Feeding (tail end) lambs ration at grass

Username John

Hello,

I have a few lambs left, that are a mixture of weights. They are on fairly good grass now, but its hard to know how well they'd do on grass alone at this time of the year.

So I have decided to give em 0.2kg / day for a few weeks.

My thinking is to give em that small bit over a longer time, so they'll still make some weight off the grass, but will make that bit extra off the ration.

What do ye think? If they were fit enough for the factory before Christmas (in 7 weeks time), I'd be happy enough.

I suppose my questions are
- Lambs on grass + 0.2kg/day, over 6 weeks, what weight would they put on in 6-7 weeks?
- How would the 0.2kg ration affect kill-out (or is it so little, it wouldn't affect it much at all?)

Thanks all

Green farmer

John, I started that also, I've upped to from .2kg to .6kg or .7kg a day after 2 weeks as they are eating it and the field is starting to get bare. they come running when I enter field. Don't know how long it will take them to finish but, whatever you spend on meal should cover itself as finished lambs price is starting to rise at factory so whenever their right they'll go. Keep an eye at feeding troughs to get an idea how their getting on at different feed levels to see if their leaving any behind.

AnFeirmeoir

Username John wrote: »

Hello,

I have a few lambs left, that are a mixture of weights. They are on fairly good grass now, but its hard to know how well they'd do on grass alone at this time of the year.

So I have decided to give em 0.2kg / day for a few weeks.

My thinking is to give em that small bit over a longer time, so they'll still make some weight off the grass, but will make that bit extra off the ration.

What do ye think? If they were fit enough for the factory before Christmas (in 7 weeks time), I'd be happy enough.

I suppose my questions are
- Lambs on grass + 0.2kg/day, over 6 weeks, what weight would they put on in 6-7 weeks?
- How would the 0.2kg ration affect kill-out (or is it so little, it wouldn't affect it much at all?)

Thanks all

in the very same boat. feeding .2kg on below average grass. i've been weighing and they are moving up veeeeery slowly. Theyre averaging 37KG so as the grass runs out they'll probably start standing still if i dont up the meal, I could throw a bale of silage in but i know from experience that the wont touch silage until there is NO grass

AntrimGlens

I'd be starting them at a min of 0.5kg each and moving on from there. Depending on grass quality leaf or dead matter and their weights you'd want to have them away before xmas, as price will more than likely slip from then on.

Green farmer

Would it slow them down or speed them up if they were put into a shed and given silage along with .6kg meal ?

ganmo

If ya wanted to get the best performance shear, house feeding silage and meal