Store lamb finishing systems have proved relatively profitable in recent years, with systems finishing hill and crossbred lambs generating a significant margin. A higher purchase price for store lambs in 2025 has increased the importance of achieving high levels of lamb performance and keeping costs in check.

A number of factors can directly influence performance, including feed quality, animal health and production practices, including feed management.

This article summarises crucial factors for lambs finished intensively indoors. Much of the advice is based on research and experience from studies carried out in Teagasc Mellows Campus Athenry where finishing blueprints have been developed for finishing lambs of varying breed type, weight, gender, etc.

Change in environment

The transition from an outdoor to indoor environment can be particularly challenging for hill and crossbred lambs. Getting lambs accustomed to eating concentrates outdoors will make for a much smoother transition. This is not always possible, and in such instances it is important to monitor for shy eaters, lambs which refuse outright to eat, or ones that only consume very low volumes. Such lambs may need to be grouped together. It is not unheard of for lambs needing to be released outdoors again for a period to get them accustomed to meal feeding.

Batch lambs ideally on size and weight avoiding mixing ram and ewe lambs. Light hill lambs need to be allocated at least 0.5m2, rising to 0.8m2 for heavier lambs weighing from 45kg to 50kg. Feeding space should not be limited to encourage higher intake. A minimum of 30cm of trough space is recommended, with higher allowances important when getting lambs accustomed to feed and building to ad-lib feeding.

A block laid on the flat to allow smaller lambs to access water troughs.

Feeding management

The importance of adequate feeding management cannot be overstated. Good management and correct ration formulation will help reduce the risk of acidosis. Characteristic symptoms are lambs standing in discomfort, kicking their belly or grinding their teeth.

A grey scour will be seen and, depending on the level of severity, lambs will be off their feed. It is not just a risk where lambs are built up to higher feeding levels too fast – it can also strike where feed runs out for a period and is then topped up, or where there is a significant change in the diet.

The level of feed offered once lambs are accustomed to high intakes is just above typical intakes to prevent feed spoiling. Consistency is key in terms of ration formulation, feeding times, etc.

Water access

A plentiful supply of fresh water is vital. Water troughs are typically erected at a height of 500mm to 600mm above ground level in sheds which may be too high for lambs. Placing a block on the flat beside the water trough is useful to allow lambs access to water.

Ration formulation

Concentrate feeds should contain high-energy ingredients, with cereals such as maize, barley, oats and wheat the primary ingredients. Feeds are listed in order of their inclusion rate, so even if their percentage inclusion rate is not known, it will still give an indication of the main ingredients.

Pulps and distillers grains along with soya bean meal, beans and peas are also high energy, while feeds such as soya hulls, maize gluten and rapeseed meal are medium energy. Low-energy feeds include pollard/wheat feed, palm kernel and sunflower. This is not to say that lower-quality ingredients cannot form part of a balanced diet, rather that their inclusion rate should be limited to a low level.

The horns of lambs finished intensively will grow faster and care should be taken to monitor situations where horns are growing inwards.

In terms of feeding quality the target energy content is at least 0.92 UFL. For forward finishing lambs a protein content of 12% is perfectly fine, while for lighter lambs there is benefit in feeding a higher protein feed of about 16% crude protein to encourage growth.

The maximum crude oil level should be 6% while the maximum recommended level of sugar and starch is 35%. A minimum crude fibre content of 7% will help to prevent digestive upsets. Technically this level of fibre would be sufficient, but it is also advised to offer lambs a source of roughage.

Where longer-keep male lambs are being finished, including ammonium chloride will help to prevent urinary calculi. The inclusion rate is 0.5%, or 5kg per tonne.

Performance figures

The typical intake of hill store lambs is in the region of 1.1kg concentrate daily, rising to 1.2kg for crossbred lambs. Crossbred lambs have a higher potential growth rate on an intensive finishing diet, averaging 250g/head daily and a better food conversion efficiency (FCE) of approximately 5:1 kilos of concentrate to kilos of liveweight. Pure hill lambs are still capable of achieving positive performance averaging 200g daily with a lower FCE of 6.5:1.

The intake of individual lambs can be significantly higher and this underpins substantially higher daily liveweight gain. This should be borne in mind, with lambs weighed regularly and drafted as appropriate, to avoid delivering free meat that has cost money to attain.

Where lambs are being shorn then it is advised to allow at least three weeks wool regrowth unless lambs have to be shorn again for the purpose of complying with the clean livestock policy.

Growing light lambs

The economics of the system is helped by lambs being transferred on to a finishing diet for a short intensive finishing period and brought to heavier weights. Where possible allowing light lambs time to mature and develop a frame on grass will help the economics of the system. Research has shown that light lambs are capable of achieving compensatory growth provided lambs are healthy and their growth hasn’t been badly stunted.

Performance will be heavily influenced by grass quality/quantity and utilisation. Lambs less than 25kg have managed to gain 145g per day, or in excess of 10kg liveweight in a 10-week period in Athenry in recent years, while typical performance for heavier lambs on grass is an average of 100g to 110g, or 7kg to 8kg gain.

Tapeworm infection

In recent years there have been some issues reported due to tapeworm infection of lamb carcases and carcases rejected due to the presence of tapeworm cysts in the muscle or organs of infected sheep. Control centres on prevention and canine infection can be eliminated with regular worming and keeping dogs of sheep pastures / away from sheep feed. Carcases should be disposed of immediately and if stored, pending disposal restrict access to dogs or wildlife.