Sheep Winter Fodder - Hay, Halage or Silage

[JoeFo]

What is the feed of choice for sheep. Chopped or not chopped?

 

[neilo]

Chopped haylage. The very best, greenest hay will be about 10ME and rarely over 10%CP. if you had an analysis that poor from haylage, you’d be wondering what you’d done wrong.
Hay smells nice in the barn of course, and it has it’s uses, but far lower feed value on average.

 

[Kiwi Pete]

Depends what else they're getting?

If only supplementary feed, then the best energy source possible.

If they're only needing something to scratch the rumen and keep them full, hay is adequate.... sheep didn't suddenly arrive with the advent of bale wrap and balers with knives in the throat.

More sheep on the planet graze trees than grass, our way is just one way

 

[Farmer Fin]

Sheep don’t do well on mouldy silage especially pregnant ones. If feeding sheep to silage it has to be good quality and well managed clamp.

 

[Bury the Trash]

They don't need mouldy hay either, trouble is very good hay is in some seasons is pretty nigh impossible to make, a big problem if you are relying on it as your main winter feed.

A Nice narrow clamp of precision chop would do me, first cut.

And if the weathers right.......Plus some best quality hay for early and late use, and odd small lots ewe lambs rams etc

 

[Frank-the-Wool]

Grass?

 

[An ancient git]

It'll be chopped haylage here (as early cut as poss) . House from 1/1 and been totally haylage for 25 years now . Improved the feeding set-up and can handle up to full-chop now ...... But buy a bit of super hay in off a n'bour also .

 

[neilo]

Depends what else they're getting?

If only supplementary feed, then the best energy source possible.

If they're only needing something to scratch the rumen and keep them full, hay is adequate.... sheep didn't suddenly arrive with the advent of bale wrap and balers with knives in the throat.

More sheep on the planet graze trees than grass, our way is just one way

Sorry yes, I was assuming the OP was looking to use it as a forage source, not to add a bit of fibre to the lush grass that some folk have growing all winter.

 

[Kiwi Pete]

Sorry yes, I was assuming the OP was looking to use it as a forage source, not to add a bit of fibre to the lush grass that some folk have growing all winter.

Despite the best efforts of the salespeople and advisers, a ruminant only needs a 9%CP diet... if you want rumen efficiency, of course.

It was a vague enough OP, I was assuming the ewes were dry, pregnant, and in reasonable nick

 

[John Chance]

Advantage of bales is that you get to select the best chopped haylage you can make.

 

[Aspiring Peasants]

They'll do well enough on any of these. The difference is the amount of extra supplementation they will require

 

[Derrick Hughes]

Swedes Fodder Beet and Stubble Turnips . Rest from Grass . Odd bale of silage if grass gets short . No other supplements other than minerals