how do ya'll feed?

[herdsman]

how do ya'll feed? I want to feed just hay with no grain (except before breeding or before giving birth.) they will have pasture also. Is that possible? They will be SUFFOLK

 

[Alice Acres]

We feed that way right now.

We used to have Suffolks, and they needed a bit more grain supplemented.

Our flock now is a predominantly Dorper, with Cheviot, Ramboullet, Suffolk in the genetic background as well.
We add in a new ram every 2 years, and usually of a different breed to work with what the ewes are. Our new flock ram is Dorper/Polypay, and just in with the girls now.

 

[bonbean01]

We have Dorper and Dorper/Kat crosses...all hair sheep. We feed the sheep/lamb pellets besides pasture and hay, and give them a plain salt block. The pellets are complete with all the vitamins and minerals...and their source of selenium. Loose minerals are easy to get here, so the sheep feed works good for us. When the pasture is lush, they get less pellets...now with them one month from lambing, it is increased and will stay increased for the first two months of nursing their lambs.

We buy the feed non-medicated. After pricing the loose minerals and vitamins and shipping costs, this works out cheaper and the sheep have had this for years and thrive well. Lambs grow out well too.

 

[BrownSheep]

I would also feed a bit of frain for a month or so before butcher. I would stick with alfalfa hay

 

[SheepGirl]

Suffolks are big sheep and depending on who you get them from won't do well on just pasture. My friend used to raise show Suffolks (sold out of them just to focus on her Shrops) and they got grain even when they weren't being productive (not pregnant/lactating/breeding/growing). Some show people raise their stock that way also. Some raise them like commercial stock, only getting grain when they're being productive. So you got to be careful who you buy from and also the type of Suffolks you buy, because there is a lot of variation in that breed--frame sheep (show), wethersires and wetherdams (show), and what people call 'tweeners' (commercial/production).

 

[herdsman]

Well what is a breed like Suffolks that eat less? I like how the Suffolks look because they are well framed and aint long wooled and I need a breed that will sell in spring time.Any thoughts

 

[SheepGirl]

Suffolks only eat so much because they're big. And they have been in the show sheep industry for a long time. If you get 'tweeners,' the commercial/production type Suffolk, then they are bred to be more commercial--only getting grain during breeding, before lambing, and after lambing, as well as growing out for butcher. If that.

 

[herdsman]

Suffolks only eat so much because they're big. And they have been in the show sheep industry for a long time. If you get 'tweeners,' the commercial/production type Suffolk, then they are bred to be more commercial--only getting grain during breeding, before lambing, and after lambing, as well as growing out for butcher. If that.

Well what I want to do is raise and breed purebred so any other breed do you recommend?

 

[EllieMay]

Our sheep are raised on pasture only and given grain during breeding/birthing times.

We don't have Suffolks, though, we have Katahdins.

Katahdins can thrive on grass/hay alone.

We also give free choice minerals.

 

[herdsman]

Our sheep are raised on pasture only and given grain during breeding/birthing times.

We don't have Suffolks, though, we have Katahdins.

Katahdins can thrive on grass/hay alone.

We also give free choice minerals.

Yes mine will have free choice mineral block also Hey Katahdin sheep look pretty nice and I like that you don't need to shear em. Got anymore info on them?