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The effect of age at first lambing on lifetime performance
Factsheet name: Effect of age at first lambing on lifetime performance Need / Issue: Growth targets for 1st lambing at 1 year of ageIntroduction: The mean replacement rate on Irish lowland sheep farms is 22%. The mean cost, nationally, of producing a replacement ewe,...
Biosecurity for the Sheep Flock
Factsheet name: Biosecurity for the Sheep FlockFarm level biosecurity is a series of management practices designed to minimise, prevent or control: The introduction of infectious pathogens onto a farm EXCLUSION Spread within a farm production operation MANAGEMENT...
Store Lambs
Factsheet name: Finished store lamb from pasture, conserved forage or concentrate diets Need / Issue: Ration formulation based on forage availability and qualityIntroduction In grass-based systems of prime lamb production approximately 50% of spring born lambs are...
Managing triplet rearing ewes
Need/issue: Management strategies for multiple rearing ewesIntroduction: As mean flock productivity increases, the incidence of triplets increases. For flocks with mean litter sizes of 1.8, 2.0 and 2.2 the incidence of triplets is expected to be 8%, 15% and 25%...
Acute Death of Lambs
Factsheet name: Acute Death of Lambs Need / Issue: Improve lamb survivalThe Challenge Acute deaths of lambs cause considerable economic loss, contribute significantly to reduced farm income in sheep production worldwide and reduced animal welfare in sheep production....
Managing ewe condition score through the year
Need/issue: The management of ewe condition will depend on the physiological stage (gestation, lactation and dry period) of the ewe and can affect disease susceptibility and/or disease diagnosis. Body condition score influences flock productivity.Introduction: Body...
Managing the transition of breeding replacements
Need / Issue: Whether buying in replacements or transferring them from another holding, the transition can affect their growth rates and subsequently their rearing success. Managing them to minimise stress and transition their diets can reduce or eliminate the growth...
Nutritional Requirements at Key Points in the Ewe’s Production Cycle
Factsheet name: Understanding nutritional requirements at key points in the ewe’s production cycle Need / Issue: Good nutritional management is required throughout the ewes production cycle in order to achieve target key performance indicators. Knowledge of the...
Feeding concentrate to lambs at pasture
Need / Issue: Balance requirements against pasture qualityIntroduction: High levels of lamb performance can be achieved from well managed grazed grass offered as the sole diet. However many producers supplement lambs with concentrate to increase lamb performance. The...
Live weights at typical ages for ewe lambs
Solution name: Live weights at typical ages for ewe lambs Aim: to ensure ewe lamb fertility at first mating. To sort replacement ewe lambs from live weight references at standard age.Description: Selection of replacement ewe lambs takes place during these three...
Lamb growth protocol for performance target
Solution name: Lamb growth protocol for performance target Aim: To determine the lamb performance targets from birth to weaning in order to obtain better results for farmers during growth period Description: Birth to weaning is an important period in sheep production...
Replacement management tool
Solution name: Replacement management tool Aim: Feeding planning of replacement ewe-lambs according to productive objectives (economic approach and replacement schedule)Description: Excel Tool. It is an Excel Tool to calculate the amount of feed required at every...
Good machine-milking practices for prevention of mastitis
Solution name: Good machine-milking practices for prevention of mastitis Aim: Guidelines aimed to prevent and control bacterial mastitis in sheep.Description: When mastitis outbreak occurs, it is important to identify the infected animals as soon as possible, and...
Grazing – what is achievable and how?
Solution name: Grazing - what is achievable and how? Aim:To improve ewe and lamb performance from grazed grassDescription: Effective grassland management involves matching grass supply and feed value with animal requirements As the grazing season progresses grass...
Sward measurement
Solution name: Sward measurement Aim: Show different ways to measure swards and management toolsDescription: Grazed pasture is the cheapest feed for sheep production systems It is important to maximise the production and maintain the supply of high quality grazing...
Nematodiris Control
Solution name: Nematodirus control - forecast and anthelmintic use Aim: To outline the effect of Nematodirus and why to treat with white drenches (benzimidazole)Description: Nematodirus battus is a parasite which typically affects lambs aged from 6 to 12 weeks but can...
Solutions Post Template – with useful links/info source
Solution name: Designing proper sheds for lambing Aim: To assure lambing conditions indoors and to improve lamb survivalDescription: Manage ewes in late pregnancy in small groups, of 20-30 animals, allocating 2 m2/ewe. Design lambing pens (2/1 m), one lambing pen for...
Vaccinating against Clostridia and Pasteurella
Solution name: Vaccinating against Clostridia and Pasteurella Aim: To present the benefits of vaccination against Clostridia and PasteurellaDescription: Clostridia and Pasteurella are two families of bacteria that can cause major problems to sheep flocks Pulpy kidney,...
Scottish Animal Health Planning System
Solution name: Scottish Animal Health Planning System Aim: Provision of a flock health planning system that allows targets to be set and performance to be reviewed annually and compared to previous years.Description: An online web based health planning system that can...
How to Recognise Lameness
Solution name: Booklet on how to recognise lameness Aim: To provide solutions for different causes of lameness in small ruminants (Diagnosing and treating different causes of lameness)Description: The Quality Meat Scotland booklet is in a handy format and can be kept...
Sward stick and Platemeter
Solution name: Sward stick and Platemeter Aim: To help in quantifying grass in the field (how to measure grass?)Description: The sward stick and board A ruler and compression board to measure grass heights, the ruler contains a conversion table from cm to kg/dry...
Well ventilated sheepsheds
Solution name: Well ventilated sheepsheds Aim: The atmosphere in the building depends on the ventilation system. This factor has an impact on flock performance and health problems.Description: The ventilation system of the sheep shed is linked to three factors: -...
Maintenance of the milking machine
Solution name: Maintenance of the milking machine Aim: to improve the understanding of the different steps to follow to properly maintain a milking machinehttps://vimeo.com/255392107 Description: This video offers a step-by-step guide on how to service a milking...
HerbValo – Assessing the amount of grass used on the pasture
Solution name: HerbValo Aim: to manage the grassland’s production and use during the season or a certain period. Description: HerbValo is a tool that estimates the quantity of valorised grass on the pasture. Herbvalo enables the user to determine which practices...