Bulusing lambs

[Bennnyvin]

Anyone on here bolus their lambs? What do you use and is it worth it?

 

[Northeastfarmer]

What are your lambs short of?

 

[Bennnyvin]

Nothing particularly but they usually get mineral drenched, I'm just concidering bolusing instead of using a mineral drench

 

[neilo]

Nothing particularly but they usually get mineral drenched, I'm just concidering bolusing instead of using a mineral drench

I bolus my lambs as it will provide the trace elements they need supplementing for more than 3 days at a time.
However, if they aren’t deficient in anything, you could save money and drench them with water to get the same effect. Without establishing a need through testing, you could be spending money and creating a job for nothing. Contrary to what some of the drench manufacturers like to suggest, you won’t see any benefit if they don’t need it. If they do, then a bolus will supply their needs for longer.

 

[andybk]

use the small smart trace ones here at weaning because we have a selenium deficiency , easy to use and last 3 months which will last till we work through pulling fat lambs , autumn ones left get adult animax se/i before winter keep .

 

[Al R]

Lamb boluses

What are people's thoughts on these

thefarmingforum.co.uk

 

[Dyffryn]

We have done a trial with the Mayo boluses this year and have been pretty impressed with the difference they have made. Lambs are on creep feed. Control group averaging 395g/day and treated group 451g/day. +56g/day or +392g/week. Did some sums last night....392g per lamb per week over 1000 lambs 392kg extra growth at last Thursdays SQQ in my local market £2.72/kg = £1066 per week extra output. So in theory the boluses have paid for themselves within 4 days?

 

[Woolless]

We have done a trial with the Mayo boluses this year and have been pretty impressed with the difference they have made. Lambs are on creep feed. Control group averaging 395g/day and treated group 451g/day. +56g/day or +392g/week. Did some sums last night....392g per lamb per week over 1000 lambs 392kg extra growth at last Thursdays SQQ in my local market £2.72/kg = £1066 per week extra output. So in theory the boluses have paid for themselves within 4 days?

I'm surprised that the boluses made a significant difference when you were creeping them but the results speak for themselves. I use Mayo boluses myself.

 

[Dyffryn]

Ive been using them on and off for years. And never thought that it did much. So this year I thought I was going to see if it did something. And it does. And those results were in 2 weeks so its instant!

 

[neilo]

Ive been using them on and off for years. And never thought that it did much. So this year I thought I was going to see if it did something. And it does. And those results were in 2 weeks so its instant!

Out of interest, have you done any blood or forage testing to see what you’re short of? I would guess that, if bolusing gave that much of an improvement over creep feeding, it’s something more than Co or Se (I’m assuming it’s mineralised creep feed, not just a straight cereal mix?). Cu or I deficiency maybe?

 

[Dyffryn]

Did bloods a few years ago and every thing was ok. From what I have been told it is to do with the cobolt. It is basically impossible to give them to mutch. The creep is NWF fast lamb. In the back of my mind I still think it is a con! But I have proven that it is not! I cant afford not to give them a bolus going on my results!

 

[andybk]

do you need to go through your vet ? results seem pretty explanatory form previous tests we had done .

 

[Dyffryn]

I haven't involved the vet. Just phone the seller of mayo boluses. And our ewes have a lot more wool on them since we have been using mayo Boluses. Sheep just seem to be doing better.

 

[livestock 1]

What age is appropriate to do them?

 

[neilo]

What age is appropriate to do them?

I’ve always Bolused them at/just before weaning (ewes bolused at scanning) and have always seen a visible lift in the lambs, suggesting they are already deficient, even when I’ve tried using bespoke TE buckets. I’ve done my March lambs (With Mayo lamb boluses + copper capsule) at between 6&8 weeks this year, to see if I can prevent that. They certainly haven’t suffered for being bolused, but too early to tell if doing them early was worthwhile.

 

[livestock 1]

I’ve always Bolused them at/just before weaning (ewes bolused at scanning) and have always seen a visible lift in the lambs, suggesting they are already deficient, even when I’ve tried using bespoke TE buckets. I’ve done my March lambs (With Mayo lamb boluses + copper capsule) at between 6&8 weeks this year, to see if I can prevent that. They certainly haven’t suffered for being bolused, but too early to tell if doing them early was worthwhile.

So like us you are obviously short of copper. Are the copper tablets similar to the ewe ones?

 

[neilo]

So like us you are obviously short of copper. Are the copper tablets similar to the ewe ones?

Not short in copper but very high in molybdenum, locking up that copper and making it unavailable.

Copper capsules come in 2 sizes generally, 2g & 4g of copper oxide rods in a gelatine capsule. Usually give the 2g capsules to lambs, 4g to adults.

 

[livestock 1]

Not short in copper but very high in molybdenum, locking up that copper and making it unavailable.

Copper capsules come in 2 sizes generally, 2g & 4g of copper oxide rods in a gelatine capsule. Usually give the 2g capsules to lambs, 4g to adults.

Ok thanks I was wondering about copper for lambs it really sets them back if they are short. I haven’t ever given any copper to lambs so that explains it. We put too much mag lime on and have mine workings here which also locks up.
Ive been putting powdered minerals out and the sheep are going mad for it more than usual. Lambs are always at it too. A lot of folks reporting mineral shortages this time

 

[neilo]

Ok thanks I was wondering about copper for lambs it really sets them back if they are short. I haven’t ever given any copper to lambs so that explains it. We put too much mag lime on and have mine workings here which also locks up.
Ive been putting powdered minerals out and the sheep are going mad for it more than usual. Lambs are always at it too. A lot of folks reporting mineral shortages this time

I used to put dairy cow minerals out every now and again, to boost copper levels. It’s obviously a bit hit & miss, and you’d risk copper poisoning if one took too much, but better than nothing.

Quite a few leave cattle min buckets out with the sheep all the time, to achieve the same, and have done for years.

 

[livestock 1]

I used to put dairy cow minerals out every now and again, to boost copper levels. It’s obviously a bit hit & miss, and you’d risk copper poisoning if one took too much, but better than nothing.

Quite a few leave cattle min buckets out with the sheep all the time, to achieve the same, and have done for years.

I’ve used over a tonne of cattle mineral for my sheep since I started lambing. We are really short of copper. Neither cattle or sheep will grow here without it. Father only bought dairy cake for everything. He always reckoned it was the only cake worth buying.