Feeding Fodder beet

Conmaicne Mara

Right folks, what's the low down on feeding fodder beet to sheep. I have a couple of thoughts in mind.

1. To feed it to lambs I would be over Wintering (Lambs kept next year will likely have been with a ram). Was up at a friends farm today and he was showing me his set up. He had lambs indoors, fd them beet sprinkled with a tiny bit of ration, hay, and a 13% protein Lifeline bucket.

2. To feed it to pregnant ewes in the lead up (say from 6 weeks before) to lambing and possibly for a time post lambing. I would need to also feed a protein source, not sure what, and I presume a mineral bucket and hay would also be needed.

Alternatives to both is concentrate and hay. No silage in this equation as I can't handle it and have no access for it.

Is it economical and more importantly just as if not more beneficial to the ewes/lambs than my current set up of using bagged ration?

Would intend on buying a hand cranked pulper. How much would a 60kg ewe eat per day?

If stored out, not on concrete, possibly on wire mesh off the ground, could be covered, how long would it last? And does it attract rats?

In the dark here so all thoughts welcome (except the ones mentioning silage, it's really, really not a runner ).

ineedabreak

We feed fodder beet here to about 100 Cheviot ewes. Good stuff, really put on condition and ewes are strong at lambing. We feed about 3 beets per day and up to 5 depending on forage quality. Obviously this year it will be 3 beets per day. We only use lick buckets from 6 weeks pre-lambing and feed silage with the fodder beet. We feed it whole, nearly pulp or divide it. I think it’s more economically beneficial, as we only feed the ewes half the recommended ration for the 6 weeks pre-lambing. Make sure it’s washed. One thing do not overfeed as ewes will get fat very quick.

We store it outside on polythene in the field where the sheep are. Cover it with heavy carpet and polythene. Never a problem with rats and store it from January to April. We did this with the snow of 2010/2011 winter and it didn’t freeze. Make sure it’s well covered and it won’t be a problem. Some will tell you it destroys/breaks their teeth, but never happens with us. One ewe on average will break teeth but that’s the most.

Username John

Used to grow fodder beet for the sheep years ago (ah, fond memories of pulling and topping it by hand on Saturdays in November )

We fed it to sheep when they were inside, just half it, and toss it into the pen to them, and they would work away on it.

As far as I know, fodder beet is softer than sugar beet, so doesn't cause the same teeth issues (at least it didn't for us) Having said that, we only fed it to ewes, and not lambs. I have heard people say that it isn't suitable for lambs teeth... I cant comment on that really...

To be honest, its a lot of work, and I would question the benefits of it when you aren't setup for it. Lot of messing with storage, and then feeding, etc... And you still have to feed some bit of concentrate (albeit less)
I know concentrate is more expensive, but for ease of use and the ability to buy it as and when you need it, its just handier I find.
Or maybe I just getting softer and lazier in my old age

tomwaterford

ineedabreak wrote: »

We feed fodder beet here to about 100 Cheviot ewes. Good stuff, really put on condition and ewes are strong at lambing. We feed about 3 beets per day and up to 5 depending on forage quality. Obviously this year it will be 3 beets per day. We only use lick buckets from 6 weeks pre-lambing and feed silage with the fodder beet. We feed it whole, nearly pulp or divide it. I think it’s more economically beneficial, as we only feed the ewes half the recommended ration for the 6 weeks pre-lambing. Make sure it’s washed. One thing do not overfeed as ewes will get fat very quick.

We store it outside on polythene in the field where the sheep are. Cover it with heavy carpet and polythene. Never a problem with rats and store it from January to April. We did this with the snow of 2010/2011 winter and it didn’t freeze. Make sure it’s well covered and it won’t be a problem. Some will tell you it destroys/breaks their teeth, but never happens with us. One ewe on average will break teeth but that’s the most.

Is that 3-5 beets a sheep a day??:o

Conmaicne Mara

I guess at the end of the day I am looking to cut costs yeah. Once performance wouldn't be compromised compared to a similarly priced feed. Extra hassle in handling, amn't I used to it. I wouldn't feed it whole, hill ewes teeth are critically important.

dave747

if you can buy locally or grow urself it is economical but i think if your going to have pay alot for delivery you might be better with ration

feeding to both ewes and replacement ewe lambs here, always chop for the lambs they get hay and mineral buckets for the winter, no ration, find they build a good frame on beet and thrive well after the winter when they go to grass.
As for the ewes i have early and late lambing, chop for the early lambing ewes because they generally older ewes and teeth mite not b the best. leave whole for the later ewes thou and never had any probs with teeth so far neway. in my experiance find ewes eat alot less hay so make savings there and dont have to feed meal for as long either and ewes do be strong at lambing.
good bit of work with beet thou between storing and time feeding, towards just throwing in bag of ration

we store on concrete yard and cover with straw and have little or no waste

Conmaicne Mara

No can't grow or buy locally, it's €45 a ton delivered here (15 or 18 ton load). Washed and ready for the chopper. I'm trying to get a handle on reading ration labels here to figure if we're getting decent stuff or muck. What I do know is it's gone to an awful price per bag. I used not feed any hay at all until the couple of cold years we got, now into the habit of it before lambing. I think it's something I can possibly cut out again with better management. Though a potential change to beet may change that dynamic.

Honestly didn't find the chopping any effort.

dave747

45 a ton washed and delivered a good enuff price, i get 15 ton load for 38 and thats off local lad that doesn't have far to travel

yea i stopped buying bagged ration here couple years ago, bought a little trailor and buy loose now able to get bit better of a deal

ineedabreak

Yeah it's 3 beets per day.

Green farmer

Just wondering how long would a 15 or 18 tonne load of beet last with a flock of 100 low land ewes at 3 beets a day ? I'm feeding hay at the moment but think I might run short and would be good to have alternatives in place.

Green farmer

Was hoping to feed it whole to sheep as don't have a chopper, would the magnum beet be ok ? Or is there any sorter type that's suited to sheep.

Conmaicne Mara

That's another thing, how long it'll last. No idea how many beet in a ton so it's difficult to work out.

J.O. Farmer

Conmaicne Mara wrote: »

That's another thing, how long it'll last. No idea how many beet in a ton so it's difficult to work out.

If you weigh say 10 beets you should be able to work out how many is in a tonne with some simple sums.
Alternatively you could weigh 10 kg of beets and 100 times however many beets you have will be a tonne.

Green farmer

I went away and got a few bags full of beet fodder from a neighbour to try it out.just halved it and threw it into a ring feeder with their hay. Initially they started eating it but left a lot behind. I think they found it too slippery to eat, which means I'd probably have to buy a chopper. The other stumbling block is it's not grown near to where I am so after ringing one or two fellows it seems like a lot of them won't deliver unless your buying 20 tonnes from them.Not as straight forward as I originally thought but if you can get it right still a lot more economical way of getting sheep through the winter.

Conmaicne Mara

Yeah 15-18 ton is what the lad I was told about does deliver. Wouldn't suit me but if I could share a load it might work.

dave747

Green farmer wrote: »

just halved it and threw it into a ring feeder with their hay. Initially they started eating it but left a lot behind. I think they found it too slippery to eat, which means I'd probably have to buy a chopper.

Just throw it out on the ground and they will eat it, thats all i do and they come running for it the same as meal, love it . some will push it around abit in front of them so mayb in the feeder they cant get at it

Kevhog1988

Sorry for thread ressurectiom but are many lads using beet now

Sheep breeder

We are starting to feed it to the ewes now as they lamb whole and when we get more lambed will chop and feed hard, the march lambing ewes will get beet out on the sod for six weeks prior to lambing. We would not be with out beet for stock.

razor8

Is fodder beet any good for feeding ewes sucking lambs?

And how long does it keep before going off?

Kevhog1988

Where are ye buying it