Out-wintering on Fodder Crops - Eblex

Sheep Performance & Financial implications
FINISHING LAMBS ON FODDER CROPS
Average stocking rate
(lambs/ha)
Growth rate
(g/day)
Area of grass run back
per 100 lambs (ha)
Short keep lambs Medium keep lambs on Long keep lambs
on forage rape swedes or kale finished on swedes
50 86 38
273 147 243
1 1 1
Hay fed (kg/100 lambs) - 1120 2310
Concentrates /cereal
fed (kg/100 lambs)
Total variable costs
(£/lamb/day)
Total variable costs
(£/kg LWG)
Source: The Farm Management Handbook 2006/07, SAC 2006
The table above gives an example of the type of
performance that is possible from grazed fodder
crops.
Forage crops are potentially cheap sources of
feed for holding or finishing store lambs and
finishing cull ewes. Growth rates up to 250g per
1000 1000 1500
0.15 0.10 0.14
0.55 0.68 0.58
18
day have been reported, however performance
can be variable and will depend on crop yield and
efficiency of utilisation. Utilisation tends to be
optimised when grazing pressure is high and
weather conditions are good, soiling of crops will
lead to rejection.