- Thread starter
- #21
jdhd003
Chillin' with the herd
Select stock feed not all stock that's what i have
Feeding and Parisite advice
- Thread starter jdhd003
- Start date
Ridgetop
Herd Master
Barleycorn is just rolled corn and barley - no molasses in it. Keep them on free feed hay. I don't know what kind of hay you are feeding - that can make a difference in weight gain. You can also use a lamb grower ration which is designed for growing lambs. Mysunwolf suggests starting with 1/2 cup grain apiece and gradually increasing it to 1 lb. each. You need to introduce them gradually to grain. Too much too quickly can give them scours. You have White Dorpers which have the reputation of gaining easily on less grain. Watch that they don't scour each time you increase the grain and if they do, reduce the grain back down. Dorpers take less feed to finish out - too much grain will put on extra fat instead of meat. This is a waste of your feed money.
There is a formula of feed to ADG or average daily gain to plan your lambs' growth to butcher weight. Weigh the lambs each week to check their ADG. If should increase as you increase their grain ration, but never drop below .5 lb. per day until slaughter.
First, you need to figure out their current ADG. They weighed approximately 35-40 lbs at 6-8 weeks. Since your first posted thread was on June 28, let's figure the lambs were acquired about 1 month ago, or 2 weeks before your post. (If my estmated times are wrong let me know and so I can refigure.) The current weights are 54 and 57 lbs at 3 months of age. Figuring the 35 lb. lamb is currently 54 lbs. he has gained 19 lbs. in 30 days. Figuring the 40 lb. lamb is now 57 lbs., he has gained 17 lbs. in 30 days. So feeding just hay and your occasional cut green forage they have gained an average of 18 lbs. in 30+ days which is about 1/2 lb per day or .5 lbs ADG.
Now you know the ADG is .5 lbs per day you need to figure how many days to the weight at which you want to butcher. Since you want to have your lambs in the freezer before hay prices skyrocket, and the breeder said they would make 80-90 lbs by October-November, your goal is the end of October or 103 days.
Since the end of October is 103 days if you can maintain their ADG at .5 lbs. per day, you will put about 50 lbs on them by the end of October. Sounds good, but as the lambs get older their ADG slows down. They are currently 3+ months old (estimated)and it is 103 days to the end of October so they will be 6-7 months old. You will have fed them for 4-5 months to get them to 80-90 lbs. If you can increase their ADG by adding a grain or manufactured pelleted feed supplement you will be able to put them into the freezer much sooner. The better their rate of gain early on, the better for your pocketbook.
If you can weigh the lambs weekly (a lot of work and hopefully you have someone strong to hoick them onto the scale after 65 lb.) and keep in top of their ADG you will be able to adjust their feed intake for the most favorable weight gain. You also need to look up how to feel for finish (the fat covering) and yes, you can only feel it. Dress out on lambs is about 45-55% so it is better to put more meat on a small frame quickly.
Hope this helps you. I would appreciate hearing how your lambs gain so if you could keep us posted about the ADG that would be great. You can also send me a message. Thanks.
There is a formula of feed to ADG or average daily gain to plan your lambs' growth to butcher weight. Weigh the lambs each week to check their ADG. If should increase as you increase their grain ration, but never drop below .5 lb. per day until slaughter.
First, you need to figure out their current ADG. They weighed approximately 35-40 lbs at 6-8 weeks. Since your first posted thread was on June 28, let's figure the lambs were acquired about 1 month ago, or 2 weeks before your post. (If my estmated times are wrong let me know and so I can refigure.) The current weights are 54 and 57 lbs at 3 months of age. Figuring the 35 lb. lamb is currently 54 lbs. he has gained 19 lbs. in 30 days. Figuring the 40 lb. lamb is now 57 lbs., he has gained 17 lbs. in 30 days. So feeding just hay and your occasional cut green forage they have gained an average of 18 lbs. in 30+ days which is about 1/2 lb per day or .5 lbs ADG.
Now you know the ADG is .5 lbs per day you need to figure how many days to the weight at which you want to butcher. Since you want to have your lambs in the freezer before hay prices skyrocket, and the breeder said they would make 80-90 lbs by October-November, your goal is the end of October or 103 days.
Since the end of October is 103 days if you can maintain their ADG at .5 lbs. per day, you will put about 50 lbs on them by the end of October. Sounds good, but as the lambs get older their ADG slows down. They are currently 3+ months old (estimated)and it is 103 days to the end of October so they will be 6-7 months old. You will have fed them for 4-5 months to get them to 80-90 lbs. If you can increase their ADG by adding a grain or manufactured pelleted feed supplement you will be able to put them into the freezer much sooner. The better their rate of gain early on, the better for your pocketbook.
If you can weigh the lambs weekly (a lot of work and hopefully you have someone strong to hoick them onto the scale after 65 lb.) and keep in top of their ADG you will be able to adjust their feed intake for the most favorable weight gain. You also need to look up how to feel for finish (the fat covering) and yes, you can only feel it. Dress out on lambs is about 45-55% so it is better to put more meat on a small frame quickly.
Hope this helps you. I would appreciate hearing how your lambs gain so if you could keep us posted about the ADG that would be great. You can also send me a message. Thanks.
