Feeding meal to freshly lambed ewes at grass

skoger

I know you're supposed to feed meal to ewes for 3 or 4 weeks after lambing to get peak milk yield but can you reduce the amount you feed from what they're on with silage inside? How much would you give them? Our silage is low in protein and the twins need .9 kgs when they lamb.

rangler1

skoger wrote: »

I know you're supposed to feed meal to ewes for 3 or 4 weeks after lambing to get peak milk yield but can you reduce the amount you feed from what they're on with silage inside? How much would you give them? Our silage is low in protein and the twins need .9 kgs when they lamb.

Ewes need at least one kg 18% meal/day with average silage to milk enough for two lambs,.

skoger

rangler1 wrote: »

Ewes need at least one kg 18% meal/day with average silage to milk enough for two lambs,.

The silage test results said .9 would be enough. How much would they need on grass? When they lamb they go out after a day or two and don't see silage again unless grass gets tight

rangler1

skoger wrote: »

The silage test results said .9 would be enough. How much would they need on grass? When they lamb they go out after a day or two and don't see silage again unless grass gets tight

If they have over 5-6 cm of good quality grass, they don't need meals
Under 5cms they physically can't eat enough to produce milk for two lambs

Green farmer

Rangler , those grass measuring plate tools, are they easily sourced ? Do they cost much ?

rangler1

Green farmer wrote: »

Rangler , those grass measuring plate tools, are they easily sourced ? Do they cost much ?

I'd say they're easier sourced than paid for, supposed to be very expensive, I think they're called a rising platemeter, I got mine years ago when I was doing some trials for teagacs...so didn't have to pay for it.
Just Googled it there......as I thought, expensive

http://www.grasstecgroup.com/product/filips-manual-folding-plate-meter/

Green farmer

:eek: I think I'll continue to my eye as a judge for the foreseeable future

rangler1

Green farmer wrote: »

:eek: I think I'll continue to my eye as a judge for the foreseeable future

I tell everyone that I use my phone to measure grass ??????
My phone is 5cms wide, so when I put it down on its side, the grass has to be higher.....not easy on the first of april

Green farmer

That's a simple solution. There usually the best ones .

rangler1

Green farmer wrote: »

That's a simple solution. There usually the best ones .

I'd usually get by the first 2 - 3 weeks after lambing with just grass, lambs can stand a bit of hassle after that and if I run out of grass and start mealfeeding, they don't get lost in the chaos

Green farmer

Grass...... That's my big target area this year. Waiting on soil test results. Want to keep lambs moving this year. Proper grass grow is the only way to do it.