sheep husbandry

how to deal with gaps in grass growth

• conserve forage when in excess

• move lambing, sale dates etc to align supply and demand curves better

• use apidose reserves in animals to cover gap

• move sheep to grazing elsewhere

• grow cover crops to provide forage when grass is not available

• continuous (variable) grazing

• pros: low input, low cost

• cons: lower forage yield, uneven manure distribution, lower utlilisation, weeds can build up

rotational

• pros: high productivity, resting of pasture, more even manure distribution

• cons: increased fencing required, cost-water provision, suboptimal forage production and pasture utilisation

paddock

• pros: highest productivity, higher stocking density achievable, evenest manure distribution, grazing season extended

• cons: careful monitoring required, fencing and water provision, labour time highest

ways of assessing grass growth

• kg of dry matter per hectare

• asses weekly in peak growing season (compressed sward stick, eg clipboard, plate meter, mounted devices- grasshopper sensors, automatic pasture readers, c-dax pasture meter)

what age are sheep ruminants

from around 8-10 weeks

tupping time and what to do and avoid before tupping

• optimum performance at 3-3.5

• ewes less than 2 bcs means reduced performance

• correct trace element deficiencies

• flushing (increase plane of nutrition 3 weeks prior to tupping, increase ovulation rate)- get on good grass

• rams 3.5-4 at tupping

• avoid red clover (phytoestrogens) around tupping and brassicas (goitrogens)

pregnancy and when is implantation

• implantation occurs at day 16

• ewes: early/mid pregnancy= not much more than maintenance

• ewe lambs= meet additional growth need, careful not to overfeed- small lambs

late pregnancy

• 70 percent of lamb growth occurs at last 6 weeks of gestation

• energy requirements of the ewe thus increase massively

• ewe under nutrition- pregnancy toxaemia (twin lamb disease), low birthweight, low brown fat levels

• ewes more than 2.5 bcs can lose 0.5 in the last month of lambing/ start lactation

• but below cannot lose- feed a more energy dense diet, very expensive

impacts of diff bcs

• too thin: greater risk of death, uterine intertia, twin lamb disease, mastitsis

• too fat: dystocia, poorer ewe/lamb bonding, prolapse, twin lamb disease

impacts on milk production and colostrum of nutrition

• mammary gland development occurs in last month of pregnancy

• colostrum form in last few weeks before lambing

• late pregnancy nutrition important

impact of milk production on lamb growth

• Lamb energy and protein intake is almost exclusively due to milk in the first two weeks and milk is the predominant source for the first 4-6 weeks.

• Lamb growth rates to 8 weeks are a good indicator of ewe milk production

• Young lambs have the capacity for catch-up growth after a growth check, but if the check is sufficiently large and sufficiently early they will never compensate.

indoor lambing pros and cons

• pros: protection from weather, less likely to lose lamb from hypothermia, closer superivision, early lambing, allow pasture growth/recovery,

• cons:higher labour, increased infectious disease risk, feed/bedding/water required, risk of mis mothering (overcrowding)

outdoor lambing pros and cons

• pros: lower labour, less infectious disease risk, lower capital expenditure, lower fixed costs, less interferance for the ewes

• cons: increased losses from hypothermia/starvation, increased losses from dystocia, limited to lambing later flocks (available spring grass), must have sufficient pasture available, more difficult to foster if needed, more difficult to log births and data

common causes of neonatal mortality

• Dystocia

• Hypothermia

• Starvation

• Watery mouth disease

• Septicaemic colibacillosis

• Omphalophlebitis

• Clostridial disease

• predation

colostrum requirements

50ml/kg within first 4-6 hrs of life

need 200m/kg for first 24 hours

examples of lamb management procedures

• tail docking- must cover the vulva

• constriction device legal under 7 days

identification

• CPH number

• by 6 months age if housed overnight, but 9 months if not, or before if they leave holding at any age

• below 12 months a single flock slaughter ear tag is permissible

• above 12 months 2 identifiers- one of which ear tag (must be individual identifiers)-Two ear tags or one ear tag plus an EID bolus, a pastern band (EID or non-EID) or a tattoo

• all sheep much have eid

stratified sheep system

hill, upland, and lowland

advantages of stratified system

• exploits breeds on best ability on land types

• slaughter lamb carcass can be tailored to meet market requirement

• hill ewes productive life extended

• heterosis

disadvantages of stratified system

• increased movement of animals between flocks- disease risk

• system relies on moving animals off farm- stocking density issues eg foot and mouth

• open flocks

• cross breeding struggles to improve genetics

features of mountainous/hill breeds

• rough fell, scottish blackface, welsh mountain, swaledale, lleyn, new country chaviot, clun forest, south country chaviot, kerry hill, exmoor horn

• hardy

• 35-50kg

• low litter size

• strong mothering ability

• minimal input

upland breeds

• teeswater, border leicester, wensleydale, blue faced leicester

• big frame -80kg

• large litter size -2

• fast growth

• good milk production

mules

• masham, scottish halfbred, welsh halfbred, scottish mule

• moderate body 60-80kg

• large litter size

• good milk

• fast growth

• good mothering

lowland

• suffolk, oxford down, hampshire, texel, charollais, betrex, southdown

• -80kg

• good carcass conformation

• medium litter size

• fast growth

• less hardy

carcass valuation

• consistensy in size and fat

• losses can result from trimming due to abcesses, bruising, arthritis, t.ovis cysts and dirty

• or liver condemnations

role of vets in carcass value

• educating farmers for good injection technique

• inject into low value parts where possible

• control of dog sheep tapeworms

• control of liver fluke

• control of PGE

general flock calendar

• feb scanning

• april may lambing

• july weaning and shearing

• nov dec tupping

lamb weighing timings

• birth, 8 weeks, weaning, sale

• bcs for ewe also rec

lamb management procedures

• clostridial vaccinations

• internal parasite control

• fly prevention

• shearing- may to july

• weaning- target 100 days

• drawing of lambs for sale

management of ewes post weaning

• remove culls

• put on restricted grazing for about a week to aid cessation of lactation

• sort by bcs

what to do with replacements?

• can be purchased or homebred

• purchased risk disease

• 28 day quarantine

• feet inspection

• endo and ecto parasite treatment

Ram MOT

• rams should recieve a pre breeding inspection 10 weeks prior to tupping

• should not be lame, have 2 even testes, good bcs, good testicular tone, minimum scrotal circumference of 30-36cm depending on breed