By Theresa Gibilisco, owner, The Hungry Puppy
There's one bag in our feed room that I talk about more carefully than any other. It's not a fancy feed, and lambs do well on it. It's our Nutrena Country Feeds 16% Pelleted Sheep Feed Medicated, and the reason I'm careful is the medication in it: Bovatec, also called lasalocid.
Bovatec is a good tool for lambs. It can also kill a horse. So this post is a plain list of who this feed is for and who should never get a mouthful of it.
What's in the bag
- 16% protein, 3% fat minimum, 14% fiber maximum.
- No added copper. Copper runs 5 to 12 ppm, which is what you want for sheep.
- Lasalocid at 15 mg per pound of feed, to help prevent coccidiosis.
- Fortified with vitamins and minerals, including selenium and vitamin A.
The label says to feed it continuously at 1.0 to 4.66 lb per head per day, depending on body weight, so each lamb gets between 15 and 70 mg of lasalocid a day. It's meant to be the main ration, with a little hay on the side (a quarter to a half pound per head per day). Lambs that haven't been on a high energy feed before need to be moved over from forage gradually. And the label says to feed it only to lambs that have been vaccinated for enterotoxemia.
The Bovatec label itself lists the approved use as preventing coccidiosis in sheep kept in confinement, and says no withdrawal period is needed when it's used as labeled.
Who it's for
- Lambs and sheep, especially growing lambs in a pen or dry lot, that are already vaccinated for enterotoxemia (most people know that as part of the CDT shot).
That's the whole list.
Who must never eat it
Horses, donkeys and mules
The Bovatec label says not to let horses or other equines have access to feed containing lasalocid, because eating it may be fatal. University of Florida Extension calls horses the most sensitive domestic animal to this family of drugs (the ionophores), and notes there's no antidote. Signs can include going off feed, weakness, wobbliness, sweating, colic and heart damage that may be permanent.
If a horse gets into this feed, call your vet immediately, even if he seems fine. Keep the bag and the tag so the vet knows exactly what he ate.
Goats
NC State Extension notes that lasalocid isn't FDA approved for goats, and the label says its safety in unapproved species hasn't been established. Goats also need more copper than this sheep feed gives them. For goat kids, the right medicated feed is our 16% Pelleted Goat Feed Medicated, which uses a different drug (Deccox) approved for non lactating goats.
Dogs, cats, chickens and pigs
The Merck Veterinary Manual lists horses, birds, sheep, pigs, dogs and cats among the animals particularly sensitive to ionophore toxicity. A farm dog licking up spilled pellets isn't something to shrug off. Sweep up spills and keep the bag closed.
Notice sheep are on Merck's list too. That's why the feeding rate on the tag matters. More is not better...not with a medicated feed.
How we'd store it in a mixed barn
- Keep it in its own closed bin, labeled in big letters, on the sheep side of the barn.
- Never pour it into a bin that horse feed has been in, or the other way around.
- Use a separate scoop that only lives in that bin.
- Feed lambs where the horse can't reach the feeder, even over a fence.
- Tell everyone who helps with chores. The person most likely to feed the wrong bag is the neighbor covering for you on vacation.
Not on Bovatec? Other sheep options
If you don't need coccidiosis prevention, or your sheep share a pen with goats or cattle, Nutrena Country Feeds Select Stock 16% is a non medicated sweet feed for mixed herds of cattle, sheep and goats, with no added copper. It's a supplement to pasture or hay, not a full ration. Our post Stock & Stable or Select Stock? How These Two Nutrena Feeds Differ explains where it fits.
What I wouldn't do: feed sheep a goat feed or horse feed with added copper. Our 17% goat feed says right on its label not to feed it to sheep.
Sheep feed questions
Does the medicated sheep feed treat coccidiosis?
No. It helps prevent it. A lamb with diarrhea, straining, or that's off feed and dull needs your vet.
Can I feed it to my adult ewes?
It's labeled for sheep and lambs. Ask your vet whether your adult sheep need a coccidiostat. If they don't, a non medicated feed may make more sense.
Is there a withdrawal time before slaughter?
The Bovatec label says no withdrawal period is required when it's used as labeled. Follow the tag exactly. If you milk your ewes, ask your vet before you feed them any medicated feed.
What about parasites?
Coccidia are a different problem from stomach worms. Our sheep and goat parasite control post covers both.
Getting it to your barn
We bring sheep feed, hay and bedding right to the farm Tuesday through Friday on your town's route day, free with a $20 minimum, across Monmouth County and parts of Ocean, Middlesex and Mercer. Check your day on the farm feed delivery page or call 732-938-4470.