# average cost of feeding sheep?



## boykin2010 (Dec 9, 2010)

hi i am thinking of getting sheep.  i was wondering what the average cost of feeding a sheep is?  the sheep i will b getting will have constant supply of bahia grass to feed on except for in the winter when it doesnt grow as fast.   
what is the average cost per sheep per day or per month?   if you dont know and you have sheep tell me how much it cost to feed your sheep a month and what they feed on besides the feed you give them.


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## goodhors (Dec 10, 2010)

The kinds of sheep will affect the quantities of hay you need to feed.  Larger animals, Hampshire, Suffolks, meat breeds, would need more feed than small sheep.  Small could be Shetlands, Cheviots, the hair breeds, heritage breeds.  Those smaller breeds were and are, developed to manage on lesser quality and quantity of grazing.

Bred ewes, eating for two, would require more hay.  This would be especially true for the market breeders, who will probably start lambing right after New Years for the Easter market.  After lambing, ewe has to feed herself and lambs, not be losing weight.

Pet sheep you will just need to maintain the weight, don't want them fat.

The varieties of hay you have available, grass, alfalfa, mixed or poor quality, can affect how much you need to feed to maintain the weight of your animals or have them gaining weight.

Do you give grain in addition to the hay?  Any supplemental minerals? 

So we need more details, before we can help you.


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## boykin2010 (Dec 10, 2010)

ok i was thinking hair breeds like katahdin.   they would be kept stictly as pets they WILL NOT be eaten...   is bahia grass considered feeding grass for sheep or does it need to be something different.  the bahia will grow very fast except for in the winter.  do i need to give grain?  sorry i am just now starting to learn and i am considering getting sheep.  but to talk my parents into it they need to know how much it costs to feed them.


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## boykin2010 (Dec 10, 2010)

anybody?


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## Beekissed (Dec 10, 2010)

Never heard of Bahia grass...could you give a description and possibly a nutritive level on this grass?  

My Kat sheep stay VERY fat on just grass and hay....neither of which is exceptionally wonderful.  Just regular pasture and average quality hay.  Actually, I assumed that two of them were pregnant after a spring breeding only to find the ram was old and shooting blanks....but the ewes were just waddling, so I just assumed.  

It really depends on what your hay costs in your area.  I got a great deal on last year's second cut at $2 a bale.  I bought 25 bale of that.  I also got a lower quality first cut hay for spring feeding, which the sheep seem to need to counter the richness of new spring grass.  I got 25 bales of that for $1.50 per bale.  

I have three sheep and they will probably not eat all of that hay.  I also throw a cup or two of black oil sunflower seeds down for them every blue moon to keep some selenium to them. 

You will also have a little money in minerals, whatever you choose to feed. 

I don't find it necessary to supplement with any formulated feeds or grains other than the BOSS.  If you want to train them to come when you call you can get a little whole grains or something...mine will come for the BOSS or even salad scraps.


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## theawesomefowl (Dec 10, 2010)

I posted on the BYC thread on this same subject. I would feed my sheep hay, and they could keep our clover-y, weedy, lawn trimmed so I won't have to rake up grass clippings from the mower.  Plus a salt block, and whatever supplemental minerals they'd need. Q: Do sheep require baking soda like goats?


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## boykin2010 (Dec 11, 2010)

i am pretty sure it is called bahia i may have it wrong.  it sprouts up and then splits like a fork and it has black stuff around the fork i will post a pic of what it looks like.  i know a guy that has his own hay and he would probably give me a good deal on hay. what kind of supplements do they and what type of minerals


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## theawesomefowl (Dec 11, 2010)

Sheep need a slat/mineral block, or loose salt/mineral mix. It seems like you could buy this online or at TSC or a feed store. Find a local sheep breeder and email them.


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## boykin2010 (Dec 11, 2010)

ok this is really really badly kept bahia grass.  it is really tall and you can tell it hasnt been cut in a while.  mine never gets past 12 inches and it isnt nearly that thick.


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## Beekissed (Dec 11, 2010)

> Common warm season grasses include *bahiagrass*, bermuda grass, crabgrass, eastern gamagrass, big bluestem, indiangrass, switchgrass, sudangrass, and pearl millet. Most native grasses are warm season grasses. Sheep have generally not performed as well on warm season grasses as cattle.


Here's a link you might find helpful....loads of sheep info:

http://www.sheep101.info/201/index.html


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## boykin2010 (Dec 11, 2010)

i looked at the website and it was very helpful.  but it didnt answer the question i had.  it seems there are too many variables to answer this question accurately but can anyone please give me a rough estimate on how much it would cost.   or can you just tell me what you pay for your sheep to eat and i will base it on that


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## aggieterpkatie (Dec 11, 2010)

boykin2010 said:
			
		

> i looked at the website and it was very helpful.  but it didnt answer the question i had.  it seems there are too many variables to answer this question accurately but can anyone please give me a rough estimate on how much it would cost.   or can you just tell me what you pay for your sheep to eat and i will base it on that


Why don't you call your local extension service and ask them for help.  We have no idea where you live, and hay can vary greatly depending on your location.  Sheep need at least 1 flake of hay per day, so you can estimate that one sheep would eat a bale of hay in anywhere from 5-8 days, but again it's hard to estimate because not all hay bales are created equal.  Some are 75 lbs and some are only 30 lbs.  Call some local hay people and price some hay. Get some books on sheep, they'll help you figure out what to feed, how much to feed, etc. Storey's Guide to Raising Sheep is a good one, but there are tons of others.


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## boykin2010 (Dec 11, 2010)

ok well i am gonna do some more researching.   i am just trying to get a rough estimate.  i mean sheep would cost thousands of dollars to feed a year will they?  ( if i get 3 or 4 )


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## Beekissed (Dec 11, 2010)

I have three hair sheep on an acre of grass...actually less due to gardens and buildings.  I pay approx. $150 in hay and minerals for the total year to feed these sheep.  Does that help?


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## boykin2010 (Dec 12, 2010)

yes that does help!  would it make a difference if the sheep had more of a pasture to graze on or will the price be the same


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## boykin2010 (Dec 12, 2010)

o and one more question how often do you need to trim the hooves on sheep and how often do they need to be wormed


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## freemotion (Dec 12, 2010)

boykin2010 said:
			
		

> yes that does help!  would it make a difference if the sheep had more of a pasture to graze on or will the price be the same


It will vary from year to year, depending on the condition of the pasture and the cost of the hay....it will cost more in a drought year, less in a good hay/grass year.  They usually prefer grazing over hay, so yes, it will make a big difference if they have access to good grazing.


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## boykin2010 (Dec 12, 2010)

ok well thank all of you for the responses


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## Beekissed (Dec 12, 2010)

boykin2010 said:
			
		

> o and one more question how often do you need to trim the hooves on sheep and how often do they need to be wormed


That too depends on your terrain...I don't have rocky ground, so mine get trimmed at least once a year.  

Deworming also depends on many factors...your breed of sheep, your pasture, your methods, your general husbandry and different weather patterns during the year.


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