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The Midland Journal
Rising Sun, Cecil County, Maryland
What is this article about?
Ralph Kurtz of Allen County, Indiana, shares effective lamb-feeding methods, achieving 96-97 pound averages at 5 months old using creep feeding, alfalfa pasture, and farm scavenging.
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'How heavy should a lamb be at 5 months old? One year Ralph Kurtz, Allen county, Indiana, made his lambs average 97 pounds at 5 months. Another year they averaged 96 pounds at the same age. Some, of course weighed more than 100 pounds each, and it is Mr. Kurtz's ambition to obtain an average of 100 pounds.
Mr. Kurtz docks and castrates at 3 weeks old. By that time the lambs will begin to eat grain, so he makes a creep and gives them corn and oats with alfalfa hay. At times silage is fed.
"After grass gets good lambs will not consume much grain," said Mr. Kurtz, "but we feed it as long as they will eat it. We try to finish lambs on alfalfa pasture. That will give them a good finish without grain and gives us our cheapest gains."
Mr. Kurtz keeps 25 grade Shropshire ewes and has about 30 lambs a year to market. In the fall sheep are given the run of the farm. They clean up vegetation in fence rows, glean grain dropped in harvesting and eat weeds or volunteer grain in stubble fields. Ewes get no grain until about two weeks before lambing time.
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Domestic News Details
Primary Location
Allen County, Indiana
Key Persons
Outcome
lambs averaged 96-97 pounds at 5 months, some over 100 pounds; ambition for 100-pound average; 30 lambs marketed yearly from 25 shropshire ewes.
Event Details
Ralph Kurtz docks and castrates lambs at 3 weeks, provides creep feeding with corn, oats, alfalfa hay, and sometimes silage; continues grain until grass is good, finishes on alfalfa pasture for cheapest gains; sheep scavenge farm in fall, ewes get grain two weeks before lambing.