When Feeding Sheep With A Snacker..

[bobajob]

Do you feed them in a straight line or a circle?!

Does it make any difference, I see my neighbour is a straight line man!, whereas I tend to go in a circle...

Does feeding in a circle help with shy feeders?

 

[Spartacus]

I usually just aim for the dry bits.......

 

[Poorbuthappy]

Agree with Spartacus if it's wet, but given the option a circle or at least a horseshoe.
I found sheep would chase after the bike more in a line, leaving the first heaps. In a circle (ish) they end up back on the heaps dropped first at settle quicker.

 

[Spartacus]

If its not wet then I usually zig zag along the ridge tops in ridge and furrow fields or just zig zag along the field.

 

[gatepost]

figure of 8 on a wednesday, usually spiral, then get the chance to check them second time round and leap on anything needing tlc

 

[bobajob]

I tend to go round in a circle, and then round again behind them whilst eating to look at their tailends to see no problems. But they end up just following me anyway!

 

[Geordielass]

I do semi circle I get to watch them, make sure everyone is eating and I find it easier to catch something if I need to

 

[Northumberland]

Straight line so a can count them but that doesn't work when there's over 150 then need to zig zag to give everything a fairer chance at food

 

[BAW]

I go in any direction or shape just to get away from them and not run them over! My sheep must be hungrier than everyone else's........

 

[Clive Tee]

I do a semi-circle, then two dots above the semi-circle, like this

 

[cotswoldcs]

Out of interest what is your drop size in Kg? What's the biggest flock you've fed with a snacker?

 

[Filthyfarmer]

Out of interest what is your drop size in Kg? What's the biggest flock you've fed with a snacker?

re weigh on each new batch of food, never move calibrator (seized up!)

Around 1.8 kg cobs
Biggest batch this year 220

 

[Spartacus]

I go in any direction or shape just to get away from them and not run them over! My sheep must be hungrier than everyone else's........

Ours are just as hungry, never worked out the best way to "escape" after I've finished dropping the feed either

 

[Northumberland]

I've always liked 3lbs of cake through the logic. Thinking being 3 ewes to a heaps plenty. Fed 1000 in one feild on scanning day wouldn't recommend it though

 

[bobajob]

Lol. 1000 ewes in a field that would be a fair sight!

I also go by the number of ewes to the heap, usually 3 or 4. But it depends how fast you drive- how big the heaps are, try to go slow.
Its not as acurate as putting buckets of feed in a trough but it is worth it for the convenience.

 

[Downton_shep]

I do a semi-circle, then two dots above the semi-circle, like this

 

[GTB]

Out of interest what is your drop size in Kg? What's the biggest flock you've fed with a snacker?

I've fed 5/600 ewes with a snacker without any problems. Just open the slider and keep going!

 

[itsintheblood]

The first thing I did on (senior management orders) , when we got our rotary drum snacker a few years ago was cut and reweld the drop plate , so instead of having 1kg drops , they are now 0.5 kgs I think , obviously double the number of drops but allows every ewe the chance to feed, each group is around 250

 

[cotswoldcs]

I used to have a smaller drop size but found that ewes tend to chase around grabbing a mouthful from one pile then onto a new one, etc. My lot are maybe more greedy than others. It's certainly not an exact science but then neither is trough feeding. If you're feeding 0.5kg/head I'm sure some manage to get 1Kg whilst others don't get enough. Thankfully we have some good silage for them to go at ad-lib.

 

[shearerlad]

I feed in a J shape. Usually the ewes have heard me coming and head to the gate, if I hike it to far end of field and start dropping feed then the fast/fit/dominant ewes get there 1st. I do a horse shoe where those ewes seem to stay. If I keep going to the top of 'J' shape then the slower, shyer ewes get plenty room and usually it's dropped in front if them as the trundle down the field.
My snacker is set at 2lb of ewe rolls to make it easy counting, same setting puts out 3lb of beef blend for feeding cattle in summer.