Lamb finishing - thoughts on different meals

[Joe]

Looking to start throwing few lambs on meal here, probably least ever due to success of Redstart trial this year. Looked at different options today with merchant and gave me below 3, more or less all same price 16% one prob €10 more. They all have minerals etc added for intensive feeding to lambs.
I usually finish on a 16% nut that I like but merchant doesn't stock it normally and they do a deal and buy in bulk for me each year from the mill, not having the same amount of lambs to finish this year thought I'd look at their standard feed stock as want to keep using this merchant for the service they provide.

Merchant is pushing the 16% finisher says other people doing well on it, I'm leaning towards the 13%. Any thoughts on the below options appreciated.

Lamb Finisher 16%
Fibre 10.2% Cr Oil/Fat 3.3% Cr Ash 5.5% Moisture 15%
Composition: Rolled Barley, Whole Oats, Lamb Balance Pellets, Soya Hulls, Maize Gluten, Wheat Distillers Pellet, Rapeseed Meal, Sugar Molasses, Flaked Beans, Citrus Pulp, Flaked Maize

Finisher 13%
Fibre 10% Cr Oil/Fat 1.6% Cr Ash 3.1%
Composition: Rolled Barley, Soya Hulls, Rolled Beans, Flaked Maize, Molasses, Wheat Distiller Pellets

Lamb Finisher Pellets 14%
Fibre 9.2% Cr Oil/Fat 3.2% Cr Ash 6% Moisture 14%
Barley, Wheat, Citrus Pulp, Soya Hulls, Rapeseed Extracted, Maize, Cane Molasses, Distiller Dried Grains, Sunflower Seed Extract,

 

[Al R]

I havnt a clue as never finished any with pellets/concentrates but what prices are they all?

 

[Northeastfarmer]

Oats and soya will suffice for finishing lambs

 

[yellowbelly]

Any thoughts on the below options appreciated.

13% protein is plenty low enough IMHO - maybe OK if they're on a high clover ley.
Hard to know which to go for without knowing prices.
We are just starting to use a barley/ protein balancer mix at about £168/te. Had a quote for a 55%:45% soya/beet pulp blend to replace the balancer pellets which could save about £4 or £5 a tonne.

 

[Joe]

They're all coming in around €230 delivered, about 5 more for 16%

 

[GTB]

Are they pellets or blends? Personally never had much joy with straights or blends. Some lambs pick and chose what they eat with sometimes disastrous results. I think it's difficult to beat a pellet tbh and IMHO the 16% sounds best.

 

[Joe]

Are they pellets or blends? Personally never had much joy with straights or blends. Some lambs pick and chose what they eat with sometimes disastrous results. I think it's difficult to beat a pellet tbh and IMHO the 16% sounds best.

First two blends last one is a nut

 

[spin cycle]

if grass is 18% cp and 12ish mj/kg then i wonder why we feed lower protein feeds than this

 

[spin cycle]

Oats and soya will suffice for finishing lambs

what ratio oat to soya.....is just a meal mixed in with whole oats

 

[GTB]

First two blends last one is a nut

As I said I'm not a fan of blends. We lost a lot of lambs on a blend one year. It seems like some lambs were eating only rolled barley and getting acidosis. We use a 16% pellet. I'm not sure of the exact spec but it does the job and costs about £200/ton in bulk.

 

[yellowbelly]

They're all coming in around €230 delivered, about 5 more for 16%

£204/5 a tonne then
£210 for the16%

 

[Kazak]

If lambs have a good frame and just want to fatten them you can go low protein..but if you want lambs to keep growing to develope bigger frame go high protein.

 

[MJT]

if grass is 18% cp and 12ish mj/kg then i wonder why we feed lower protein feeds than this

True but this time of year it wouldn't be anywhere close to those values .....

 

[MJT]

Had lambs on forage rape last year which went old and stalky and lost most of if feed value , they had framed up but no meat. Fed Carrs Billington super gold blend, never seen lambs gain weight and meat so fast , results were bloody impressive.

 

[Green farmer]

Mealing some lambs here, while still at grass. I've taken to feeding them heavily after dark usually about 10.00pm The logic behind it is a sheep will graze a certain amount each day, so I'm trying to fit in more on top of this, instead of it. Look what happens to us farmers, if we graze in front of TVs in the evening.

 

[johnb5555]

Mealing some lambs here, while still at grass. I've taken to feeding them heavily after dark usually about 10.00pm The logic behind it is a sheep will graze a certain amount each day, so I'm trying to fit in more on top of this, instead of it. Look what happens to us farmers, if we graze in front of TVs in the evening.

I thought farmers only fed after dark so their neighbours didn't know they were feeding.

 

[hendrebc]

I thought farmers only fed after dark so their neighbours didn't know they were feeding.

Some people round here work after dark with every single light on so everyone can see how busy they are. They must be busy to be working so late obviously

 

[Green farmer]

I cann't claim one of the busy ones. Trying to keep the type of sheep that will do the work themselves instead of me.

 

[Wishful Thinker]

I like seeing plenty of Maize in a lamb ration really puts the flesh on. Prefer a nut too but personally don't like seeing sunflower on a label

 

[Ysgythan]

Looking to start throwing few lambs on meal here, probably least ever due to success of Redstart trial this year. Looked at different options today with merchant and gave me below 3, more or less all same price 16% one prob €10 more. They all have minerals etc added for intensive feeding to lambs.
I usually finish on a 16% nut that I like but merchant doesn't stock it normally and they do a deal and buy in bulk for me each year from the mill, not having the same amount of lambs to finish this year thought I'd look at their standard feed stock as want to keep using this merchant for the service they provide.

Merchant is pushing the 16% finisher says other people doing well on it, I'm leaning towards the 13%. Any thoughts on the below options appreciated.

Lamb Finisher 16%
Fibre 10.2% Cr Oil/Fat 3.3% Cr Ash 5.5% Moisture 15%
Composition: Rolled Barley, Whole Oats, Lamb Balance Pellets, Soya Hulls, Maize Gluten, Wheat Distillers Pellet, Rapeseed Meal, Sugar Molasses, Flaked Beans, Citrus Pulp, Flaked Maize

Finisher 13%
Fibre 10% Cr Oil/Fat 1.6% Cr Ash 3.1%
Composition: Rolled Barley, Soya Hulls, Rolled Beans, Flaked Maize, Molasses, Wheat Distiller Pellets

Lamb Finisher Pellets 14%
Fibre 9.2% Cr Oil/Fat 3.2% Cr Ash 6% Moisture 14%
Barley, Wheat, Citrus Pulp, Soya Hulls, Rapeseed Extracted, Maize, Cane Molasses, Distiller Dried Grains, Sunflower Seed Extract,

Whatever you go for get sugar beet and mix 50:50. It’s an appetite driver and keeps their guts stable.