Protein and energy supplementation is critical throughout the winter and becomes more important as animals enter late gestation to prevent pregnancy toxemia.
Factors like labor, storage, and feed quality can be a challenge with supplements, so many utilize lick tubs as a convenient supplementation method. However, lick tubs can be expensive, and consumption may vary. Meeting nutrient requirements needs to be a top priority, especially for ewes carrying more than one lamb, so is a lick tub the best option for providing protein and energy to our flock?
Lick tubs certainly have their benefits. Most lick tubs include molasses to increase palatability and provide energy. Molasses contains about 75% total digestible nutrients (TDN). Every lick tub is different, but assuming a recommended consumption rate of 0.5 lb per day, that tub would meet approximately 10% of a twin-bearing ewes energy requirement in late gestation. They also contain about 4% crude fat, or you can purchase a high-fat tub for even more energy.
The additional protein and energy also improves low-quality forage digestion. Convenience is one of the greatest advantages to lick tubs. They are an easy way to supplement energy, protein, plus minerals all in one complete package.
The labor to provide daily supplementation can be difficult to balance especially if you have an off-farm job or other farm enterprises. Additionally, lick tubs can be easily stored in any shed or barn out of the weather. Feedstuffs on the other hand are cheaper when purchased in bulk and require various storage options such as bins, large totes, or a tarping system.
Unfortunately, lick tubs arent the perfect supplementation solution. Because the recommended intake of most lick tubs is low, they shouldnt be relied on as a primary source of protein or energy. Your base ration should meet nutrient requirements, with a lick tub being used to provide a little extra.
Sheep also have varying consumption of block-type supplements, so some ewes may never consume a lick tub and some may overconsume. Be sure to calculate the target intake based on the label and how quickly your flock should consume a lick tub. For example, if the target consumption is 4 oz per head per day, a 125 lb tub should last 100 ewes about 5 days (4 oz/head/day x 100 ewes = 400 oz/day 16 oz/lb = 25 lb/day 125 lb tub 25 lb/day = 5 days). Providing one tub per 25-30 head prevents overcrowding and promotes uniform consumption.
Relative to other protein and energy options, tubs are expensive. A 24% crude protein 70-pound lick tub would contain approximately 16.8 lb of crude protein. At $175 per tub, this supplement costs $10.41 per pound of crude protein. Whereas 1 pound of alfalfa may be closer to $0.60 per lb of crude protein.
Lick tubs are a convenient way to provide extra protein and energy that can help prevent detrimental nutritional diseases. Even saving one ewe and her lambs from pregnancy disease can offset the cost of a lick tub. They also provide minerals that further support lamb survival.
However, achieving target consumption across the entire flock can be a challenge, and lick tubs are not always the most cost-effective option.
At the end of the day, supplementation programs need to be adapted to favor individual management styles and capabilities.
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