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Breckenridge, MI | I'm kind of in a similar position. Two years ago a buddy and I split 45 feeder lambs and tried our hand at feeding them. They were Michigan lambs (smaller framed) we fed twice a day in bunks and had good luck with health. This year we split 120 South Dakota lambs that are just about finished. I've gone to a self feeder and my friend is feeding in bunks. Again, pretty good luck with these as well.
A few things we've learned:
- 80# feeder lambs seem to be the most popular, 100 days on feed and they should be able to gain about 0.5 lb/day and go to market around 130-135#
- when you get them home deworm and vaccinate them then or else you'll never want to catch them again and do it.
- if you're using a self feeder start the corn slow using mostly soy hull pellets and work them up on corn every time you mix feed. Also if you're using a self feeder after a couple weeks you can quit feeding hay and bed with good straw every day, they'll learn quick to pick through it.
- having a neighbor or two who know what they're doing is always a plus
- spend the $3/head to get them sheared
- lambs need 6-7 square feet per head
- from all the guys we've talked to who fed a good number of lambs $10/head is a good profit margin, if you want it to be a viable enterprise you need to turn them 3 times a year.
Pictures
1) Michigan lambs from 2 years ago as feeders
2) Michigan lambs as fats
3) This years SD feeder lambs
4) Buddy's top end cut of fat SD lambs
Edited by MichBeef 1/8/2019 04:34
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