[Jacob-list] Feeding Question

[Marjorie Schafer]

Hello,

We are relatively new Jacob breeders (this is our second year). We live in
northern IL, and the drought was very severe here this year. We were lucky
to get any hay at all, and paid almost twice what we did last year.
However--the quality is EXCEEDINGLY poor. Our year-old hay looks much
fresher/greener than this hay just cut a few months ago, and the sheep much
prefer it. The new hay is dried out and very stemmy. It looks more like
straw than hay.  But it was all we could get.

We supplement our ewes with a little bit of grain each day, so I'm not as
worried about them--though they are very hungry right now. I worry some
about the pregnant ewes.

But as for the rams--I've read they shouldn't be given grain at all (risk
of urinary calculi, among other things). And I'm wondering if there is a
way to supplement their nutrition. I've been told that alfalfa pellets can
be a good supplement, and we bought a bag of dehydrated alfalfa pellets
from our feed mill. But the sheep (and llamas) seem unable to chew them and
are not attracted to them at all.

I know many Jacob breeders do not feed  grain to their Jacobs at all, but
given the very poor quality of our hay, I'm just wondering how we're going
to get through the winter nutrition-wise. Any thoughts?

Thank you, and Happy New Year to you all,

Margie
Round Barn Jacobs
Durand, IL
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