[Jacob-list] Feeding

[Carl Fosbrink]

I like to give my growing ram lambs a handful of grain every other day so they will come when we need them to. The extra protein may also help the horns to grow larger.

Carl Fosbrink
4Horn Farm


From: Stephanie Rutherford 
Sent: Wednesday, January 02, 2013 10:20 PM
To: jacob-list at jacobsheep.com 
Subject: [Jacob-list] Feeding


I have always fed my rams grain and never had a problem. Like many things how much grain you feed them tends to be the problem. Make sure that it is a quality feed and they are not given the chance to consume massive amounts of it.

On Jan 2, 2013 8:15 PM, <jacob-list-request at jacobsheep.com> wrote:

  Send Jacob-list mailing list submissions to
          jacob-list at jacobsheep.com

  To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit
          http://www.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/jacob-list
  or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to
          jacob-list-request at jacobsheep.com

  You can reach the person managing the list at
          jacob-list-owner at jacobsheep.com

  When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific
  than "Re: Contents of Jacob-list digest..."

  Today's Topics:

     1. Re: Feeding Question (lgnewsome at comcast.net)
     2. Re: Feeding Question (Linda)
     3. Re: lambs (Elizabeth Strub)


  ---------- Forwarded message ----------
  From: lgnewsome at comcast.net
  To: Jacob Sheep Mailing List <jacob-list at jacobsheep.com>
  Cc: 
  Date: Wed, 2 Jan 2013 22:36:50 +0000 (UTC)
  Subject: Re: [Jacob-list] Feeding Question

  Just a note to those feeding Blue Seal Hay Stretcher Pellets... I mix the 50# pellets with 100# sheep grains. My sheep love them, and they think they're getting more delicious grain! During maintenance periods I give about 1/2 cup per sheep of the mix, plus all the hay they want. I feed grain all year, as the sheep come running and it gives me a chance to look them over closely everyday. I also add 1 cup of Ammonium Chloride to the combined 150# of feed to avert urinary calculi issues (have had none). Now to the note... Blue Seal recently changed their label on the Hay Stretcher from "for horses and other livestock" to "for horses and other non-ruminant livestock". I contacted my Blue Seal dealer (I work at a feed store) and was informed that this was due to the fact that in some mills the Hay Stretcher is processed with machinery that also processes Blue Seal Lamb & Rice Dog Food (though not at our regional mill), so there may be a small chance that a trace amount of lamb meal could mix with the Hay Stretcher pellets during production, so legally the label must read "for non-ruminant livestock", even though the chance of contamination is minimal.


------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  From: "Linda" <patchworkfibers at windstream.net>
  To: "Marjorie Schafer" <MHSchafer at oglecom.com>
  Cc: jacob-list at jacobsheep.com
  Sent: Saturday, December 29, 2012 8:10:21 PM
  Subject: Re: [Jacob-list] Feeding Question

  I've supplemented with alfalfa pellets and cubes for over 15 years. When we first had sheep we had trouble finding good quality hay. We have a source of good hay now, which has been tested, but supplies can be limited. 
  Pellets - I've never had good luck feeding alfalfa pellets without mixing in some whole grain. They seem to swallow before they chew and then they choke. There are different sized alfalfa pellets. The ones that are the size of rabbit feed are the worst. The Standlee pellets are the best I've found. The Grainland pellets are mostly dust. I like the Blue Seal Hay Stretcher Pellets, but it's a long drive to get them and my donkey doesn't do well on them.
  Cubes. I like cubes the best - the cubes that have clay as a binder just don't work for me or my sheep. My sheep have had to learn to eat cubes. I crumble them into tubs at first. I do not grain my rams after they are weaned. The rams are in a dry and clean area. I toss the cubes over the fence and they "graze" them. There is no fighting. I've been experimenting with offering the cubes free choice for the ewes.    .. 

  On 12/28/2012 12:17 PM, Marjorie Schafer wrote:

    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

     

_______________________________________________
Jacob-list mailing list, sponsored by Swallow Lane Farm & Fiberworks
Jacob-list at jacobsheep.com
http://www.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/jacob-list


  -- 
  Patchwork Farm Jacob Sheep 

  _______________________________________________
  Jacob-list mailing list, sponsored by Swallow Lane Farm & Fiberworks
  Jacob-list at jacobsheep.com
  http://www.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/jacob-list



  ---------- Forwarded message ----------
  From: Linda <patchworkfibers at windstream.net>
  To: lgnewsome at comcast.net
  Cc: Jacob Sheep Mailing List <jacob-list at jacobsheep.com>
  Date: Wed, 02 Jan 2013 17:50:59 -0500
  Subject: Re: [Jacob-list] Feeding Question

  I've used the Blue Seal Hay Stretcher pellets. I (and my sheep) like them quite abit. The larger size seems to make the sheep spend more time chewing so they don't choke.  As far as I've found in our area, Blue Seal has the only pellets labeled "Hay Stretcher" that do not contain added copper. 
  Linda

  On 1/2/2013 5:36 PM, lgnewsome at comcast.net wrote:

    Just a note to those feeding Blue Seal Hay Stretcher Pellets... I mix the 50# pellets with 100# sheep grains. My sheep love them, and they think they're getting more delicious grain! During maintenance periods I give about 1/2 cup per sheep of the mix, plus all the hay they want. I feed grain all year, as the sheep come running and it gives me a chance to look them over closely everyday. I also add 1 cup of Ammonium Chloride to the combined 150# of feed to avert urinary calculi issues (have had none). Now to the note... Blue Seal recently changed their label on the Hay Stretcher from "for horses and other livestock" to "for horses and other non-ruminant livestock". I contacted my Blue Seal dealer (I work at a feed store) and was informed that this was due to the fact that in some mills the Hay Stretcher is processed with machinery that also processes Blue Seal Lamb & Rice Dog Food (though not at our regional mill), so there may be a small chance that a trace amount of lamb meal could mix with the Hay Stretcher pellets during production, so legally the label must read "for non-ruminant livestock", even though the chance of contamination is minimal.


----------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Patchwork Farm Jacob Sheep 


  ---------- Forwarded message ----------
  From: Elizabeth Strub <hobbyknobfarm at gmail.com>
  To: Carl Fosbrink <fourhornfarm at frontier.com>
  Cc: "<jacob-list at jacobsheep.com>" <jacob-list at jacobsheep.com>
  Date: Wed, 2 Jan 2013 20:08:46 -0500
  Subject: Re: [Jacob-list] lambs

  General, he is awesome!

  Elizabeth B. Strub 
  www.hobbyknobfarm.com





  On Jan 2, 2013, at 2:06 PM, "Carl Fosbrink" <fourhornfarm at frontier.com> wrote:


    Thank you Peg. I have used Chaucer and Diablo in the past and was happy with their lambs. This is General's first year as a flock sire, but due to his pedigree I think he will produce well too. 
          <E59F.jpg> 
          This is General at 18 months His laterals are very wide.  
          <E5CF.jpg> 
          This is General's sire, Diablo. 
          <E5D0.jpg> 
          This is his grand dam, Maverick Ariel. 
          <E5D1.jpg> 
          This is Ariel's dam, Maverick Amita. 



    From: Peg Bostwick 
    Sent: Wednesday, January 02, 2013 1:05 PM
    To: 'Carl Fosbrink' ; jacob-list at jacobsheep.com 
    Subject: RE: [Jacob-list] lambs


    I’m sure you’ll have some great lambs, there, Carl, with such a nice breeding lineup.   Looking forward to seeing them.   Happy New Year - Peg



    Peg Bostwick

    peg at sweetgrass-jacobs.com

    517-626-6981



    From: jacob-list-bounces at jacobsheep.com [mailto:jacob-list-bounces at jacobsheep.com] On Behalf Of Carl Fosbrink
    Sent: Wednesday, January 02, 2013 12:48 PM
    To: jacob-list at jacobsheep.com
    Subject: [Jacob-list] lambs



    Another new lamb here this morning. We had lambs on Christmas Eve and New Year's Day so far. Several more look like they will lamb real soon. It is just beginning here as we have a large flock of Jacobs. This year we are using Chicory Lane Chaucer, Rorschach Diablo and 4Horn Farm's General as flock sires. Best of luck to everyone with their new lambs.



    Carl in Indiana

    4Horn Farm's Jacob Sheep

    _______________________________________________
    Jacob-list mailing list, sponsored by Swallow Lane Farm & Fiberworks
    Jacob-list at jacobsheep.com
    http://www.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/jacob-list


  _______________________________________________
  Jacob-list mailing list
  Jacob-list at jacobsheep.com
  http://www.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/jacob-list




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


_______________________________________________
Jacob-list mailing list, sponsored by Swallow Lane Farm & Fiberworks
Jacob-list at jacobsheep.com
http://www.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/jacob-list
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://www.pairlist.net/pipermail/jacob-list/attachments/20130103/7b41c891/attachment-0001.htm>