Hay Feeder

The hay feeder that I mentioned on 12 FEB is pictured here. Joash, one of our rams, is on the left and Frost, one of our two matriarchs is on the right.

You can see the guard rails that I added over the heads of the sheep. These keep them from jumping up into the feeder. The rails are an absolute necessity if lambs will be using the feeder and, as we found out, necessary for some rams as well.

The hay feeder is essentially just a box on feet that is made to fit a bale of hay. I have built three of these and they are all a little different because I used wood that I had on hand.

The design of this box is made to imitate sheep grazing rather than pulling hay out between vertical slats. Waste is minimal. In fact, I end up taking out the stemmy stuff and scattering it around for bedding.

The plastic pans mounted to the front are for feeding salt, mineral, and herbal supplements. Right now we are feeding combinations of the following:

• Loose sheep mineral
• plain salt
• trace mineral salt
• kelp meal
• Restore & Sustain (herbal supplements from Farmstead Health Supply)

Soon, we will add Livestock Birth/Mother Formula, another herbal supplement from FHS. I am currently experimenting with copper supplementation based on research done by Pat Coleby. In case any of you shepherds are saying, "But sheep are sensitive to copper," let me assure you that I'm aware of this. We also know, however, that sheep do need some copper. It just has to be given in carefully measured quantities - hence the experimentation. For more information, see page 1 of the February issue of The Stockman Grass Farmer.

With the exception of these mineral and herb supplements, our sheep are completely grass-fed. Grass, in this case, is a generic term for forages. Our pasture has at least four varieties of grasses, three varieties of clovers, birdsfoot treefoil, yarrow, queen anne's lace and many other plants. The hay we are feeding this winter is primarily alfalfa and brome grass with some timothy, clover and other plants. All of this falls under the term "grass-fed." To learn more about the benefits of grass feeding - to the animals, the earth, and human beings - click here.

Weather today: 24°F/51°F mostly sunny

tags: ewe, ram, lamb, hay, grass-fed, mineral, kelp, forage, Pat Coleby, pasture, copper