Shropshire Farming Talk: Take care when formulating in-lamb ewe diets this spring

We have collated the results of over 200 big bale samples produced by sheep farmers and the average results show energy levels of 10.2 ME/kg DM, protein levels of 13 per cent and a dry matter of 50%.

The average needs to be treated with caution as there is a big range within the samples, with some low energy and low quality, while some are high quality.

A lot of silage was made in September, which is variable, but some surprisingly good forage was made in the autumn.

Ideally, farmers would undertake forage analysis to understand their forage quality, so they can formulate a ration specific to their situation.

If this is not possible, I advise that farmers should assume forage is 10 ME or lower.

When looking at concentrates to balance the diet, several nutritional elements must be considered.

These include the energy, protein and mineral make-up of the diet. Cake such as our Ewemaster Nuts are a good go to, as they have the optimum nutritional make-up.

The energy level of the cake should be at least 12.5 MJ to provide the starch and sugar required by ewes and contain a protein content of 18-19 per cent, with at least 5 per cent digestible undegraded protein (DUP).

It’s also important to look at the mineral profile of the diet, as it needs to contain calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and at least 125mg of vitamin E, as well as cobalt and selenium.

For further guidance on forage analysis or balancing in-lamb ewe diets, reach out to the Wynnstay team.

Bryn Hughes, National Sheep and Beef Specialist, Wynnstay