Feeding Barley To Ewe Lambs

[Cab-over Pete]

Aye-up,

We have a bunch of ewe lambs that we are bringing on to sell as shearlings next summer. They are doing ok on grass and fodder beet but with the wet and cold weather grass is dwindling fast.

I’m going to put hay out for them and keep them on the beet too and was also wondering about feeding them whole barley. I have no way of rolling it.

I don’t think I need to really push them so don’t need them to eat a lot. I just want them to tick over and keep the good condition that they have already.

How much would you say they need per day? I’m aware acidosis could be a problem. We can feed them two small feeds per day to help with that.

They are Texel x Mules all about 45-55 kgs. March/April born.

Cheers, Pete

 

[Stewartry hill]

If there is plenty beet and hay I wouldn't think that they would need anything else if they are empty

 

[It was already broken.]

Wasting your money if they are not in lamb. Keep em ticking over for the next 3 months then get them on the grass. You will look back and wonder what you were worried about. Obviously you don't want them going backwards but the grass will put them forward for a lot less money come the better weather.

 

[spin cycle]

have you got to buy the barley?...if so don't bother .....could put a rumevite block out....if they fall on it they're hungry....if not they're ok.....bit of protein in the blocks to help the FB and hay

 

[Al R]

At those weights I wouldn’t bother with any cereals, also, don’t roll barley for sheep, it increases acidosis and frothing in the stomach ?

 

[norfolk n sheep]

If dry ewe lambs cannot do ok just on grass with a bit of fodder beet fatten them up and get rid

 

[Cab-over Pete]

Good point. I have got to buy the Barley but kg for kg it’s not much different to the hay!

I like the rumevite idea. I’ll put a couple out and see how they take them.

 

[Al R]

If their not being lambed then they’ll grow to be big things by August/September without special treatment if 45-50kg now. They’ll grow like stink in the spring and if you over feed now they could be too big to a lot of people, I know I’m not keeping any non breeding ewe lambs on as they get to big as full size ewes.