C2B—Lancaster Farming, Saturday, December 20,1980
What’s the cheapest, best way to feed
DOYLESTOWN - It is
going to cost more to feed
your sheep this year, says
Michael Fournier, Bucks
County Agent
The dry conditions
throughout the summer
caused a large reduction in
hay and corn yields in
southeastern Pennsylvania
Hay prices are already high
and some sweet feeds,
which are the major mixed
feeds used by sheep
producers, are over $l2 per
hundred pound bag.
What is the cheapest way
to feed sheep this winter and
still provide them with
enough nutrients to stay
healthy?
Hay, of course, will always
need to be fed The only
alternative to this would be
com cobs These can be
ground and mixed with
soybean oil meal to make a
cheap substitute for hay.
However, few people have
access to cobs, so hay will
still be the major feedstuff.
Four major feeding
periods from pregnancy to
weaning are described by
the National Academy of
Sciences in their publication
Nutrient Requirements of
Sheep Feed requirements
for these periods and
recommendations on how to
meet them are discussed
These recommendations
are for a 13Q-pound ewe For
larger or smaller ewes,
make the appropriate ad
justments
Only three kinds of hay are
discussed- alfalfa, timothy
and orchardgrass In the
calculations, it was assumed
Season’s
Greetings
Here’s to a bright
holiday decorated
with lots of good
things.
FROM THE PRODUCTION STAFF
OF LANCASTER FARMING
that the alfalfa had 17 5
percent crude protein and
the grass hays had about 9
percent crude protein.
Mixed hay (clover-grass)
was not discussed because
the percent of clover in
mixed hay in this area vanes
from as little as 10 percent to
as much as 75 percent A
good mixed hay, should be
fed in an amount somewhere
between the alfalfa
recommendation and the
grass hay recommendation
The first 15 weeks of
gestation, during the ewes
daily nutrient requirements
have not changed too much
from the summer because
the fetus is not growing very
rapidly Therefore, her teed
requirements can be met
with rations. 3 5 lbs alfalfa
hay per day, 3 5 lbs. timothy
hay per day, 3 5 lbs or
chardgrass hay per day.
With alfalfa roughly 30
percent more expensive than
grass'hay, it would not be
economically sound to feed
alfalfa during this period
because the cheaper grass
hays will meet the ewes
needs
A ewe’s nutritional
requirements during the last
6 weeks of pregnancy and
the last 8 weeks of nursing a
single lamb are about the
same Therefore, they are
treated as one feeding
period
During these two periods
the ewes energy and protein
requirements are high and
the feed must be adjusted
proportionately These feed
requirements can be met by
any of the following rations
3.5 lbs alfalfa hay + 1 lb.
corn* per day, 4 5 lbs
timothy or orchardgrass hay
+ 3/4 lb corn (no 2 shelled,
cracked) per day, 5 0 lbs
timothy or orchardgrass hay
+ 1/4 lb corn per day; 4 5
lbs timothy or orchardgrass
hay -i- 1/2 ib of any Ration
A-D per day
Again, during this feed
period it probably makes
more sense economically to
feed one of the grass hays.
First 8 weeks lactation
nursing a single lamb and
last 8 weeks lactation nur
sing twins, during the ewes
daily nutrient requirements
are very high, she requires a
considerable amount of feed
per day The following
rations can meet her
requirements- 4.0 lbs.
alfalfa + 1% lb corn per
day; 4 5 lbs alfalfa + l‘/z lb
com per day; 5 0 lbs alfalfa
+ 1 lb. com per day; 4 0 lbs
timothy or orchardgrass hay
+ 2 lb any Ration A-D; or
5.0 lbs timothy or or
chardgrass hay + 1.5 lb any
Ration A-D
If any alfalfa hay is used,
the first 8 weeks of lactation
would be a good time to use it
because it will supply a lot of
the ewes nutrients Once the
ewe has lambed, grass hay
must be supplemented with
a mixed feed to meet the
ewes needs as com alone
does not contain enough
protein
There is no other time in a
ewe’s reproductive life when
her nutrient requirements
are higher than when she is
nursing twins. This requires
a great deal of feed as shown
in me touowaig rations .-I.C
lbs alfalfa + 2 lbs. com per
day; 5 lbs alfalfa +- 1.5 lb
corn per day, 5 5 lbs
timothy or orchardgrass hay
+ 2 lbs Ration D
As in the above example,
this would be the time to feed
alfalfa because of the high
protein requirements ot the
ewe
By feeding mainly grass
hay and using alfalfa during
the first part of lactation,
you can get by with only com
as your supplemental gram
If you can get alfalfa at a
reasonable price, it might be
wise to feed it during nur
sing Otherwise, jou will
need a mixed feed during the
tirst 8 weeks ot lactation
Remember that the
rations mentioned for each
feeding period should be fed
in the morning and % m
the evening. Ewes should
always have access to salt
and clean fresh water
RATIONS USED IN
EXAMPLES
Ration A
14% Protein
60 lb cracked shelled
s
I
I
I
i . ERB & HENRY EQUIP., INC. . I
i HI ik |
S New Berlmville, PA 19545 PS i
I ■ Ph: (215) 367-2169 H »
I ■ Daily 7to 5:30, Sat. 7to 1:00 ■ |
| H HI g
InkMMRMMIkMMIIMHHMMMMMMIUtMMMIkMMfIIkHIkHJtMIkMIkWItMMfdMMMMHHII
our many good friends. Hope we continue to serve you! |
sheep this
corn; 201 b whole oats; 101 b
wheat bran; 10 lb. com
mercial protein supplement
(36%)
Ration B
15% Protein
80 lb. cracked shelled
corn; 20 lb. commercial
protein supplement (36%).
Ration C
14.6 % Protein
TO VALUED CUSTOMERS
AND DEAR FRIENDS -
BEST WISHES FOR A
MERRY CHRISTMAS
PROSPEROUS
™ W NEW YEAR.
FISHER SPRAY PAINTERS
(HENRYK FISHER INC.)
067 Haitman Station Rd.
Lancaster, Pont.
Phooe: 717-39W830
mimmpii
g
Holiday Season , s
and a special “thank you ” to |
winter?
50 lb. whole oats; 30 lb.
cracked shelled corn; 10 lb.
wheat bran; 10 lb. com
mercial protein supplement
(36%)
Ration D
17% Protein
55 lb ground shelled com;
25 lb. wheat bran; 20 lb
commercial protein sup
plement (36%)
BEST!
. . . for a Happy |
-wmhw|