Drought management: Last week’s management notes addressed drought management options for lambs and stated that ewes would be addressed this week.

For many flocks it is easy to see how there may be a low appetite to address ewe condition when there are costs racking up and lamb performance is struggling.

However, kicking the can down the road is potentially adding to problems that will be a lot harder to reverse the closer it gets to breeding time.

If farmers were to take a few small steps, including handling their ewes and pulling out thin ewes for preferential treatment, it would deliver a massive benefit.

Introducing forage to ewes where grass reserves are depleted will at least help to hold condition while even offering 0.5kg of concentrates to ewes in below-optimum condition will possibly stop the situation from getting any worse.

It is worth taking the time to assess condition and to consider the feeding programmes outlined on page 34 for ewes in varying body condition scores.

Quarantine protocol: While covered in recent months, it is no harm repeating the importance of a solid quarantine protocol as breeding sales enter peak activity.

Purchased sheep should ideally remain indoors for a period of 24 to 48 hours during which treatments to guard against introducing resistant worms are administered.

The general recommended option here is to use a new generation wormer, eg Zolvix with a moxidectin or levamisole product or Startect and a levamisole product. Where this option is not feasible then the next preferred option is treatment with a moxidectin- and levamisole-based wormer.

Other health concerns include liver fluke treatment, external parasite control, lameness and a vaccination programme.

The main vaccination concern here for store lambs is clostridial diseases while for breeding females, chlamydial abortion/enzootic abortion and toxoplasmosis should be considered.

Some bluetongue-vaccinated ewe hoggets are appearing in the sale ring and seem to be attracting greater interest from buyers.

Sheep should also be assessed for signs of lameness with follow-up checks investigating, in particular, for the presence of contagious ovine digital dermatitis. Exploring the health status of the farm you are purchasing from, if possible, is a major benefit in covering all the required bases.

The earlier rams are purchased, the better, as this allows maximum time for them to acclimatise to their new environment and unfortunately in many cases to be reduced from an intensive diet to a grass-based diet.

Store lamb budgets: Store lambs have come under considerable price pressure in recent weeks. The Teagasc store lamb calculator is a useful tool for farmers weighing up whether to sell or finish lambs as it is for those considering purchasing lambs. It can be found here and it is most useful when realistic costs are entered. Where selling, mart managers report a significant price differential depending on the manner in which lambs are presented on weight, type and cleanliness.