Coping with a rapid deterioration in ground conditions

Many farmers are still dealing with the aftermath of the three storms and torrential rainfall experienced over the last 10 days.

The greatest challenges are being borne by earlier lambing flocks struggling to get ewes and lambs outdoors or flocks trying to keep ewes with young lambs outdoors healthy and thriving.

Other farms facing considerable difficulties include systems where ewes are outwintered or where lambs are being finished outdoors.

The short-term prospects point to continued inclement weather and as such, farmers may need to make arrangements to make the best of a testing situation.

Retaining lambs indoors

Retaining ewes and lambs indoors is a feasible option, provided that there is sufficient space and feeding facilities available.

The space requirement for a 70kg to 80kg lowland ewe on straw bedding is 1.2m2 to 1.4m2 (13ft2 to 15ft2), with each additional lamb having a space requirement of 0.3m2 (3.3ft2).

It is important where sheep are being retained indoors for a significant period of time to try and satisfy these space requirements, as failing to do so will create big challenges in keeping bedding clean and disease in check.

Applying lime to bedding in advance of topping up fresh straw will help in

this regard. Specific areas to target include feeding or drinking areas where sheep congregate.

The nutritional requirement of ewes increases sharply in early lactation. Ewes in good body condition and suckling two lambs will require in the region of 1.5kg concentrates daily and 0.3kg to 0.5kg higher if ewes are lacking flesh.

It is vital therefore that all ewes can eat concentrates unrestricted. The recommended feeding space for a 70kg to 90kg ewe is 500mm to 600mm.

Most systems that retain ewes and lambs indoors will also need to tweak their system of feeding forage to prevent soiling from lambs.

A tip from Teagasc’s Michael Gottstein for temporarily offering bales to ewes consists of turning sheep hurdles upside down.

Concentrates to lambs

Once lambs are two weeks old, concentrates should be introduced in indoor feeding systems.

Where ewes and lambs are retained indoors for five to six weeks, then it will be much more economical to offer concentrates ad-lib to lambs and reduce the level of concentrates offered to ewes.

There have been a few questions in recent weeks about the feasibility of weaning lambs born in an early lambing flock at a young age.

This was a common system operated on some farms over a decade ago, with some producers operating an enterprise whereby aged ewes were mated and drafted for slaughter after lambs were weaned at about eight weeks of age.

Technically, lambs can be weaned once they have reached a minimum of 9kg liveweight or 2.5 times their birthweight and are eating at least 250g on three consecutive days.

Suckling lambs should be weighing well in excess of these targets and consuming higher levels of meal in an indoor system.

It is important also, where lambs are consuming concentrates, to ensure they can access a supply of clean, fresh water.

Outdoor management

Where ewes and young lambs are currently outdoors, then shelter combined with a dry lie and ewe nutrition are the two major factors to address.

In theory, a ewe’s nutritional intake will be satisfied where there is a cover of grass in excess of 4cm with the target grass height at 6cm.

However, in weather like we are currently experiencing, ewes will benefit from concentrate supplementation (0.5kg to 1kg for twin suckling lambs) and this in turn will help ensure lambs survive through harsh conditions.

Keeping troughs moved regularly and supplementing in the driest area of the field will hopefully help to reduce the risk of soiled teats/udders and issues such as coccidiosis.