How to Feed Shelled Corn to Sheep
Shelled corn is an excellent source of usable energy for sheep. In fact, it provides more energy per pound than ground corn, wheat, grain and oats, which are all common food sources for sheep. Because less shelled corn is required for the same amount of energy, shelled corn is also a cost-effective food alternative. With the proper feeding equipment, such as a feeding trough or tub and supplemental protein pellets for young lambs and pregnant ewes, you can easily use shelled corn as a feed alternative for your sheep.
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Things You'll Need
- Shelled Corn (50 lb. to100 lb. bag)
- Barley (50 lb. to 100 lb. bag)
- Feeding trough
- Supplemental protein pellets
Instructions
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Pour rationed shelled corn and barley into the sheep's feeding trough. A ewe will typically need 2 pounds of food per day. When you first begin feeding sheep the corn, you should mix the corn with barley to prevent digestive problems. For every pound of corn you ration, add equal parts barley. If you have six sheep, for example, you will need to dispense 12 pounds of food in the feeding area (6 pounds of corn and 6 pounds of barley).
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Discontinue combining barley with the shelled corn after 10 days. If the required ration is 12 pounds of food in the feeding area, add all 12 pounds of shelled corn.
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Add supplemental vitamin-protein pellets to the feeding trough. Although shelled corn is the most cost-efficient feed, it provides little protein to the sheep's diet. Protein is especially important for lambs. The amount of pellets required per pound will vary depending on the type of protein pellets you purchase. The amount required will be listed on the back of the protein pellets bag. Add the pellets directly to the feeding trough, or give the pellets individually to growing lambs and pregnant ewes.
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Monitor the flock during the first weeks of corn feeding. Aggressive ewes may eat more than their required rations, and you may need to feed twice a day, rather than once. Monitoring is especially important for young lambs, especially if the protein supplement is added directly to the feed. In this case, if the lambs do not get enough of the shelled corn, you should hand-feed them the corn and the protein supplement until they are big enough to compete for their ration.
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Tips & Warnings
If you can purchase a shelled corn that contains at least 10 percent of crude protein, you do not need to use a supplemental protein pellet, except for very young lambs and ewes in late stages of pregnancy.
Whenever changing an animal's diet, you should monitor the animal's behavior and health closely. If at any time a sheep's behavior or mood changes dramatically or signs of illness are present (such as weight loss, vomiting or trouble defecating), contact a veterinarian.
