[Jacob-list] Feeding Question

[Carl Fosbrink]

I recommend feeding the Jacobs a small amount of grain each day due to your poor hay. I would have your local feed store mix ground corn, whole oats and wheat in equal amounts with some wet molasses added.  That is what I feed here with good results. Sometimes I can't get whole wheat so have to use wheat bran instead. With bran only use about a third because it is so light. I only feed a handful per sheep per day shortly before lambing and after lambing, but you might want to feed just a little more to make up for the low hay consumption. My breeding rams run with their ewes year around so they get the same feed with no ill affects. I feed a mix of alfalfa and orchard grass, heavy on the alfalfa, hay and have never had a ram with stones. I have 50 breeding ewes and 3 breeding rams as well as a pen of yearling ewes and a pen of yearling rams. Wish you the best with your Jacobs.

Carl in South Central Indiana


From: Marjorie Schafer 
Sent: Friday, December 28, 2012 12:17 PM
To: jacob-list at jacobsheep.com 
Subject: [Jacob-list] Feeding Question


Hello, 


We are relatively new Jacob breeders (this is our second year). We live in northern IL, and the drought was very severe here this year. We were lucky to get any hay at all, and paid almost twice what we did last year. However--the quality is EXCEEDINGLY poor. Our year-old hay looks much fresher/greener than this hay just cut a few months ago, and the sheep much prefer it. The new hay is dried out and very stemmy. It looks more like straw than hay.  But it was all we could get. 


We supplement our ewes with a little bit of grain each day, so I'm not as worried about them--though they are very hungry right now. I worry some about the pregnant ewes.


But as for the rams--I've read they shouldn't be given grain at all (risk of urinary calculi, among other things). And I'm wondering if there is a way to supplement their nutrition. I've been told that alfalfa pellets can be a good supplement, and we bought a bag of dehydrated alfalfa pellets from our feed mill. But the sheep (and llamas) seem unable to chew them and are not attracted to them at all.


I know many Jacob breeders do not feed  grain to their Jacobs at all, but given the very poor quality of our hay, I'm just wondering how we're going to get through the winter nutrition-wise. Any thoughts?


Thank you, and Happy New Year to you all,


Margie
Round Barn Jacobs
Durand, IL


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