What do I feed my sheep?

[Ewenicorn]

I got a herd of sheep recently and they are on long lush grass all the time. I feed them loose minerals as well. I'm still not sure of all that I'm supposed to feed them/supplement on a daily basis. I don't want them to be lacking in any area.

 

[BigFamBam]

I got a herd of sheep recently and they are on long lush grass all the time. I feed them loose minerals as well. I'm still not sure of all that I'm supposed to feed them/supplement on a daily basis. I don't want them to be lacking in any area.

I am new to sheep also. I have been giving them an occasional "sheep block" from the feed store. It doesn't contain any copper. I was told to start giving them a 1/4 cup per day of sheep feed as winter is starting and the foliage is turning brown. I will begin to introduce a good $4 bale of hay. I will continue quarterly worming through out the year.

 

[Mini Horses]

@BigFamBam ... Where do you live? I read "good $4 bale of hay" and want some of that! here only a 35# of so/so is that, in field.

Those big bale's of orchard out west are decent priced but are $20 and up by time they get here to coastal VA. Running 27-33 cent a pound here for brought in stuff. I'll say this, they don't need as much because of good nutrition in it. Still eat plenty!

 

[jambi1214]

My sheep are really picky. I give grain really just in occasion or to get them somewhere but I mainly feed alfalfa (chaffaye) but it's very expensive! $15/50lbs so need another option. We don't have any alfalfa bales anywhere close and with the drought even worse. I have some new sheep that like Bermuda but can't get the original herd to eat it. Any ideas?
I also give them sheeplyx which is also costly now with 14 sheep I was considering loose mineral. I was told at the feed store sheeplyx has protein which is good for my newer/weaker sheep but is the loose mineral a good choice? They are mainly on pasture but chaffaye when pasture is low or winter....

 

[Ridgetop]

I got a herd of sheep recently and they are on long lush grass all the time. I feed them loose minerals as well. I'm still not sure of all that I'm supposed to feed them/supplement on a daily basis. I don't want them to be lacking in any area.

No need to guess at the nutrient level of your grass pasture. Take pasture soil samples and have analyzed for mineral content. Soil minerals will be present in your grass. That will help you determine if a mineral mix is necessary, and what kind. Your local extension agent can help you with soil sample information. Your extension agent can also help you with determining any soil additives or fertilizers you might need to improve your pastures.

I am new to sheep also. I have been giving them an occasional "sheep block" from the feed store. It doesn't contain any copper. I was told to start giving them a 1/4 cup per day of sheep feed as winter is starting and the foliage is turning brown. I will begin to introduce a good $4 bale of hay. I will continue quarterly worming through out the year.

What is your "good" hay? At $4/bale these are probably small bales as opposed to the 800-1200 lb. bales other members are buying. Different hay has different protein levels depending on the variety and whether it is first, second cut, etc. Alfalfa has the highest level of protein. You need to know the protein level of the hay you are feeding and adjust any mineral or protein supplement to that. Protein levels of different types of hay can be found online.

My sheep are really picky. I give grain really just in occasion or to get them somewhere but I mainly feed alfalfa (chaffaye) but it's very expensive! $15/50lbs so need another option. We don't have any alfalfa bales anywhere close and with the drought even worse. I have some new sheep that like Bermuda but can't get the original herd to eat it. Any ideas?
I also give them sheeplyx which is also costly now with 14 sheep I was considering loose mineral. I was told at the feed store sheeplyx has protein which is good for my newer/weaker sheep but is the loose mineral a good choice? They are mainly on pasture but chaffaye when pasture is low or winter....

Sheep will learn to eat whatever is available. Of course, you need to be willing to let them lose a bit of weight in the process. If you have some sheep that are eating Bermuda, then your other sheep will eventually follow their lead when the Chaffaye is not available. Chaffaye is chopped alfalfa with additional yeast and probiotics added. It is very palatable which is why the sheep love it. The problem with the chopped hay in Chaffaye (or alfalfa pellets) is that lower quality alfalfa is used to make it. Since it is chopped up, the stalky bits are ground up and utilized. Sheep do not get the rumen activity they would get on forage or standard hay. Rumen activity is necessary for health.

What breed do you have? Some breeds need more nutrition to stay healthy and others are easy keepers. Also, what are you using them for? Are you shearing for wool, in which case you need a diet that will produce the good wool. Are you breeding and selling for meat? If so you need to feed the pregnant ewes well enough to ovulate and carry lambs to term, but don't overfeed ewes. Fat ewes are less fertile and have trouble lambing.

With the weather problems in various parts of the country, I would suggest that everyone with flocks or herds, no matter the size, start looking for hay in the early summer to buy for the winter. It may be available then and you can hold it over for winter use. Sometimes you can contract with the farmer for a certain amount of hay that he plans to cut. The big hay bales sitting in fields in Texas and the western states are not for sale - the ranchers are holding them to feed their own livestock during this drought. A year or so ago states east of the Mississippi had terrible storms that reduced their hay crop significantly (check FarmerJan's posts). A lot of that hay had a lot of the protein content leached out from sitting in the fields waiting to be baled.

 

[secuono]

You shouldn't need to add anything else until the grass is gone.
Pasture & sheep mineral is all they need.

In winter, good hay. If pregnant or nursing, a sheep feed or hay pellets.

If you have a high maintenance breed, then you might need to always give hard feed of some sort.

 

[jambi1214]

Are they like dogs per say in that fact they won't starve themselves? Removing Chaffaye.and adding Bermuda bales free access...at some point they will leave to eat it?
We had a bale.sitting in their pen for over a year and nothing....

 

[jambi1214]

I have katadhin dorper crosses and honestly they have been on the fatter side. My original ewes have done we lambing but the way I feed I need.to be careful. They are for meat but have yet to sell any....just growing my herd. But they have become pets in the sense they yell at us for food...so I give I ....I'm learning to assess their ideal weights

 

[secuono]

Are they like dogs per say in that fact they won't starve themselves? Removing Chaffaye.and adding Bermuda bales free access...at some point they will leave to eat it?
We had a bale.sitting in their pen for over a year and nothing....

Some of mine will go on strike and loose a ton of weight or eat dangerous plants.

 

[jambi1214]

Some of mine will go on strike and loose a ton of weight or eat dangerous plants.

Good to know....