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Country: Turkey

Dairy or/and meat sheep: Dairy-Meat

Source of information: Scientific knowledge

Level of solution: Knowledge

Aim: To increase lamb survival by lamb vigor knowledge

Description:

  • Key note on lamb vigor scoring -colostrum intake efficiency, factors influence lamb vigor
  • It is highly correlated with the nutrition in the trimester of gestation, efficient nutrition for the ewe is very influential
  • PDF for stressors, Stress factors for the ewe has to be avoided during gestation for a better nutrition
  • Improved lamb vigor will increase survival

 

Expected benefits: less lamb loses in the neonatal period and attendance at birth

Prerequisites and/or limits (knowledge, training, capabilities, cost, management, facilities, equipment, etc.)

  • Farmers need to be aware for the gestation nutrition
  • Some ewes may need to treated differently during gestation
  • Poor BCS ewes produce lambs with less vigor at birth
  • Special time for gestation has to be allocated by farmer

Scientific knowledge:

MacFarlane, J.M., Matheson, S.M. & Dwyer, C.M. (2010) Genetic parameters for birth difficulty, lamb vigour and lamb sucking ability in Suffolk sheep. Animal Welfare 19 99-105;

Matheson, S.M., Rooke, J.A., McIlvaney, K.M., Ison, S., Jack, M., Bunger, L., Ashworth, C.J. & Dwyer, C.M. (2011) Development and validation of ‘on-farm’ behavioural scoring systems to assess birth assistance and lamb vigour. Animal 5: 776-783;

Matheson, S.M., Bünger, L. & Dwyer, C.M. (2012) Genetic parameters for fitness and neonatal behavior traits in sheep. Behavior Genetics 42: 899-911;

Dwyer, C.M., Conington, J., Corbière, F., Holmøy, I.H., Muri, K., Rooke, J., Vipond, J. & Gauthier, J.-M. (2016) Invited Review: Improving neonatal survival in small ruminants: science into practice. Animal 10(3): 449-459.

Tips & Tricks:

Expected impacts:

Benefit
Benefit expected less abortion
mortality
System
Is the solution suitable for various production systems Y Dairy&Meat
If no – for which system  
Cost
What are the asset costs ?
What are the maintenance costs ?
Any limits to its applicability  
Work Load
  Farmers Service provider/tech.-vet-others
How much time is required to prepare and implement the solution <1 day  
How many people is needed to implement the solution? 1 person  
Timing
How long it takes to get results? >=1week
How long it takes to see  an effect on sheep productivity? current production period
Equipment/Facility
  Farmers Service provider/technicians-vet-others
What kind of equipment/tool are necessary? ?  
Skill/Knowledge-Training (farmer)
Does the solution need any specific skill/knowledge or training? yes
How much time will be required for training 1 day 
Wider Environment
Is there any particular regulation link to the solution? no
Does the solution need any particular structure or organisation? no

 

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