how/when to phase in hay for winter? (for sheeps)

[patandchickens]

Our grass is still growing a bit, and as-yet-ungrazed areas still have a heavy standing crop of good green living stuff, but we've had our first killing frost now and it won't be SO long before the grazing is done for the year.

I've never actually worried about this with the horses (I always just start adding hay as their available pasture nutrition drops and it starts seeming like they'd lose weight if I didn't hay them some), but I do not know if ruminants are different. Does the rumen flora need more time to adapt?

I guess my question is, how long/gradual a changeover period should I be planning for, going from all-grazing to all-hay? (It's a mostly-grass not-much-alfalfa mix hay, fwiw).

This is in conjunction with getting ready to breed them, too, if that matters -- I believe I will put the ram in with the girls in early November. (that should get me April lambs, yes? fates willing?)

AFAIK everybody seems in good body condition at present, based on feeling for the bony structures of the loin. Actually the ram is probably a bit porkier than he should be but with only 3 girls I should think he'd still be able to get the job done.

Thanks,

Pat

 

[miss_thenorth]

Curious to hear what is suggested. We haven't had frost yet, but just the other day, I threw out a flake (from a small square) of 2nd cut alfalfa hay. They didn't eat all of it, so i'll probably wait until there is not much more for them to eat.

Are you going to get them alfalfa hay for when they are pregnant? I was under the impression they needed something more than grass hay for pregnancy/lactation.

 

[aggieterpkatie]

I think you'll be safe switching over cold turkey from grazing to hay. Usually you have to worry about doing the opposite, but feeding hay is pretty safe. If you wanted, you could always offer a flake a day free choice so they can eat it if they want to while they're still grazing. You'll probably find they prefer grazing though.

 

[Beekissed]

I switch over completely when I notice the gals stealing hay from my stores on a regular basis. That's when I know they are needing to supplement their graze. I'm sure that don't work for everyone but it works well in my setup.

Last year I didn't have to pen them and start feeding hay until the end of Nov. This year we had a drought so I'm getting the winter pen ready now and will soon place them there to let my grass recover well and good before spring.