When to boost fed for Multiplies?

[Jerry]

Current position.........

Lambing starts 1st feb 2018.

Outside lambing.

Lleyn ewes to terminal and pure rams.

Got lots of grass at the moment.

All ewes on stubble turnips with grass run back.

Ewes scanned and as yet not pulled out twins/trips/quads so running as one mob.

Ewes all in good nick/body score.

Single bearing ewes will be pulled of turnips month before lambing to thin grass.

So when would you start to supplement feed and pull of to good grass for multiples?

 

[Northeastfarmer]

Triplets now....doubles end of the month

 

[jemski]

I lamb late Feb. Draft of singles at scanning. Triplets pulled out when I do hep p so a about a month off lambing and fed and housed. Twins I started feeding 2-3 weeks before they are due. They do have good quality haylage though.

 

[neilo]

Will you be feeding concentrates, or doing them on turnips right through? I’m certain triplets compensate with higher intakes on forage only rations, but if you are feeding a set amount of concs, they don’t have that option.

I only pull triplets/thin ewes out from early lambing (conc fed) flocks now. The April lambers (forageonly) all stay together until they start lambing.

A shepherd doing the same once asked me what happens to the odd triplet that’s left in with the twins (where the scanner has missed her)? They always seem to cope just fine.

 

[Devil's advocate]

I don't even scan. But 4th Feb lambing & start to put high energy blocks blocks out mid Jan. Good hay & swedes plus decent grazing though & high calcium buckets. No twin lamb disease last year but did have a set of unviable quads of which only one survived.

I admit I seem to be on my own with this opinion but would you want to feed triplets more? I find prolapse to be a far bigger problem with triplet bearing ewes than twin lamb disease or small unviable lambs. I do always take off triplets though even though I know they will be fine for the first three weeks after birth.

I would love to try those three in one feeders instead of blocks but don't really have suitable pens at housing.

 

[Jerry]

Will you be feeding concentrates, or doing them on turnips right through? I’m certain triplets compensate with higher intakes on forage only rations, but if you are feeding a set amount of concs, they don’t have that option.

I only pull triplets/thin ewes out from early lambing (conc fed) flocks now. The April lambers (forageonly) all stay together until they start lambing.

A shepherd doing the same once asked me what happens to the odd triplet that’s left in with the twins (where the scanner has missed her)? They always seem to cope just fine.

Current plan is for them to stay on turnips with grass up until about 10 days pre lambing and then move them into the lambing field on good grass.

Will monitor trips and quads and pull out if needed so they can get a bit of conc on fresh grass.

There is plenty of grass run back and little or no mud even after last nights deluge. I have put out a bale of haylage and it’s only half gone after 4 days. That’s to 120 ewes in this block.

 

[Jerry]

I don't even scan. But 4th Feb lambing & start to put high energy blocks blocks out mid Jan. Good hay & swedes plus decent grazing though & high calcium buckets. No twin lamb disease last year but did have a set of unviable quads of which only one survived.

I admit I seem to be on my own with this opinion but would you want to feed triplets more? I find prolapse to be a far bigger problem with triplet bearing ewes than twin lamb disease or small unviable lambs. I do always take off triplets though even though I know they will be fine for the first three weeks after birth.

I would love to try those three in one feeders instead of blocks but don't really have suitable pens at housing.

Prolapses last year were a real pain. Grass never stopped growing and had some big lambs and more prolapses than I would like