A NEW DIRECTION FOR THE OLD RAM

The Old Ram-Australia

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G'day, thought you might enjoy a few sheep pic's.The B.H. Dorpers were mated with a South African Van Rooy,note the hind and tail.The "mob" of W.H Dorpers were joined to a "clean shedding" Dorper ram.It's tough feed at the minute ,but the ewes and lambs look OK to me?T.O.R.
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The Old Ram-Australia

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Hi Bee,not sure i understand ? In the flock shot up until 3 weeks ago it was quite green,the "tall stalk stuff" is a Spear grass and its seed is a curse in the wool,but the new flock "love it" and will reduce its spread over time i expect.

These pics on FB drew response from Africa and the USA, are any of the group in or near Portland ,Oregon?..T.O.R.
 

Baymule

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Your sheep look great. They are in good condition, the lambs look good too!
 

The Old Ram-Australia

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G'day folks,i thought an update on the "big dry" and the plans going forward would be of interest.

First the pics,this week we started "hand-feeding",this large square bale cost $440.00 ,its Vetch and weighs about 750/800 kgs. The next two shown the result of the "hot ,dry winds" we have had over the last week or so.

Here is the plan going forward assuming we do not get any reliving rain.To have the ewes ready to join next year if we do get a break is $500.00 per week or $6K for 3 months.To finish the lambs for 60 days is another $1K. I consider this type of planning essential if your farm is run as a business..T.O.R.
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Baymule

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I converted Kgs to pounds, US. 800 Kgs equals 1,763 pounds. We buy round bales that weigh in at 1200-1400 pounds of Bermuda hay, horse quality, for $55. Our hay guy keeps it in his barn and delivers it to us a bale at a time, as needed. We pay $50-$65 per bale, depending on fuel cost, fertilizer and lease (for the land) costs. Sometimes first cutting will have clovers, rye grass and hairy vetch in it.

A desirable hay is Alfalfa, which is a cool season hay and more expensive than Bermuda hay. It must be purchased wisely as Alfalfa has blister beetles in it in the warmer states. Blister beetles secrete a toxic substance to horses, as they crawl over the living alfalfa plants. Horses will die a horrible death if they eat anything with blister beetles in it, including the secretions and the blister beetles themselves, trapped by the baling process. It does not effect cattle, don't know about sheep or goats.

For the horses, it goes in a horse round bale ring, outside, for the sheep, it goes under their roof in their barn, I put sections of cow panels around it, cow panels have 6" square holes, the ewes and lambs can stick their heads through, but the ram's head is too large. As they eat the bale, I have to pull hay off the top and put it up against the cow panels so the sheep can reach it. I make sure the ram has plenty against the panel so he can reach all he wants. My homemade hay square feeder is accessible to two pens and one pasture.

Horse quality hay is a higher quality hay than cow hay. Cows will eat practically anything, horses are more finicky. Cows will eat Johnson grass, a sorgum or type of sudan grass, horses won't. Johnson grass is considered an invasive, a blessing to some, a curse to others. I sure don't want it!

I converted USD money to AUD. $55 in USD equals $81 in AUD. Dang! you are paying a LOT for hay! How far is it shipped and where does it come from?

I checked on alfalfa hay prices,a load shipped in on a truck from Colorado. A 1500 square bale is $200, USD.
 

The Old Ram-Australia

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G'day,our hay came by road from South Australia,about 800 miles away.this added to the cost because you had to pay the cost of the return trip.

The bales opened up and are great green and fresh.We hope we can get this stuff for the duration until it rains even at the current cost.I will post a pic of the hay tomorrow...T.O.R.
 

Baymule

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I hope you can keep getting this hay too! Do you have a hay barn to store it in so you can buy more while it is available? We had a very bad drought in 2011-2012, so bad that trees died. Grass will come back in a season, but the trees! Hay had to be trucked in, round bale prices went to $125 and up. We were fortunate to find round bales for $80.

It is typical here to buy enough to last the winter. We buy a year's supply, usually second cutting. This year, we bought 10 more, late cutting, that is some very nice hay. Our hay man stores it in his barn and brings it to us as needed. We are BLESSED! We don't have a tractor big enough to pic up a round bale.
 

The Old Ram-Australia

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G'day folks ,its a bit on the "smokey side " today,Fires are away to the East of us at the minute....Here is how that hay looks when the bale is open.

Generally speaking storing hay for us just "ties up capital"and long term storage means that it deteriorates
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and the feed value is lost.,along with the fact that we cannot handle 800 kg bales,i just get them loaded into the trailer and feed them out from that...T.O.R.
 

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