Unexpected in-lamb ewes - what to feed?

Username John

Hello,

A bit of an embarrassing problem here - which does nothing to show my animals husbandry skills (or lack of I suppose it shows)

I have some in lamb ewes, who I would prefer not to be in lamb... They are in lamb to some lamb rams, who at 4 months old, I thought wouldn't have been up to the job... Turns out I was very wrong

Anyways... I now have some ewes getting heavy, I don't know when exactly they will lamb, and as they aren't scanned, I don't know what numbers they are carrying.
So - I am in a dilemma as to how much do I feed them?

I have them inside, on straw and some (ok-ish but not super) hay. I have started feeding them oats, and some soya meal, and they have access to a mineral bucket.
I think this is safer, than feeding them ewe nuts when I am not sure of the lambing date or what they are carrying...

So - any thoughts on what and how much to feed?

Oh - I should add, i would expect they would lamb in the next 2 - 3 weeks, based on weaning date. (I put off weaning this year, as I had loads of grass, and said the small bit of milk the lambs were getting and keeping the ewes on good grass wouldn't do any harm... How wrong I was... )

As I said - bit embarrassed to admit making such a mistake... :mad:

All advice appreciated.

AnFeirmeoir

I think you have it covered. If it were me i'd feed them ewe nut as if the have twins coming in 3 weeks
They'll be fine. Id rather risk a problem large single than twin lambs disease and weak lambs.

Lano Lynn

don't for get clostridial booster

Username John

Lano Lynn wrote: »

don't for get clostridial booster

Good point Lano thanks.

As the majority won't be lambing til mid March - would I be ok to give them all their annual booster now, or would it be too far in advance?

Conmaicne Mara

Username John wrote: »

Good point Lano thanks.

As the majority won't be lambing til mid March - would I be ok to give them all their annual booster now, or would it be too far in advance?

If it's Hep P + then give it to them 4-6 weeks before lambing. Too early now.

J.O. Farmer

Conmaicne Mara wrote: »

If it's Hep P + then give it to them 4-6 weeks before lambing. Too early now.

I would think that would go for any of the clostridial vaccines such as covexin 8 or 10

Conmaicne Mara

J.O. Farmer wrote: »

I would think that would go for any of the clostridial vaccines such as covexin 8 or 10

Only familiar with Hep P +, we dropped Covexin 8 a very long time ago after an indoors flock health issue.

The label of the particular poison of choice should be available online in .pdf form using Google advanced search.

tomwaterford

r they springin???

feed them oats it shud keep them goin witout getting single lambs too big
maybe feed thiner ewes a small bit of 18% meal;

they shud b ok....it could happen to anyone sure:o

razor8

what were they one before now?

Username John

razor8 wrote: »

what were they one before now?

Hi Razor,

They were out on grass up to now. No other feed.

Conmaicne Mara

Would getting them scanned now be of any benefit, I am not too familiar with it's limitations so it may be a silly suggestion.

Username John

tomwaterford wrote: »

r they springin???

feed them oats it shud keep them goin witout getting single lambs too big
maybe feed thiner ewes a small bit of 18% meal;

they shud b ok....it could happen to anyone sure:o

There is one showing a springing, the other few are only big looking yet. No signs of springing.

Username John

Conmaicne Mara wrote: »

Would getting them scanned now be of any benefit, I am not too familiar with it's limitations so it may be a silly suggestion.

I am not sure, but I couldn't justify the cost to scan a few only. I mean, I think the scanner has a call out charge of minimum 50 euro maybe, so to scan a few sheeps would be too expensive.

Lano Lynn

tomwaterford wrote: »

r they springin???

feed them oats it shud keep them goin witout getting single lambs too big
maybe feed thiner ewes a small bit of 18% meal;

they shud b ok....it could happen to anyone sure:o

thin ewes better getting more energy than protien,
protien will make lambs bigger causing further drain on the ewe.
I find whole maize & beet pulp usefull with thin ladies .

tomwaterford

also no harm to have bottle of calcium ready....just incase

razor8

Username John wrote: »

Hi Razor,

They were out on grass up to now. No other feed.

If the grass was good quality I would imagine they will be fine with nuts now, is it possible to leave them out on grass in separate batch and feed them on their own?

Username John

razor8 wrote: »

If the grass was good quality I would imagine they will be fine with nuts now, is it possible to leave them out on grass in separate batch and feed them on their own?

Hi Razor,

The grass was ok, but not super - old grass. But I kept em moved as well, so they should have had a fresh enough pick every few days like.

I don't have the grass now for em, not enough to run two batches. Plus, if I will have some small lambs soon, will try to save the small bit of grass I have now, to put em out on.

So they're in the shed for now, they have straw, some hay and oats twice a day. So we'll see how we go...

razor8

Username John wrote: »

Hi Razor,

The grass was ok, but not super - old grass. But I kept em moved as well, so they should have had a fresh enough pick every few days like.

I don't have the grass now for em, not enough to run two batches. Plus, if I will have some small lambs soon, will try to save the small bit of grass I have now, to put em out on.

So they're in the shed for now, they have straw, some hay and oats twice a day. So we'll see how we go...

They,ll be grand UJ, let's us know when they arrive

jomoloney

Lano Lynn wrote: »

thin ewes better getting more energy than protien,
protien will make lambs bigger causing further drain on the ewe.
I find whole maize & beet pulp usefull with thin ladies .

agree with to a point, but ewes getting near lambing will need P, otherwise will have poor quality and very little colostrum, and sleepy lambs.

we currently feeding a 14% mix to ewes due 6th jan onwards will be upping this to 18% over the next few days

not saying it's right but it works in our situation

Lano Lynn

jomoloney wrote: »

agree with to a point, but ewes getting near lambing will need P, otherwise will have poor quality and very little colostrum, and sleepy lambs.

we currently feeding a 14% mix to ewes due 6th jan onwards will be upping this to 18% over the next few days

not saying it's right but it works in our situation

my appologies, I agree they need protien,I mix the maize with a 18% ration thus increasing the energy and reducing protien%...quality protien vital....fishmeal was great for colostrum.....

Username John

Found this little one running about yesterday morning when I went out



All well. Nice little Christmas present I must say...

Kevhog1988

will have to name him jesus

Username John

theemigrant wrote: »

will have to name him jesus

ha ha - I suggested that, suggestion was turned down by the missus, and was told she should be called Nollaig instead

Username John

Well - just to finish up this thread, all unexpected ewes have lambed here now.

15 ewes, 16 lambs. Most of the ewes had sinlges. Not a huge crop... :rolleyes:

I lost 2 lambs, Singles of course... One was dead when I went into the shed, think the ewe was too long lambing, even tho I checked em a few hours beforehand. And another lamb was coming back ways, and I didn't handle the sheep soon enough, so that one was kinda my own fault.

Anyways, all done now...

Farmer Pudsey

Username John wrote: »

Well - just to finish up this thread, all unexpected ewes have lambed here now.

15 ewes, 16 lambs. Most of the ewes had sinlges. Not a huge crop... :rolleyes:

I lost 2 lambs, Singles of course... One was dead when I went into the shed, think the ewe was too long lambing, even tho I checked em a few hours beforehand. And another lamb was coming back ways, and I didn't handle the sheep soon enough, so that one was kinda my own fault.

Anyways, all done now...

Well if those ewe's were for culling you are no worse off. Maybe just as well they are mostly singles as if you can get them to a bit of grass you will need to feed little enough with it. Or else you can let the twins off and feed a bit to keep going.

If you get them finished around June they will be a nice bonus.