Full hand feeding of sheep - management

Summary

Carefully consider the options available when coming into a drought. Keep in mind that the number of options available generally decreases as the drought progresses. Making a decision about drought strategies will require assumptions to be made about drought length, stock prices and feed costs.

Always use the best available information to support these assumptions and when new information becomes available use this to re-evaluate your current plan. This Primefact discusses:

Topics include:

• Stock culling priorities
• Supplementary feeding
• When to start feeding
• Training sheep to feed
• Monitoring the feeding program
• Pregnant ewes
• Lambing management
• Ewes and lambs
• Weaning
• Weaners
• Shearing
• Shy feeders
• When the drought breaks