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Improved Sheep Management
By Dr Chris Bartram, Head of Product Management
The outlook for 2011 for the sheep farmer is in general very good. However, this must be tempered with caution as there are a number of new challenges. This article includes a brief review of various production systems, a summary of key feed related issues and highlights a new independent management service for sheep producers. Enterprise costing data from the latest edition of the John Nix Farm Management Pocketbook (2011) is summarised below. There is a substantial difference in gross margin across the various systems. There is a danger that physical and financial performance could be reduced this year as a consequence of higher purchased feed costs. However, it is critical that appropriate feed and mineral supplements are selected according to the requirements of the individual farm system. An extra investment of £50 per tonne in concentrate feed equates to approximately £2.50 per ewe in a typical lowland system.
Classical studies have illustrated that optimum nutrition of the ewe during late pregnancy is crucial to the survival and viability of the lamb. The consequences of incorrect feeding in this period have been well documented and include thin ewes, pregnancy toxaemia and reduced milk and colostrum production. Forage is a crucial part of most systems. It is good news that forage quality is, in general, very good this year. The values for energy content and intake potential are much better than last year. Sheep producers are encouraged to analyse forage and design an appropriate feed plan to achieve the production target. This approach can result in significant reductions in total feed costs.
| System | |||
| Early Lamb | Lowland Spring Lamb | Upland | |
| Concentrate Feed Input (kg per ewe) | 175 | 66 | 55 |
| Gross Margin (£ per ewe) | 17.2 | 30.3 | 11.9 |
| Gross Margin (£ per hectare) | 224 | 303 | 107 |
Sheep System Concentrate Feed Inputs and Gross Margins
The Importance of Supplementary Feeding
The amount and type of energy supply is crucial. For ewes carrying twins and fed moderate quality forage, increasing the energy density of the compound has positive consequences for ewe body weight changes, lamb birth weight and milk supply.
The correct amount and type of protein is also vital. Numerous studies have demonstrated the need to provide sufficient protein to ewes during late pregnancy and early lactation. Particular care is required with the type of protein. Supplementary feeds must be formulated to specific levels of digestible undegradable protein. This results in increases in lamb birth weights and milk protein content, resulting in stronger and faster growing lambs.
The benefit of ensuring an adequate supply of vitamin E is now widely documented. Detailed trials show that ewes fed additional vitamin E, produced more vigorous lambs at birth and had faster growth rates. Recent research has considered the importance of biotin in ewe nutrition. Biotin is a vitamin involved in energy metabolism. The studies have indicated significant improvements in the weaning weight of lambs from ewes fed biotin. It is clear that decisions on the type and amount of supplementary feed have a major impact on the profitability of the enterprise.
A better understanding of different production systems and the importance of nutrition and the ability to measure performance will be crucial.
For further advice, contact Adam May on 07818 017116 or the FeedLine on 01278 444829.
Hillsborough Management Recording Scheme
Monitoring performance is crucial. Sheep farmers should be aware of an exciting new management service that has just been launched by the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (Hillsborough) in Northern Ireland.
‘The Hillsborough Management Recording Scheme’ for sheep is a new, simple recording scheme to help commercial producers make breeding and management decisions. It is based on the recording of a number of ‘key traits’ (lambing ease, lamb viability, mothering ability, number of lambs reared and lamb weight) and then ranks the ewes in order of performance, removing effects of sire of lambs and age of ewe. An index is calculated on a scale of 0 – 100 for each ewe. A ewe with an index of 100 lambed without help, had good mothering ability and high lamb weaning weights compared to other ewes in the flock.
For further information or to register for this free service please contact Adam May, Product Manager Beef and Sheep on 07818 017116.
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