Sheep Husbandry

Year 1 - Semester 2

What is the main product used from sheep in the UK?

meat

Why are sheep sheared?

sometimes to sell wool, to prevent fly strike, temperature management

clean/prime sheep

sheep that are specifically reared for meat and are slaughtered at a young age

Which sheep are sent to the abattoir?

lambs for meat, old ewes to be culled

What proportion of lambs are sold live?

50%

What proportion of lambs are sold straight to abattoirs?

50%

Why might a farmer lamb in December?

so that lambs are ready for slaughter around Easter when not many other farms are, meaning that they can be sold for a higher price

Why might farmers not lamb in winter?

sheep are seasonal breeders so would require intervention such as oestrogen injections to increase ovarian activity to allow sheep to breed

What may cause carcass bruising?

wool-grabbing, trampling, sharp objects, injection site reactions

meat conformation

the visual assessment of a carcass's shape, specifically the thickness of muscle and fat relative to the skeleton, graded on a scale (E, U, R, O, P) where E is excellent (most blocky/muscular) and P is poor (most angular/leggy)

What happens to bruised carcasses?

the bruises must be cut out of the carcass

What unit is the fineness of wool staple measured in?

microns

wool staple

a cluster or lock of wool fibres

How is the quality of wool measured?

the fineness of wool staples

What are the uses of sheep?

meat production, milk production, wool production, plant growth management

sheep stratification

a traditional, three-tier UK farming system that matches specific breeds to land types

sheep stratification 1

hill breeds

features of hill sheep breeds

strong mothering instinct, very hardy

sheep stratification 2

upland breeds

When are hill sheep moved to uplands?

after 3-5 pregnancies

What happens to hill breed sheep when they are moved to the uplands?

retain mothering instinct, increased fecundity, breed with upland rams to form crossbred lambs

sheep stratification 3

lowland breeds

How do farms achieve better profit from breeding sheep?

higher scanning of pregnant ewes, better daily lamb growth, higher lamb weights, higher price achieved, less store lambs, lower feed cost, lower fixed and variable costs

store lambs

lambs which have not reached the required slaughter weight by the end of autumn so must be stored for a longer period before they are slaughtered

What is a typical price for a breeding ram?

£300-1000

What is a typical price for a replacement breeding ewe?

£120-200

How much is a culled breeding ewe worth?

£80-100

How much is a slaughter lamb worth in live weight?

260-340 p/kg

How much is a slaughter lamb worth in dead weight?

450-600 p/kg

How much is a store lamb typically worth?

£80-110

How much space should be provided per single ewe?

1.4 m²

How much space should be provided per ewe with lambs?

2.2 m²

How much space should be provided per weaned lamb?

0.9 m²

What is the recommended number of sheep in a herd?

50

Why is there a recommended limit to the number of sheep in a herd?

That is the limit to the number of faces that a sheep can recognise, which allows a social heirarchy to be maintained

Why might farmers not use wood to house ewes and lambs?

it is difficult to disinfect

Why might farmers not use hay bales to form lambing sheds?

risk of falling and causing injury

By what age must lambs be given ID if reared inside?

6 months

By what age must lambs be given ID if reared outside?

9 months

How must lambs be registered if slaughtered before 12 months old?

single electronic ID

How must sheep be registered if being kept above the age of 12 months?

2 adult tags: 1 electronic and 1 visual

What dates must be recorded about sheep on a farm?

date ID was given and date of death

What crossbreed is produced by a Swaledale dam and Blue-faced Leicester sire?

Northern mule

What crossbreed is produced by a Scottish Blackface dam and Blue-faced Leicester sire?

Scottish mule

What crossbreed is produced by a Welsh Mountain dam and Blue-faced Leicester sire?

Welsh mule

What crossbreed is produced by a Beulah dam and Blue-faced Leicester sire?

Welsh mule

What crossbreed is produced by a Welsh Hill Speckled-Face dam and Blue-faced Leicester sire?

Welsh mule

What crossbreed is produced by a Scottish Blackface dam and Border Leicester sire?

Scottish Greyface

What crossbreed is produced by any Welsh breed dam and Border Leicester sire?

Welsh halfbreed

What crossbreed is produced by a Cheviot dam and Border Leicester sire?

Scottish halfbreed

What crossbreed is produced by a Swaledale/ Dalebred dam and Teeswater sire?

Masham

How much faster do single lambs grow compared to twins?

80 g/day

what is the daily live weight gain of lambs at peak growth?

250-350g

At what age does peak growth occur in lambs?

20-40 days old

At what age are lambs fed forage and concentrates?

2 weeks old and above

What is the minimum age at which lambs can be weaned?

8 weeks

At what age can lamb rumens digest pasture?

3 weeks

At what age are lambs usually weaned?

12-14 weeks

creep feeding

the practice of providing high-quality, solid nutritional supplements (concentrates or forage) to young livestock while excluding their mothers

Why might farmers practice creep feeding?

poor pasture quality, orphan lambs, not sufficient feed for ewes

What can be caused by improperly managed creep feeding in lambs?

urolithiasis and cerebro-cortical necrosis

What can be grown with grass to increase nutritional value for lambs?

clover

short-keep store lambs

lambs which are 5-7 kg off target weight which must be stored for a few weeks before reaching slaughter weight

medium/long-keep store lambs

lambs which are further away from slaughter weight so must be kept for 8-12 weeks

What are some examples of what short-keep store lambs are fed?

rape, turnips, beet tops

What are medium-keep store lambs often fed?

grass and stubbles

What are long-keep store lambs fed?

root or arable by-products

What is the formula for the target finish weight of a lamb?

combined parent weight/4

flushing

a management practice where ewes are fed a high-concentrate diet or moved to better pasture 3 weeks before and 6 weeks post-tupping

tupping

the mating season of sheep

How much concentrate is given to ewes during flushing?

250 g/ewe/day

plane of nutrition

the level of feed intake and nutrient density provided to an animal relative to its requirements

What might cause an increased proportion of a flock to be thin?

increased worm burden

What is the max voluntary dry matter intake of a pregnant ewe?

3% bodyweight

What is the max voluntary dry matter intake of a pregnant ewe in late stage pregnancy?

2% bodyweight

What is the general rule for how much concentrate to provide to pregnant ewes in late stage pregnancy?

0.5 kg per lamb

What is the typical energy requirement of a single-bearing pregnant ewe mid-pregnancy?

10 MJ

What is the typical energy requirement of a single-bearing pregnant ewe 3 weeks pre-partum?

15 MJ

What is the typical energy requirement of a single-bearing pregnant ewe 1 week pre-partum?

20 MJ

Practical steps to ensure correct nutrition and uptake in pregnant ewes

assess condition score, scan for foetal numbers and adjust diet accordingly, check teeth, provide shelter to reduce energy spent regulating body temp, provide adequate trough space, remember to give feed during gatherings

What is the target body condition score for hill ewes during tupping?

2.5

What is the target body condition score for hill ewes during pregnancy?

2

What is the target body condition score for hill ewes during weaning?

2

What is the target body condition score for lowland ewes during tupping?

3-3.5

What is the target body condition score for lowland ewes during pregnancy?

3

What is the target body condition score for lowland ewes during weaning?

2.5

What length of time after lambing is it good practice to body condition score ewes?

8 weeks

Why is it important to body condition score ewes after lambing?

to adjust weaning times to prevent excess stress on the ewe

How long does it take for a sheep to gain half a body condition score?

4 weeks

What proportion of a sheep’s body weight is 1 body condition score?

10%

What causes pregnancy toxaemia in sheep?

long term underfeeding combined with acute feed shortage

When is peak lactation in sheep?

3-4 weeks after lambing

What is the dry matter intake of a single suckling ewe at peak lactation?

2.5 kg

What is the dry matter intake of a twin suckling ewe at peak lactation?

3 kg

What is the minimum time before tupping when lambs must be weaned?

8 weeks

Which sheep breeds are thought to be more susceptible to hypocalcaemia?

milking breeds

What most commonly triggers hypocalcaemia in sheep?

stress, diet change, pre or post partum

Why is hypocalcaemia described as an iceberg problem in sheep?

for every ewe presenting clinical symptoms, around 25% of the flock will also be suffering without symptoms

When does hypomagnesaemia most commonly occur in ewes?

at peak lactation

What most commonly causes hypomagnesaemia in ewes?

lush pasture, foul weather, long transport where no feed is provided