Feeding weaned lambs

[MissJames]

I have read just about everything and I'm curious what most of you with lambs feed them.
Almost everything I have found locally,even if it says it's for sheep [as well as cattle such as all-stock],has copper sulfate.Sheep are not big around here so none of the feed stores have anything specifically for sheep.
Does goat food have enough copper in it to harm lambs? I know the goat formulated minerals do.

 

[rooster0209]

The feed I have says for sheep & lama's. If the goat feed doesnt have added copper, then it should be ok

I found some formula's for nursing/weaned lambs to check against the ingredients on goat feed
http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/htm/bc/tmgn43.htm

http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/index.jsp?cfile=htm/bc/182805.htm

Good luck with your lambs. I just got two bottle lambs myself and Im using the self feeding pail method. so far so good.

 

[ranchhand]

Miss James, I don't know the answer- but what are you doing with SHEEP??? I thought you just got goats!

Don't forget about hurricane season coming soon!

 

[MandyH]

Ours are getting a mix of corn chops, soybean pellets, and alfalfa pellets, and are doing great.

 

[MissPrissy]

If you have good pasture and hay they don't really need anything more.

Don't feed the sheep the goat feed. Goat feed usually has too much copper in it.

We supplemented the hay and pasture with feed during the winter for the ewes that were bred - extra nutrition for healthy lambs. While they are nursing we give them one small scoop of feed to supplement the richness of their milk. As soon as we wean no one will be getting feed again until winter.

Our extra lambs are for meat and grass fed lamb is wonderful for the table.

 

[MissJames]

Quote:

I only took 2 ...........

 

[Chicken Fruit]

There is never going to be anything better for a grazing animal than grass. Throw some whole grains in there if you're wanting to bulk them up faster.

We fed corn and hay when we had sheep, and they grazed when it wasnt winter.

 

[Beekissed]

Sea kelp meal and coarse salt makes a good, natural supplement for minerals. The kelp is expensive but they only need a tsp. per day, per lamb, and will only eat what they need when they need it if given free choice. The kelp is very light wt. and lasts a long time.

 

[MandyH]

Ours get pasture only too when it finally gets growing. Right now everything is greening up good and we will quit feeding hay and all.