Will sheep eat fodder beet in the feild with grass

[Northumberland]

600 ewes on beet up till lambing then on to grass to lamb.
Lifting excess to sell atm.
Is it worth keeping some back to spread in lambing paddocks. Or will they ignore it to eat grass.
4-5cm of grass atm but sheep will get on top of it by the end of lambing

 

[tepapa]

Yes definitely worth keeping some. Will add a good energy source to balance the protein on the grass. Will help keep the grass for longer as they'll be eating beet as well and will be less of a change in diet to the rumen bugs.

I'd be worried about amount of protein they'll be getting in the last month of pregnancy if on beet right up to lambing, without a decent supply from somewhere else.

 

[Northumberland]

Plenty of tops triplets and lean twins getting a run onto grass for a hour every day.
1st time running ewes on beet right up to lambing so crossing fingers they look well enough atm

 

[Derrick Hughes]

That's how we always did it spread on grass ,with a west dual spreader , the sheep go mad for beet no matter how much grass you have

 

[Shepard 16]

Feeding beet to ewes and lambs on grass at the moment works brilliant

 

[neilo]

That's how we always did it spread on grass ,with a west dual spreader , the sheep go mad for beet no matter how much grass you have

I find they start to leave more of it as the grass starts to grow, but certainly a valuable feed on grass over/after lambing until then.

Have you thought about sowing different grass varieties if the stock won’t eat it?

 

[Northumberland]

Feeding beet to ewes and lambs on grass at the moment works brilliant

What will they eat roughly on grass half a kilo a day or less

 

[Coximus]

upto a kg on rough or short ground, but when the spring flush comes can go down to 100-200g a day at first, I find always settles even into early summer at around 250gish.

In all honesty if youve got it and they have good teeth, give it to them, it can only help keep their condition on and energy levels up.

 

[B Nichols]

My ewes and lambs have, well I think have enough grass, but loving the fodder beet, and definitely happier since having it for a week, so obviously did need it!

 

[Derrick Hughes]

I find they start to leave more of it as the grass starts to grow, but certainly a valuable feed on grass over/after lambing until then.

Have you thought about sowing different grass varieties if the stock won’t eat it?

Have you thought about sowing different beet verieties if the stock won't eat it
When you got 3000 ewes with lambs on the place they eat everything in sight