Ewe beet consumption

[Dkb]

I’m going to be buying beet this week to feed 80 ewes for 6 weeks. I’ll be scattering it across stubbles for them and they’ll have silage ad lib.

I know weather will have an effect but the ewes are on average 70kg and I’m wondering how much per day they might consume?

 

[spin cycle]

i was feeding 120 ewes in a group....using a tractor mounted root chopper that held 400kg....this once a day plus bit of hay ....100g/head barley...plus picking about kept them quite happy

might need to chop a few up til they get the taste

 

[Cotswoldshep]

I've got 73 ewes getting through 1 ton of beet in a week every week, hardly any grass in front of them plus a round bale of hay about every 9 days.

Not lambing until 20th April

 

[Dkb]

I was budgeting for about a 1 to 1.5 tonnes a week so I suppose it will be about this then maybe two tonnes max

 

[AJR75]

Got mine on beet as well, although not using the quantities posted above. Second year of doing it and pleased with the results. Did find that the first year they took a while to come to it properly so maybe worth factoring that in when you start them? When they get a taste for it, watch out!

 

[Bury the Trash]

I was budgeting for about a 1 to 1.5 tonnes a week so I suppose it will be about this then maybe two tonnes max

Depending on what the silage is like (palatability wise )... it might distract them from it to start with ..
but if they havnt got much else especially grass ...they will start them in a couple of days ..just take the back of an axe to some of the big ones..they will mash apart .... also a softer type will be started on quicker.

Apart from that i would say you're not far wrong with your estimate.a 9 or ten tonne load would be about right ir.

 

[pauld]

I am feeding it on the ground although not much grass now. 400 ewes have consumed 30 tonnes in about 9 weeks since beginning of December. They also have adlib hay and rumevite blocks. So that works out at 1.19 kg per head per day if that is of help.

 

[Ridgnfurrow]

I agree once they get a taste for beet they can do really well on it, I often wonder if they're more prone to prolapse when feeding it. It's also easy to feed well after lambing keeps them milking when they're out on grass.
I've plenty for sale if you need a bit more.