Ummm, good point, John. My grain mix costs about $0.25/lb, so it
would cost less than $4.00/sheep/month to feed 1/2 lb per day. In
contrast, my sheep eat (and waste) about 2 bales of alfalfa hay per
month (alfalfa is just about the only hay available here and none is
available now). So 2 bales at $7.00 each (if I could get it) would be
$14/month. So I really need to supplement the hay with as much grain
as they can safely eat, not only to reduce their hay consumption and
conserve the supply I have but to save money overall. Thanks for
helping me see that.
I have to feed hay for 6 months and then my pasture is good for the
other 6 months. I've been feeding the ewes about 1/4 lb of grain/day
year-round (and more when they are gestating or nursing), so I will
up that to 1/2 lb. I have never fed my rams grain or corn unless it
gets below zero for several nights. I'm going to change that this
year. We'll see if it reduces the hay consumption or not. Because I
feed free choice, I'm just hoping they don't make pigs of themselves.
I wish I could figure out how to prevent so much hay wastage.
Carol
At 05:04 PM 10/23/2011, you wrote:
Carol: I have only used alfalfa pellets (the small ones, Tractor Supply
~$11/40#) as an added treat in a grain mix of corn and oats, or to the 12%
All Stock pellets I now feed. When my pastures turn brown, I use Bahia or
Bermuda grass hay (that is what is available locally in southwest Alabama)
pretty much free choice and put out about 1/4 to 1/2 pound of grain per head
per day. Decent local hay is $5-$6/bale and imported alfalfa hay is
$14/bale. To carry 15 head over the winter I go through about 45 bales
(~50#) of hay. Sheep still have access to the pasture and will nibble
around but they really come running when I add a new bale of hay or put out
the grain.
John Carlton
Double J Farms
_______________________________________________
This message is from the Blackbelly mailing list
Visit the list's homepage at %http://www.blackbellysheep.info
