What to look for in ewe nuts

[TexelBen]

Been ringing around for prices for ewe nuts, and have been offered standard products and "premium" ones at a dearer price.
We're feeding on the way upto lambing until the grass comes in.
Are the more expensive ones worth it?
What should I be looking for in the ingredients?

TIA

 

[neilo]

Ask for the ME as well as the protein (everyone seems to quote prices for an '18%' nut, which could be anything at all really). Generally the 'standard' products will be lower in energy, and you will need to feed more of them to provide the same level of nutrition. Some of the cheaper rations really are shocking in quality, but down to a price.

Personally, I don't even look below the top spec rations, preferring to feed less of a better quality product. I would only deal with a company that can guarantee a fixed formulation (rather than the ration make up changing each time according to what the mill could buy cheaply that week). I would ook for cereals, soya/rapemeal/maize gluten at the top of the list. Oil around 5% and ash 8% or less.

 

[ollie989898]

Premium ewe nuts might contain megalac or similar. Ask why its more expensive.

 

[Lazy Eric]

Where abouts in the country are you?

 

[hendrebc]

Not really what you mean but a company that will deliver when they say they will! No good running out and having to go and get bags to wait till the bulk arrives because it didnt turn up on the day they said it would. I waited 3 weeks for ine load and had to use expensive and pain in the arse tote bags in the meantime

 

[landslave the 2nd]

Don't forget all manufacturers are allowed " A tolerance % on all figures quoted "
Think it's 8- 10 % but stand to be corrected under UTTASCA rules

 

[gatepost]

I don't look at any that will not give me detailed analysis, still run that past my old analysis book, some in theory can't meet the stated spec, for me on this ground I'm looking for good ME, early pregnancy and higher protein once lambed,

 

[exmoor dave]

DUP level is helpful

 

[Bury the Trash]

DUP level is helpful

for that ...best to look at Soya inclusion or not / amount

 

[TexelBen]

Where abouts in the country are you?

North Yorkshire, near Skipton

 

[Green farmer]

Look at the label on the bag. They’ve to list the ingredients in order of % overall inclusion. I look at the top 5-6 ingredients. I was told good ingredients include,soya, cereals,pulps,maizes. Middle of road ingredients include Soya hulls and glutens. Avoid cheaper ingredients at high inclusion rates,pollard, wheat feed,palm kernel and sunflower.

 

[Girlfarmer]

Have you looked at Dugdales healthy rolls? Used them for a couple of years now. A better roll than many, hence why we opt for them over the 2 mills on our doorstep! Ewes perform v well on them.

 

[farmer99]

Listen to the ahdb webinar that has just finished lots of info there on cheap or dear compounds title was Feeding The Ewe

 

[neilo]

Look at the label on the bag. They’ve to list the ingredients in order of % overall inclusion. I look at the top 5-6 ingredients. I was told good ingredients include,soya, cereals,pulps,maizes. Middle of road ingredients include Soya hulls and glutens. Avoid cheaper ingredients at high inclusion rates,pollard, wheat feed,palm kernel and sunflower.

I’ve never been too upset with wheatfeed being higher up the list. The name covers a fairly wide spread of wheat products, and the feed value isn’t necessarily that of straw and husk.

 

[Lazy Eric]

North Yorkshire, near Skipton

If you use Jamesons ewedale gold. You won’t go far wrong,
I’Ansons best 18% very good too.
Check the Soya content, some companies will include less than 1% soya to sex up the ingredients list, needs to be nearer 5% -6% to keep the ewes milky at lambing.

 

[Wishful Thinker]

ME pointless to look at imo, they can pick a dry matter figure to make it look falsely good.
The number of ingredients before molasses is a good tell if the nut is any use I think. More than 8 then it’s mostly made up of fillers and the first 5 ingredients may read well but will be bugger all of each of them in it.

 

[Whitepeak]

Have you looked at Dugdales healthy rolls? Used them for a couple of years now. A better roll than many, hence why we opt for them over the 2 mills on our doorstep! Ewes perform v well on them.

Healthy Sheep was a hell of a feed when I was selling it, not the cheapest mind but it could get sheep to milk. Dugdales 'mid-range' feed called Ewenique would compare very well to most companies top spec feeds. Also Dugdales are always fixed formulation and fixed price for the duration of lambing.

 

[tepapa]

If you use Jamesons ewedale gold. You won’t go far wrong,
I’Ansons best 18% very good too.
Check the Soya content, some companies will include less than 1% soya to sex up the ingredients list, needs to be nearer 5% -6% to keep the ewes milky at lambing.

If the soya is 15%+ then you'll see a difference.

 

[tepapa]

The ewe nut is there to supplement your base forage to ensure the ewe is getting what she needs, so to answer your question you need to know what their getting to start with. Is the forage (silage/hay/grass) high/low in energy/ protein. And work out what is a good nut from what you need to add to the ration.

 

[Dkb]

I tried 4 different companies over 5 or 6 years. I was very happy with one but it was too far away.

So I started getting my own mixed with a family run millers.
Best thing I’ve ever fed to ewes. Because I choose ingredients and inclusion rates.