Checks Impacting Cheques

Eamonn Patten, Drystock Advisor, Teagasc Ballinrobe.

Most Mid-season flocks are still concentrating on maximising lamb performance and trying to get lambs ready for the market place, but, the new sheep year is just around the corner.  The mating season is still months away but once ewes are dried off after weaning they can be checked. All breeding stock should go through a pseudo ‘NCT’ and assessed to find out whether they are suitable for the next breeding season, need to be culled or can undergo a corrective regime before mating . Other than the seasonal effect the factors for a successful breeding season include the following:

Ewe Nutrition

The biggest influence on ewe reproductive rate is Nutrition and Body Condition score. Improving ewe body condition is proven to increase litter size and this is one area that can be corrected – aim for condition score of 3 - 3.5. This area for improvement needs time in that a ewe at a condition score of 2 will need 8-10 weeks good nutrition to reach  the target of 3+.  There may be justification in dividing ewes into 2 groups on basis of condition​with thinner ewes getting priority. Another option is to put thin ewes with ewe lambs. The other side is that you don’t want ewes overfat.

Teeth & Feet

A ewe’s mouth needs to be assessed to cull any old ewes. Animals with overshot or undershot or irregularities that prevent correct feeding need to be culled.

Lame ewes should be drafted and treated, especially ewes with footrot or ewes persistently lame should be culled. Stiffer animals with poor walks and older ewes should be culled.

Prolapse / Udder - Records

The following should be observed either by having good records or identification system. Ewes that have prolapsed in the past should not be kept. Udders need to be examined for lumps or lesions. Ewes with blind teats, pendulous udders (hanging udders) or had mastitis in previous lambing seasons need to be culled. Just keep in mind the amount of extra work and grief that these are at lambing time!

Ram Preparation - Half the Flock

Rams need to be in good condition prior to mating (BCS 4.0). The reasoning for rams needing to be in better body condition than ewes is that they will lose a lot of condition during the mating season as they are not eating sufficiently. Don’t need them fat but fit. Rams can benefit from a high-protein and energy diet in the eight weeks leading up to joining. Sperm development takes around seven weeks, so avoid any stress, activities or treatments during the eight weeks prior to joining.

Rams should be checked well before joining ewes for general and reproductive health in the following areas:

• Body condition score
• Eyes
• Teeth,
• Feet and legs
• Reproductive organs

As we are in the first year of new SIS (Sheep Improvement Scheme) some lowland flocks may have opted to buy in a 4 or 5 star ram in year one. This genomic evaluation with Sheep Ireland must be at the time of purchase. When purchasing keep in mind what you want from the ram in your flock for?

A good Terminal ram selection can have a big impact on production but effects are direct – i.e. the lambs produced and mostly lambs for slaughter?​ So a terminal ram’s influence on the flock is gone within 3 to 4 years - i.e. when he is gone. In flocks keeping their own replacements there is not enough emphasis on ram selection for replacements. A Maternal sire can still be effecting production 10 years after his purchase – as genetic effects are cumulative.

If buying a ram this season make use of all available data in addition to how the ram looks!