How successful was your lambing?

Date published: 29 May 2018

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For the majority of farmers lambing is over and for those who lamb earlier it may seem like a distant memory. However, now is the most appropriate time to assess performance of lambing and highlight areas that may need to be addressed as it’s all too easy to forget about lamb losses and ewes which didn’t perform to the best of their ability.

There are a numbers of factors to consider which will have impacted the success of lambing and the current numbers of lambs being reared by ewes in your flock.

Lamb crop

The benefits of scanning are well known - it aids management of the pregnant ewe, highlights barren issues and ewe prolificacy. Essentially it’s a starting point, knowing the potential lamb crop is important but recording can’t stop here as lambs sold and/or retained for breeding is the number that directly affects profits.

We need to understand where losses between scanning and weaning occur and use this information to make informed management decisions for the next breeding season. This will be the first stage of improving flock performance as converting scanning numbers to live lambs on the ground is vital. 

Knowing the number of lambs born alive, dead or which may die very soon after birth is critical. Almost half of lamb losses happen within the first 48 hours and this may be due to difficult births, disease, abortion, weak ewes and/or lambs, lack of colostrum, mismothering or weather.

Table 1 highlights the main data which should be recorded which will help make informed management decisions the following breeding season. I would encourage everyone to complete and discuss the information with their vet or if they are part of a business development group discuss with the group’s members and the advisor.

Table 1. Key performance indicators pre, during and post lambing
Season Key performance Indicator Total Number Example
Mating Number of ewes put to ram   120
  Number of rams used   3
  Ewe to ram ration   120/3 = 40:1
Scanning Number of ewes scanned in lamb   115
  Number of barren ewes   5
  Total number of lambs expected   225
  Scanning percentage (%)   225/120 = 1.88 (188%)
  Barren rate (%)   5/120 = 1.04  (4%)
Lambing Number of lambs born alive   201
  Number of lambs born dead   24
  Lambing percentage (%)   201/120 = 1.68 (168%)
Weaning Number of lambs weaned   183
  Weaning percentage (%)   183/120 = 1.53 (153%)

What do the figures mean?

The key figures to look at are the differences between scanning and lambing, lambing and weaning and also barren rate. This clearly highlights where the majority of losses occur and will guide management decisions.

Health plan

High barren rates and high loses between scanning and lambing could indicate fertility issues, metabolic disorders, nutrition, disease or abortion issues. If you believe any of these may be an issue discuss with your vet and develop a plan such as a vaccination programme. This needs to be considered well before the breeding season begins as many treatments to address the above such as a vaccination for enzootic abortion, toxoplasmosis or Schmallenberg need to be administered pre breeding. Many of the vaccinations need to be ordered in advance and at times supply can be uncertain.

Breeding

High losses due to difficult births or lack of colostrum can be affected by breed, management, nutrition and rams. The ram buying season is fast approaching and we cannot underestimate the importance of selecting the most suitable ram based on genetic ability and physical correctness. Make enquiries early about performance recorded rams, investigate the breeding values for rams and understand what is important for your flock. Seek advice on breeding values if you’re unsure what’s suitable and how to interpret figures.

Summary

Information is key to the success of your business so take the time now to reflect on this year’s lambing and highlight the main issues which may have negatively impacted performance.

Consult with your farm vet if there are any concerns relating to fertility, metabolic disorders or disease, discuss preventative measures and a treatment plan. If a vaccination is required ensure the product is secured in advance and administered at the most appropriate time.

Think about ram requirements well in advance, look for performance recorded rams with good flock health status and select rams with the potential to enhance your flock.

Only make one or two changes to a system within a season otherwise it may be difficult to identify which factors have had a positive impact.

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