[Jacob-list] feeding

[Neal and Louise Grose]

My guess is that 8 Jacob sheep on 3 acres will be able to selectively graze adequately to meet the needs for adult sheep. If they are not acting hungry, then they probably are not. Young lambs and lactating ewes will need more attention, but they are grazing at a time of the year when the vegetation is young and higher in nutrients. The key to this is the selective grazing. As population pressure increases, their ability to pick and choose drops. As plants mature, the highly digestible growing tips are replaced by wood, relatively indigestible lignin. Feeding the sheep a little on a regular basis so that you can monitor their demands is useful. You may also notice an increase in the quality of the pasture. Do some checking on intensive grazing for your area: you may find it useful to subdivide the pasture and rotate the critters through the paddocks in order to reproduce natural grazing patterns.

Aside note from another question: Jacob sheep are supposed to be seasonal breeders. They normally breed as daylight decreases in the fall. There are exceptions to this as there are in all breeds, such as a ewe cycling after she aborts a lamb early in the lambing season. However, a group of sheep that lambs year around would be suspect of having Finn and/or Dorset in the mix.

Neal Grose
Harmony, NC 
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Scottjr209 at aol.com 
  To: Jacob-list at jacobsheep.com 
  Sent: Monday, June 23, 2003 9:35 PM
  Subject: [Jacob-list] feeding


  Is dry weeds enough for sheep to eat.  I have eight jacobs, and three acres worth of weeds.  I live in Galt Ca.  A lot of sun, and dry weeds.  The sheep look like they get enough to eat.  Do they need alfalfa to supplement their diet.  Or is dry weeds enough for them.  I do give them cobb as treats once or twice a week.

  thank you.

  scott 
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