Crystalyx high energy buckets

[exmoorromney]

We start lambing on April 10th. We had Crystalyx high energy buckets out pre and post tupping. How close to lambing would be the best time to reintroduce them, firstly for the ultimate benefit to the ewe and secondly to be cost effective? Would putting them out now be a waste of money? They are having ad lib silage in fields with no grass. The sheep are New Zealand Romney’s and we are 1000 plus feet up on Exmoor. Thanks

 

[jendan]

We start lambing on April 10th. We had Crystalyx high energy buckets out pre and post tupping. How close to lambing would be the best time to reintroduce them, firstly for the ultimate benefit to the ewe and secondly to be cost effective? Would putting them out now be a waste of money? They are having ad lib silage in fields with no grass. The sheep are New Zealand Romney’s and we are 1000 plus feet up on Exmoor. Thanks

They will always be a benefit,but whether they are cost effective or not? They are never cheap,unless you can get some thats fallen off the back of a lorry.

 

[Nithsdale]

The last 4-6 weeks.


I start lambing 1st March. My first high energy buckets went out this morning (and I'm thinking I'm early).

 

[Sharpy]

Could you mix some molasses with the silage? Or pour some on if you cant mix?

 

[exmoorromney]

The last 4-6 weeks.


I start lambing 1st March. My first high energy buckets went out this morning (and I'm thinking I'm early).

I don’t want to put them out until 3-4 weeks before lambing as I think it’s a waste of money, but the old man has put them out today and won’t listen!

 

[exmoorromney]

Could you mix some molasses with the silage? Or pour some on if you cant mix?

I don’t want to give them anything until much closer to lambing, but the old man has bought some and put them out today so I thought I’d get some views on here and see if I can change his mind.

 

[jendan]

I don’t want to give them anything until much closer to lambing, but the old man has bought some and put them out today so I thought I’d get some views on here and see if I can change his mind.

You would only go through a poor lambing once in your life,with weak small lambs very slow to suck to make sure you never ever have another one! Better be safe than sorry.

 

[Boydvalley]

If they have no grass and are just eating silage the question you have to ask yourself is if they were in would you feed blocks. If it's good silage they shouldn't need anything else yet. Will really depend on the quality of your silage.

 

[exmoorromney]

You would only go through a poor lambing once in your life,with weak small lambs very slow to suck to make sure you never ever have another one! Better be safe than sorry.

On that basis we should be supplementing sheep all year round.... so they’re in the right condition, milking well enough, fit for tupping etc? I don’t see the need to add extra unnecessary cost into an ever increasing costly business. Ewes shouldn’t need supplemting 2 and a half months before lambing.

 

[Ciderman8961]

You would only go through a poor lambing once in your life,with weak small lambs very slow to suck to make sure you never ever have another one! Better be safe than sorry.

We took over a flock of ewes 1200 that were 6/8 weeks off lambing.
Hadn't been wormed or fluked since end of May.
Riddled with fluke to the point of dropping dead when gathering them.
That lambing time was horrendous your quite right in saying you'll only ever have one bad lambing!!

 

[Nithsdale]

I don’t want to give them anything until much closer to lambing, but the old man has bought some and put them out today so I thought I’d get some views on here and see if I can change his mind.

It isn't really a case of whether you want to or not. It's a case of what the ewes need... I mean, I didn't want to feed ewes for 5 months last year, but I had to.


How are they holding condition and what is their condition?

I agree with you that at over 2months off lambing, it seems early. But at the same time, I don't think I'd be confident feeding silage only (with no grass) and having them keeping going forward.
If the ewes are big, fit and healthy then you've not much to worry about - and a good argument with the old man to hold off.

If thin though, then he is probably right...

The Urea in the buckets will help the ewes utilise more of the feed value in the silage.
The more I think about this situation, the more I think I'd probably be putting buckets, or Rumevite blocks, out too - if not now, in another week or 2

 

[Man_in_black]

thought I’d get some views on here and see if I can change his mind.

If your old man is like most old man, how likely is it that he'll give two shiťs about the thoughts of some internet strangers (some stranger than others!) ??

Why not pull out a handful of ewes & run them the way you want, then compare at lambing??

 

[exmoorromney]

It isn't really a case of whether you want to or not. It's a case of what the ewes need... I mean, I didn't want to feed ewes for 5 months last year, but I had to.


How are they holding condition and what is their condition?

I agree with you that at over 2months off lambing, it seems early. But at the same time, I don't think I'd be confident feeding silage only (with no grass) and having them keeping going forward.
If the ewes are big, fit and healthy then you've not much to worry about - and a good argument with the old man to hold off.

If thin though, then he is probably right...

The Urea in the buckets will help the ewes utilise more of the feed value in the silage.
The more I think about this situation, the more I think I'd probably be putting buckets, or Rumevite blocks, out too - if not now, in another week or 2

The ewes are looking well and ticking over nicely. We are scanning on Feb 7th where multiples and old or thin ewes will be picked out and treated accordingly. The multiples will be going on swedes and kale probably mid Feb but will put them on earlier if needed. Thanks for all your replies, always good to hear other people’s thoughts.

 

[neilo]

If they have no grass and are just eating silage the question you have to ask yourself is if they were in would you feed blocks. If it's good silage they shouldn't need anything else yet. Will really depend on the quality of your silage.

^this, and their condition score now.

If they are fit enough now, why buy extra (expensive) feed. If they're lean, then it's a good time to add a bit of condition before the lambs drag them down further. I have a lean bunch of 150 that have had a Chrystallix type block out since a month ago, not they've eaten much as the 80kg block hasn't quite gone yet. They've also ben strip grazing fodder beet with some high protein silage. Had them through this morning for an Iodine drench and most are lifting nicely in condition, so as to be somewhere near right.

 

[exmoor dave]

The ewes are looking well and ticking over nicely. We are scanning on Feb 7th where multiples and old or thin ewes will be picked out and treated accordingly. The multiples will be going on swedes and kale probably mid Feb but will put them on earlier if needed. Thanks for all your replies, always good to hear other people’s thoughts.

Scanning the same week here, then we usually start putting supplements out after that, but usually no hay/silage unless its really bare up north hill and i struggle for time to get up there with forage while lambing the early flock.
We don't split the ewes though apart from pulling empties out.
Used to use blocks/ crystalyx buckets but they all got abit £££££ so now using 3-1 feeders and whole oats through feb and early march. Then usually we house that flock and feed according to scan result.

 

[michael N123]

On that basis we should be supplementing sheep all year round.... so they’re in the right condition, milking well enough, fit for tupping etc? I don’t see the need to add extra unnecessary cost into an ever increasing costly business. Ewes shouldn’t need supplemting 2 and a half months before lambing.

We only give supplements to the Swales the mules and Texel Xs don’t get any cake unless the weather goes tits up

 

[Wooly]

We have the English variety of Romneys, and although we are not 1000 feet up on Exmoor......... more like minus 5 feet on Romney Marsh..... we would never expect to feed ewes if they are on little grass and add lib silage.

Putting buckets out now for April 10th lambing does appear rather rash and expensive. The whole beauty of having Romney's is they survive on little food.

Perhaps your Dad isn't so tight as all the Romney sheep farmers on the Marsh !

 

[livestock 1]

Everyone round about me uses crystalix or similar. I do buy some blocks only a couple of tonnes or so though. I use molasses instead of paying 6/£700 a tonne for blocks which are often a big part molasses in any case. Either pot ale molasses 50/50 or molasses and urea or both. Bolus the ewes and give them access minerals

 

[Ciderman8961]

Scanning the same week here, then we usually start putting supplements out after that, but usually no hay/silage unless its really bare up north hill and i struggle for time to get up there with forage while lambing the early flock.
We don't split the ewes though apart from pulling empties out.
Used to use blocks/ crystalyx buckets but they all got abit £££££ so now using 3-1 feeders and whole oats through feb and early march. Then usually we house that flock and feed according to scan result.

How do find ewes do with the 3 in 1 feeders undecided on wether to try a few or not

 

[exmoor dave]

How do find ewes do with the 3 in 1 feeders undecided on wether to try a few or not

Get on really well with them, you've just got to get the ewes trained to whole grains, which ususlly means starting them on mix with cake.
Once they get a taste for grain the feeders are great and the ewes don't forget the taste for grain