[Jacob-list] Grain

[kbarrett at bmi.net]

I am blessed with plenty of good pasture. I have not grained my sheep for
the past three years since I started late lambing. I lamb in late April
and the ewes stay fat and sassy on the greening grass with their grass hay
until the full flush of grass, when they start ignoring the hay. They milk
heavily, and are so sleek and chubby on the grass it says to me that this
is the way sheep were supposed to lamb.  I have mostly Jacob ewes, but 4
or 5 straggler market ewes from my kids 4H days.  Even those "high
maintenance" ewes raise twins without grain supplement.  I do supply a
salt/mineral supplement free choice, and use wet cob (with molasses) by
the handful as well as apples for treats. I have occasionally had to grain
the rams to bring them back up to weight when breeding season is in Nov-
Dec and they are chasing their ewes all over the property!
Kate Barrett
Ruby Peak Jacobs
Lostine, OR