know this topic has been discussed probably every year but thought I would try the collective knowledge of the forum to help me out.

Looking into the near future as I will start feeding sheep mid January and prices circling £400/tonne for feeding makes you wonder how the ones that survive to selling can pay you that back.
I am lambing mule ewes in March scanning normally in the high 190% and swale ewes in April scanning 160% to 170%.
I have made a lot of extremely good hay this year and want to use it as the main feed source which will cover there protein requirements in my eyes but be deficient in energy it late pregnancy. So my question is does anyone feed barley as the only feed to sheep and how do they get on with it? My worry also is the lack of Digestible undegradable Protein (protein that is absorbed in the intestine).
Or what other straights to people feed.

neilo · Nov 8, 2022

Have you had the hay analysed? Not much 'good' hay is over 10% CP ime. I had some a few years ago that came back at 11% that was essentially young ryegrass regrowth (6-8" tall) that was going to be haylage then got a mid-June heatwave. They reckoned that was as high as they'd ever seen (even then, ME was slightly below 10MJ).

I'd certainly be wary of expecting hay to satisfy protein requirements after mid-pregnancy.

Aspiring Peasants · Nov 8, 2022

If ever I've skimped on feed before lambing its come back to haunt me with poorer smaller lambs later on and ewes thin for tupping next time

I think you would be low in DUP with what you are proposing, good cake is a good investment IMO

hally · Nov 8, 2022

Aspiring Peasants said:
If ever I've skimped on feed before lambing its come back to haunt me with poorer smaller lambs later on and ewes thin for tupping next time

I think you would be low in DUP with what you are proposing, good cake is a good investment IMO

The man who feeds the sheep should always lamb them. Because if you don’t feed them enough you will have a bloody hard lambing, twin lamb disease, no milk and lambs to bottle etc etc.

andybk · Nov 8, 2022

feed them properly , drop numbers if cost is a problem , soya barley sbp if you dont want cake though you wont save a lot ,

Dachie · Nov 8, 2022

hally said:
The man who feeds the sheep should always lamb them. Because if you don’t feed them enough you will have a bloody hard lambing, twin lamb disease, no milk and lambs to bottle etc etc.

Totally agree with this point but not looking to under feed them looking for ideas to get a balanced diet with a simple blend.

andybk said:
feed them properly , drop numbers if cost is a problem , soya barley sbp if you dont want cake though you wont save a lot ,

I am assuming you have misinterpreted the question as they are fed properly and always have been I have designed my own feed program to make sure they are I am looking for ideas of making an on farm blend to reduce cost as in this economic climate you go with off the shelf products you are paying a large margin into a feed company out of your own pocket. Where as if I can make up my own blend to my spec I know exactly what feed value is in it and the and that
the balance of FME and protein to achieve optimal efficiency for the DUP to be available. So a cost effective way of feeding sheep to allow there to be profit made at the end of the year instead of running with blind faith in a sales man but at the end of this it may work out that the salesman blend may be the most cost effective way.

Top Tip. · Nov 8, 2022

Dachie said:
Totally agree with this point but not looking to under feed them looking for ideas to get a balanced diet with a simple blend.

I am assuming you have misinterpreted the question as they are fed properly and always have been I have designed my own feed program to make sure they are I am looking for ideas of making an on farm blend to reduce cost as in this economic climate you go with off the shelf products you are paying a large margin into a feed company out of your own pocket. Where as if I can make up my own blend to my spec I know exactly what feed value is in it and the and that
the balance of FME and protein to achieve optimal efficiency for the DUP to be available. So a cost effective way of feeding sheep to allow there to be profit made at the end of the year instead of running with blind faith in a sales man but at the end of this it may work out that the salesman blend may be the most cost effective way.

Oats are a good feed and very under rated for sheep along with good hay that’s all they’ll need until a month before lambing when you need to introduce protein into the ration. Personally I will only feed hay when the ground is white but everyone to their own . SBP is way too expensive this year if you can get it but in a normal year I find it a good feed up till a month before lambing.

Dachie · Nov 8, 2022

My initial start was oats as I am the same as you it is what sheep were always fed on in the past was hay and oats and did well on it but as time has moved on it seems of been left behind in favour of complicated blends and nuts/rolls and sheep are the same animal they were when the were fed oats but as you say they are low in protein needed pre lambing to which I thought peas or soya couple weeks before lambing added to the oats might balance that out.

neilo · Nov 8, 2022

Dachie said:
My initial start was oats as I am the same as you it is what sheep were always fed on in the past was hay and oats and did well on it but as time has moved on it seems of been left behind in favour of complicated blends and nuts/rolls and sheep are the same animal they were when the were fed oats but as you say they are low in protein needed pre lambing to which I thought peas or soya couple weeks before lambing added to the oats might balance that out.

Doesn’t John Vipond preach about feeding 100g/day per lamb of soya to provide all the DUP you need?

andybk · Nov 8, 2022

Dachie said:
I am assuming you have misinterpreted the question as they are fed properly and always have been I have designed my own feed program to make sure they are I am looking for ideas of making an on farm blend to reduce cost as in this economic climate you go with off the shelf products you are paying a large margin into a feed company out of your own pocket. Where as if I can make up my own blend to my spec I know exactly what feed value is in it and the and that
the balance of FME and protein to achieve optimal efficiency for the DUP to be available. So a cost effective way of feeding sheep to allow there to be profit made at the end of the year instead of running with blind faith in a sales man but at the end of this it may work out that the salesman blend may be the most cost effective way.

we fed straights for many years , the cost saving these days is minimal time you have collected all ingredients , when SBP was cheap you could make a very economic blend with 6 parts barley 1 soya 1-2 sbp , Sbp is now cost of wheat and soya is over £500T if you can get it as mills are keeping what hey can get themselves , Teh savings you will make this year will be minimal ,
The other way is to treat some barley or wheat with home and dry as @neilo does , but your short of udp then for lambing/ lactating ewes and they need some fibre ,

hally · Nov 8, 2022

neilo said:
Doesn’t John Vipond preach about feeding 100g/day per lamb of soya to provide all the DUP you need?

I only think that works if your silage is top notch.

Nithsdale · Nov 8, 2022

Wheat is a better feed than Oats, IMO/IME. But Oats isn't bad.

andybk said:
we fed straights for many years , the cost saving these days is minimal time you have collected all ingredients , when SBP was cheap you could make a very economic blend with 6 parts barley 1 soya 1-2 sbp , Sbp is now cost of wheat and soya is over £500T if you can get it as mills are keeping what hey can get themselves , Teh savings you will make this year will be minimal ,
The other way is to treat some barley or wheat with home and dry as @neilo does , but your short of udp then for lambing/ lactating ewes and they need some fibre ,

Feeding straights you know exactly what you're giving your ewes... Some blends do look cheaper currently - but given the prices involved, the quality has to be lacking somewhere. I wouldn't trust them personally

I'm tweaking my mix this year but still working on straights and I still can't see anything a feed company can give me which is better

(A new rep came in here 2-3 weeks ago raving of a feed mix a big customer has came up with himself and they were selling lots of it to everyone, it was first class. He was disappointed when we laughed and told him we came up with that mix 20yr ago and can get it a lot cheaper than what he's wanting for it

)

deere 6600 · Nov 8, 2022

We used to feed bruised barley and soya to ewes had bother with prolapses switched to whole oats and soya and beet pulp big help also feed brinicombe sheep lick and haylage as required works well

andybk · Nov 8, 2022

Nithsdale Farmer said:
Wheat is a better feed than Oats, IMO/IME. But Oats isn't bad.

Feeding straights you know exactly what you're giving your ewes... Some blends do look cheaper currently - but given the prices involved, the quality has to be lacking somewhere. I wouldn't trust them personally

I'm tweaking my mix this year but still working on straights and I still can't see anything a feed company can give me which is better

(A new rep came in here 2-3 weeks ago raving of a feed mix a big customer has came up with himself and they were selling lots of it to everyone, it was first class. He was disappointed when we laughed and told him we came up with that mix 20yr ago and can get it a lot cheaper than what he's wanting for it )

agree , at end of day depends how many sheep you have to feed , and how available the parts of it are , plenty of barley local , most have dropped oats these days which was good at replacing SBP , those that do grow it want good barley price so economics meant we dropped that , when soya went silly, we used wheat distillers that was a good prot feed , but driving hour and half each way sort of killed it in the end , and kw didnt want to sell couple tonne at a time so passed on to someone they supply (with added premium ) ,
i buy nuts these days and cut it with barley (if there is grass) or someone local does alka wheat that i can get a few t if i need it

Dachie · Nov 8, 2022

Nithsdale Farmer said:
Wheat is a better feed than Oats, IMO/IME. But Oats isn't bad.

Feeding straights you know exactly what you're giving your ewes... Some blends do look cheaper currently - but given the prices involved, the quality has to be lacking somewhere. I wouldn't trust them personally

I'm tweaking my mix this year but still working on straights and I still can't see anything a feed company can give me which is better

(A new rep came in here 2-3 weeks ago raving of a feed mix a big customer has came up with himself and they were selling lots of it to everyone, it was first class. He was disappointed when we laughed and told him we came up with that mix 20yr ago and can get it a lot cheaper than what he's wanting for it )

Do you have a merchant you tell how you want it made and they deliver in the biend at you it spec or are you buying in the straights and mixing in farm?

Nithsdale · Nov 8, 2022

Dachie said:
Do you have a merchant you tell how you want it made and they deliver in the biend at you it spec or are you buying in the straights and mixing in farm?

Local feed company stores straights. They'll mix and deliver anything you want... compared to some others (local to us) that only want to sell a compound pellet or mixes they've came up with themselves - at extortionate prices!
They're just 20mins away so we collect it ourselves - saves hassle as lorry can't tip in our shed and we have no tower... I incorporate a liquid feed at home.

Rumenco's Nutritionist reckoned the ration I came up with couldn't be beaten.

8t load comprises;

3t rolled wheat/barley/oats
3t dark distillers maize/wheat grains
2t Beet Pulp.

(Rolled wheat and Dark maize grains are my specified preference, but depends on availability I will switch to the next as a replacement)

The grain needs to be rolled as I aim to incorporate about 7% liquid feed at home (this needs fine tuned with each load as there's too many variables in the grain etc) - whole grain simply won't absorb that much liquid. When you buy a mix that's 'molassed' from a feed store it's only about 1% they add which just gets rid of the dust

Borders_farmer · Nov 8, 2022

Nithsdale Farmer said:
Local feed company stores straights. They'll mix and deliver anything you want... compared to some others (local to us) that only want to sell a compound pellet or mixes they've came up with themselves - at extortionate prices!
They're just 20mins away so we collect it ourselves - saves hassle as lorry can't tip in our shed and we have no tower... I incorporate a liquid feed at home.

Rumenco's Nutritionist reckoned the ration I came up with couldn't be beaten.

8t load comprises;

3t rolled wheat/barley/oats
3t dark distillers maize/wheat grains
2t Beet Pulp.

(Rolled wheat and Dark maize grains are my specified preference, but depends on availability I will switch to the next as a replacement)

The grain needs to be rolled as I aim to incorporate about 7% liquid feed at home (this needs fine tuned with each load as there's too many variables in the grain etc) - whole grain simply won't absorb that much liquid. When you buy a mix that's 'molassed' from a feed store it's only about 1% they add which just gets rid of the dust

What are you adding as liquid feed? Presumably more than molasses, higher protein stuff?

Nithsdale · Nov 8, 2022

Borders_farmer said:
What are you adding as liquid feed? Presumably more than molasses, higher protein stuff?

Should be the same as this stuff.

Tecmol Sheep Keeper | Rumenco

A molasses-based high energy liquid for ewes at tupping time and in the run up to lambing Key features and benefits High energy liquid feed, to support optimal body condition scores throughout tupping and pregnancy Fortified with vitamins and trace elements, including selenium, cobalt, zinc and...

www.rumenco.co.uk

I get it from Downland and it's called Eweliq16

Here's the datasheet

Real Straight shooter · Nov 8, 2022

This is our mix for N.Emules start feeding them 6 weeks pre lambing wintered on grazed fodder beet and hay also has extra iodine in the mix

Borders_farmer · Nov 8, 2022

Nithsdale Farmer said:
Should be the same as this stuff.

Tecmol Sheep Keeper | Rumenco

A molasses-based high energy liquid for ewes at tupping time and in the run up to lambing Key features and benefits High energy liquid feed, to support optimal body condition scores throughout tupping and pregnancy Fortified with vitamins and trace elements, including selenium, cobalt, zinc and...

www.rumenco.co.uk

I get it from Downland and it's called Eweliq16

Here's the datasheet
View attachment 1075094

Cheers that looks the tackle. The thought of ewe rolls at £400++ is scary considering how fast the bin goes down. I have a decent pile of homegrown barley and oats which I mix with a balancer (I’d imagine from the same place as who makes your mix) for cattle feed with good success and I’m maybe missing a trick when I can do something for ewes too. Not to totally replace the ewe rolls but to maybe ease the pain of how many tonnes required. I feel ewes are in decent fettle but the way the weathers going that supplementary feeding may be sooner coming round than usual…

Feeding in lamb sheep

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100% I’ve had enough of farming!

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