Maintain flock health (From Smallholder)

Maintain flock health

10:02am Thursday 17th November 2011 in Livestock

All sheep breeds are pretty hardy and will happily survive quite harsh conditions provided they are well fed and have access to clean water. Their thick fleeces provide excellent insulation which can be seen in quite dramatic fashion after a heavy snow fall when it often lays unmelted along their backs. This was the case in my small corner of Leicestershire last year when we were subjected to weeks of snow and ice early in December and lasting well into February.

The routing jobs of feeding, watering and bedding down took twice as long and sometimes longer if water taps and pipes proved particularly difficult to thaw. There is no telling whether winter this year will be equally as unfriendly, but whatever stock you keep, you must feed well and remember that even “open winters” will not afford the same quality of grazing seen during the spring and summer months.

Some form of supplementary feeding will almost certainly be necessary so let’s take a look at the feeding options available to keep the flock in tip top shape over the winter months.

Traditionally hay is the staple winter fodder for ruminants. Good quality hay can be high in protein and for many flocks this will be enough to meet the needs of a spring lambing flock, especially the tough native breeds.

For the past two years we’ve been able to make excellent hay which has helped keep our stock in good condition throughout the winter. Good hay looks “bright” and smells sweet. It should part easily with no matted clumps. Any sign of mould or excessive dust should be avoided. Another good test is to drop a bale on hard ground end ways. It should bounce. Due to the dry spring, hay crops have been down this year which has resulted in a sharp rise in price, but the lack of rain has meant that what is available is generally very good.

Silage can be excellent fodder for sheep, but you do need to take care that it is of good quality and is not contaminated by soil as there is a risk of listeriosis which can cause problems to in-lamb ewes, particularly ewe lambs. For the full article and pictures see the December edition of Smallholder magazine.