>Since these guys are smaller than your typical woolies, and need > > less protien, I would think they would eat less, but I don't know this to > > be a fact. Any and all advice would be very appreciated. > >It is the way as you see it, but it depends on to the genetics. 98% of our Blackbelly herd has not been able to >compete with the hardy type of stouth wool or african tribal heep >over winter. Either we fed good hay, or they died. Same for St Croix , they >need good feed.There has no selection been over generations, survie for the fittest.
>Not to forget that our sheep lamb every 6 to 7 months and have often time >triples.Lambs have to be able to eat hay and straw the first hours of their live, other wise the best ewe is down in short time. > >Over ten years I selected the sheep for hardiness, fertility and capacity to >be able to live for a few weeks on straw. >Out of the best genetics we raise, one group of pregnant ewelambs have been >fed every second day, low protein hay. >An other group daily with good alfalfa hay and corn silage. Difficult to >understand, but the not so good fed group has had better lambs. I have had >problems to accept that. > >We learned in a long process: If you use replacement rams, look for that >they keep the first set of theeth unitl an age of 2.5 to 3 years.Genetics >which are able to do that have a longer livespan and good capacity to feed >on low protein hay or straw.' > >No trenching or vaccination at all, mark lambs which have parasite problems >and cull them. Ewes with lambing problems, sell them for meat as soon as >possible. Rams should be kept apart and they get only straw for months. >It is amazing how long they do well with that kind of feed and it seems to >me that they are much more healthy that way. > >Replacement ewelambs should only be take of ewes which bred back in April. >No other breed is as fertile and able to be rebred as the Barbados >Blackbelly and African sheep. I have had ewes with triples in January, an >other set in July and they are already rebred. >It did take a high toll over years. Out of 600 BB I kept a 15 ewes, but they >are top producing. The mistake in my program, it is very expensive to work >this way . >On the other hand the workload is down after a good selecting. Today I >manage over 5000 ewes, never helped one at lambing time , often I don't see >them for a week or two. > > >----- Original Message ----- >From: "Julian Hale" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Sent: Sunday, August 15, 2004 3:24 PM >Subject: [blackbelly] Overwintering sheep? > > > > OK, I've read Carol's winter feeding regimen, I'm wondering what other > > people do. I've talked to a couple local sheep raisers, and they feed pea > > pellets over the winter, and supplement with hay(for roughage?). It seems > > to me that alfalfa hay and a bit of grain, while it may be more expensive, > > is a better diet. Since I'm totally new to raising sheep, I'd like to >know > > what other people overwinter their sheep on. Also, approximately how much > > hay do they eat? Storey's says that sheep eat 5-7 bales each over the > > winter... Since these guys are smaller than your typical woolies, and need > > less protien, I would think they would eat less, but I don't know this to > > be a fact. Any and all advice would be very appreciated. > > > > Thank you, > > Julian Hale > > > > > > =============================================== > > This message is from the Barbados Blackbelly Sheep mailing list >(http://www.awrittenword.com/listserv/index.html). > > To respond to this message, send e-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > To unsubscribe or change your membership options, go to >http://lists.coyotenet.net/mailman/listinfo/blackbelly > > To search the archives, go to >http://www.mail-archive.com/[EMAIL PROTECTED]/ =============================================== This message is from the Barbados Blackbelly Sheep mailing list (http://www.awrittenword.com/listserv/index.html). To respond to this message, send e-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] To unsubscribe or change your membership options, go to http://lists.coyotenet.net/mailman/listinfo/blackbelly To search the archives, go to http://www.mail-archive.com/[EMAIL PROTECTED]/
