Adding calcium to sheep feed

JJayoo

hiya guys

2 sheep with calcium deficiency today. Just wondering if anyone adds additional calcium to the feed they are currently giving to their pregnant sheep?

A quick Google has brought up a mine in Cong that sells 25kg bags for animal feed. The website doesn't give the cost but says that it should cost 1cent per 10sheep per day.

Only started thinking about this today so any views/input welcomed

ganmo

were they after lambing?
if they're after lambing ya plow on, if not I'd look at magnesium, it helps mobilize the body's calcium reserves.

JJayoo

No there are at least two weeks away from lambing, gave them a shot of calcium and they were grand. Was just thinking that during this period when there is a high demand on calcium that it would be a very cheap way to get a bit more in.

davidk1394

Is there calcium in the feed your giving them

eorna

How much meal they are getting?
Mayb need to up the meal if calcium is in the ration ( which it should)

JJayoo

There is calcium in the feed. It's just that there is such a high demand for calcium with twin lambers during this period that the addition of extra would benefit the few sheep who suffer from this each year.

All the sheep are graded by number of lambs and then by body condition, and then fed to match this so the amount of feed wouldn't be the issue especially when you might have one sheep going down in a field of 20. I would assume the sheep's genetics have a role to play and that some sheep have a slightly lower absorption rate than others.I suppose there are multiple reasons as to why it might happen.

davidk1394

We have mineral licks in with all the twins. Only seen 1 sheep so far with twin lamb disease