Need feeding advice for 3 month old lambs

[patandchickens]

I am now officially a sheep owner! The flock, all both of it, are named Peace and Hope (as per my 5 yr old son) -- January-born Dorset X British Milksheep ewe-lambs.

They have apparently never been out of the barn or on pasture. The sheep lady suggested I start out with lamb creep pellets, mixing in more of the feedstore's grain mix over the next week and then tapering off all of it once they are firmly established on pasture. Evidently they have been being "fed up" on pretty high-octane grain rations til now, and she is concerned that they not go off it too abruptly.

Currently they are in a 4x14' roofed chainlink pen, concrete floor bedded in not-that-great quality grass hay (cuz it's what I've got). I gave them a tub with the lamb creep feed and some of the mixed grains in it, and they are picking at that and at the better parts of the hay, and they are drinking water. They also have a little bucket with sheep loose minerals in it.

First question: Do you agree with the sheep lady's advice re: creep pellets and grain? Is it ok to have somewhat poor quality grass hay accompanying this, just til they get out on grass?

Then there is the issue of when/how to introduce grass. They are somewhat wild, especially Hope (Peace is living up to her new name ) so I really need to keep them well-confined for a little while til they are not so skittish, rather than uncorking them immediately into the 80x100 paddock. But I *could* take 3 spare 14x6' chainlink panels and make a little grass 'yard' for them off the end of their current run, so they could learn about grass in a confined area. I think I would like to do it that way.

Second question: WHEN would you start allowing them some access to grass (the first ever in their lives), and how gradually would you suggest introducing it? The sheep lady basically said 'wait a week, then let em out into the pasture and they'll be fine' but I do not want to learn more than necessary about Exploding Sheep and other veterinary type things at this point, so I am wary.

All advice greatly appreciated, pics coming this evening,

Pat

 

[ksalvagno]

I don't own sheep but what we do with alpacas is allow them on the grass for about an hour, do that for a couple days, then increase it to 2 hours for a couple days, etc.

I have been letting my goats out on grass for a couple hours at a time. So far they still have normal pellets. I will gradually increase their time out on pasture. Not sure about the timeframe since we are still in early spring and can get bad weather.

What was suggested to you for feeding sounds good. You always want to gradually change over to any new feed.

Also, I think that is a good idea to give them a little grass area to get used to while still confined.

 

[miss_thenorth]

I have three month olds and two month olds. I started them out on the creep feeder grain and hay, then gradually switched them to 2 parts oats, 2 parts corn, and one part lamb ration. Plus hay. Right now I am weaning them all off grains gradually, as they are eating my front lawn as we speak. (ds is happy about that as he won't have to mow it)

 

[aggieterpkatie]

I personally would keep them on grain until they're a bit older, unless your pasture is really high quality and has a good bit of legumes (such as alfalfa or clover) in it. Lambs need lots of protein and I always think it's better to feed them grain while they're young so they develop well and then switch them to purely grass. If your hay is poor quality, then it's even more important to give them grain. As far as introducing pasture, ksalvagno gave good advice. Start slowly then increase it. And always make sure they've been fed hay first so they're less likely to gorge themselves on grass.

As far as the creep feed and sheep feed, you can feed the same grain as both. Most times feed stores carry lamb grower or lamb developer and that should suffice for both lamb feed and adult ewe feed. Even when you decide you want them to be off grain, I'd still suggest feeding a little now and then because it's a good way to get them to follow you (rattle the grain bucket). It'll also help you catch them until they calm down a bit.

Can't wait to see pics.

 

[patandchickens]

OK, here are pics (I think -- I hope I can link to images uploaded through a different one of Rob's forums -- guess I'll find out ). Hope on left, Peace on right.

They are not the very cleanest sheep in the world but I think I'd better befriend them before worrying about their personal grooming.

If y'all see anything suspicious about them healthwise, by all means let me know (although I will probably be getting the vet out next week, to vaccinate the horses and look at the sheep and maybe vaccinate them too).

Hope's ear tag is kind of funny, the hole is not well healed and it seems like it is on too tight (loop too short) for her ear, I do not know whether that is tolerable or it will have to be replaced or what but it doesn't seem like a major worry right now. Peace looks a little sort of "bug-eyed" to me, but hopefully that is just a personal idiosyncrasy (and these are not meant to be show sheep) rather than Something Ominous?

Thanks everyone for the feeding advice. OK, I will not be in a hurry to taper off the hard feed. The pasture is pretty good and does have some white clover in it, but I don't want to stunt their growth or anything like that.

I think what I'll do is tomorrow afternoon set up the chainlink panels (want DH to help, awkwardly heavy otherwise) and then maybe start letting them out into that patch of grass for a short while each day after they get fed in the morning, and sort of play it by ear.

Thanks very much, expect more stupid questions from me as time goes on ,

Pat

 

[aggieterpkatie]

They look cute and they're pretty clean! What type of eartags to they have? It looks like Hope has a yellow plastic tag, but it looks like Peace has one of those awful tags that clamps around from the outside. Like this kind. I hate those kind! They always seem to get infected and never heal right. Can you just cut the tags out? Are you ever going to show or transport the animals? If not, you can remove the tags and replace with a tag of your choice or just leave them out. You can always spray BluKote or some other wound spray on the hole so it heals properly.

 

[Mea]

Second question: WHEN would you start allowing them some access to grass (the first ever in their lives), and how gradually would you suggest introducing it? The sheep lady basically said 'wait a week, then let em out into the pasture and they'll be fine' but I do not want to learn more than necessary about Exploding Sheep and other veterinary type things at this point, so I am wary.

All advice greatly appreciated, pics coming this evening,

Pat

What we do, with both the sheep and goats, is to make certain that they have had a good feeding of hay Before they go out on the pasture. It seems to slow down their desire to inhale the fresh grass a bit. We do that daily until WE are satisfied that all is going well for the animals. Watching the manure carefully for loosness etc.

And, yes, our lambs do get their grain as well. Keeps them growing.

 

[Beekissed]

I do grass and hay only, handful of BOSS and oats on occasion for training purposes and a good mineral/salt choice. I've heard that sheep will regulate their new grass intake if hay is provided to balance roughage and this has proven true for my gals.

I don't feed grains on a regular basis and prefer the slow growth of grass feeding. Unless your lambs are being fattened for a quick market return, there is really no need for grain supplements if you have abundant grass in your pasture.

The visiting ram I am now hosting had not been out on grass yet and his master(long time sheep farmer) said it was okay to do it without preamble...I was a little worried but kept hay handy for his rumen needs. He didn't even touch the hay and hasn't had his nose out of the sward since the first day! His stool is not healthy pellets yet but he hasn't had any bloating issues.

 

[aggieterpkatie]

I
The visiting ram I am now hosting had not been out on grass yet and his master(long time sheep farmer) said it was okay to do it without preamble...I was a little worried but kept hay handy for his rumen needs. He didn't even touch the hay and hasn't had his nose out of the sward since the first day! His stool is not healthy pellets yet but he hasn't had any bloating issues.

It's not usually good practice to just turn them out and let them go to town. I'm glad your boy didn't have any issues, but it's really not recommended to do that.

 

[patandchickens]

They may look clean from a distance, but up close, not so much

What type of eartags to they have? It looks like Hope has a yellow plastic tag, but it looks like Peace has one of those awful tags that clamps around from the outside.

Nope, they are both the kind that is a strip that clamps around from the outside. Peace's has not healed quite right (it is not *badly* infected, just not 'right') and seems to have been put on too far into the middle of the ear.

Can you just cut the tags out? Are you ever going to show or transport the animals? If not, you can remove the tags and replace with a tag of your choice or just leave them out. You can always spray BluKote or some other wound spray on the hole so it heals properly.

I guess I need to find out what the Canadian regulations are about replacing tags. (Same sort of scrapies-identification program deal as in the states). My preference would probably be to either remove it and then not worry about replacing it until/unless I decide to sell her or have her processed (neither of which I am currently contemplating, but ya never know) or replace it now with something comfier for her. Maybe I will see what the vet says next week, he will probably know the relevant regulations.

They were more relaxed about me this morning. Probably a good night's sleep and the fact that I had a grain can in my hand helped <g>, but I *did* spend a fair amount of time sitting in there with them yesterday too.

Do you think it's ok for them to have poor grass hay (plus the grain/pellets) while I am transitioning them to grass, or do you think I should be calling around to see who I can buy a bale of something better from? What I have is basically timothy with a little bit of alfalfa baled in but not much, it is fairly stemmy timothy and I would doubt the protein is any more than 8-9% tops, though I have not had this lot analyzed. I save these poorer bales for the end of the season for the horses, when they mainly just need roughage not nutrition as the grass is starting to come in.

Sheepishly,

Pat