Feeding sheep oats pre-lambing

Username John

Hello,

My few sheep will be lambing in a few weeks.
They are still out on grass, but I have started feeding them, and will be increasing over the next few weeks.

I am looking at what to feed them.

I would only be getting a ton, as this would do me for pre and a small bit of post lambing feed. I have good grass closed up since Oct / Nov for them after they lamb.
Also - I would be getting small bags, as I find them the handiest, as I dont have handling facilites for the big bags.

We always fed sheep pencils / nuts, as it was the easiest, but not the cheapest.

So - this year, I am looking at getting some whole oats.
Few reasons for this
1) Not put as much weight onto the unborn lamb (which I think the nuts does)
2) I have heard good things re feeding oats
3) I know exactly what I'm feeding (vs what is in nuts)
4) Cheaper (Whole oats @ 220/ton vs nuts @ 300/ton)

One thing though, is if I was to feed oats, I think I would need to add extra protein in the last 2 weeks? Any ideas how much? So this would increase the cost of feeding oats, but if the other benefits were there I woudlnt mind.

I am interested to hear if people have fed oats, and see a big difference come lambing time?

Or any thoughts on the above would be welcome.

Thanks in advance.

razor8

Haven't fed straight oats but i hear people are using soya hulls with straw pre lambing and then in final weeks using straight soya to increase protein in final few weeks

i always feed nuts for final 5 weeks only

Username John

razor8 wrote: »

Haven't fed straight oats but i hear people are using soya hulls with straw pre lambing and then in final weeks using straight soya to increase protein in final few weeks

i always feed nuts for final 5 weeks only

Thanks for response Razor.

I'd say I will prob end up feeding whole oats for a bit, then mix oats+nuts for the last 2 weeks or so. I'll let you know how it goes

reilig

When we had a good stock of sheep and grass was at a premium, we always fed rolled oats to the ewes carrying twins or triplets. Ewes carrying singles got only grass.

We fed approximately 2 to 3 lb per head per day.

We found that it kept condition on ewes - if we didn't feed it for the 4 to 6 weeks before lambing, ewes would become noticably thinner.

It also left us with better lambs - they were hardier, easier to lamb and quicker to get on their feet.

We never fed protein along with the oats. They were always either on grass or indoors getting good quality silage.

Make sure the oats is rolled. Sheep will only partially digest whole oats.

Username John

reilig wrote: »

We never fed protein along with the oats. They were always either on grass or indoors getting good quality silage.

Make sure the oats is rolled. Sheep will only partially digest whole oats.

Hi Reilg,

Thanks for info.

Really? Only partially digest? Everything I have read, and have been told that sheep can digest whole grains?

Ok - something else to think about.

jmrc

Roll the oats, aids digestion, be sure it's not too windy feeding them cos they can blow away...

reilig

Username John wrote: »

Hi Reilg,

Thanks for info.

Really? Only partially digest? Everything I have read, and have been told that sheep can digest whole grains?

Ok - something else to think about.

I'm no expert on it. I have seen a neighbour feed whole grain oats (that he got cheap) to sheep and you could see the grains coming out through the manure. If you feed rolled stuff, you won't see it in the manure. I presume, therefore, that they'll get more benefit from rolled oats.

razor8

have ye had many prolapses with feeding oats?

reilig

razor8 wrote: »

have ye had many prolapses with feeding oats?

That was a concern for us. But we monitored it closely. We found that there were no more prolapses with feeding oats than not feeding oats. However, we found that feeding nuts had a higher number of prolapses - possibly because the nuts swell when they get moisture in the stomach and intestine. It was the main reason why we changed from feeding nuts.

Might have been unique to us though!!

snowman707

for to minimise labour we buy a bulk 18% sheep ration which which would contain a certain % of rolled oats

we also buy a couple of ton of rolled oats,

5 to 6 weeks pre lambing we introduce a mix of about 50/50 ration and oats and we cut back on the oats as lambing approaches, after lambing ration only is fed

we found less prolapse issues since we adapted this approach ....... but this could also be of a strict culling regime and retaining ewe lambs only from good trouble free blood lines ,

there has been some research into feeding whole grain, and grains been passed in the dung, initial findings were that most of the nutritional value was removed from the passed grain. and that sheep benefit from the inclusion of whole grain

sea12

I fed use yo always feed sheep nuts and some rolled barley. I then heard that oats would be better than barley to mix as it would the ewes energy without allowing the lambs to grow too big.However I didnt find that at all and will go back to the rolled barley this year i think.