Feeding Supplements to hinds and fawns

Dallas and Sarah Newlands identified with their SCNO Advance Party the need to increase feed on offer to fawning hinds and young stock on their Oamaru property.

Dallas and Sarah Newlands and the SCNO The Advance Party noted that the hills at Maraeweka were very dry (2 Dec 2014) and the newly developed rape & grass paddocks had barely struck. Hinds were obviously under pressure for feed and were in the midst of fawning.
The opportuntiy was to increase feed on offer to ensure optimal lactation in the hinds and increased fawn growth rates.
Note: This is a weaner finishing operation.

Aim

Maintain hind body condition now or fawn growth rates will suffer.

Tactics

Feed palm kernel straight away to supplement hind diet until feed comes away after rain.
- Why Palm Kernel? -PKE is around $220/tonne compared to barley in the silo worth $400/tonne if you sell it. Dallas produces his own barley and has sold barley in the past.
Feed 2-3kg/head per day in a bin near the gate where filling won’t disturb fawns. Could borrow a dairy farmer’s wheely bins.
Feed twice a week as they won’t gorge themselves.
At the start sprinkle grain on top to get them started.
- Fawns will learn to eat grain and PKE from their mothers. There is the option to use an Advantage feeder to give fawns access to grain but both are expensive.
Wean early i.e. late February / early March. Fawns won’t suffer if they are not getting much from their mother anyway.

Success indicators

Focus on hind condition score and target 80% mated in the first cycle.
Hinds are milking well
Improved weaner weights off mum

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