The ideal feeding programme for ewes post-lambing is being in a position to turn ewes in good body condition and healthy lambs outdoors to a plentiful supply of grass within 24 to 48 hours of lambing.
The energy content of leafy spring grass is over 1UFL/kg DM or on a metabolisable energy basis, good-quality spring grass contains approximately 12.2MJ to 12.4MJ ME/kg DM, slightly lower than a kilo dry matter of good-quality barley (13.2MJ ME /kg DM).
A plentiful supply of such grass (grass height of 4cm to 5cm upwards) is more than capable of meeting the surge in energy and protein requirements of single- and twin-suckling ewes in early lactation.
This will importantly ensure that the ability of ewes to reach peak milk yield (three weeks post-lambing for twin-suckling ewes and five weeks for singles) is not compromised and provides the opportunity to optimise lamb performance.
Different circumstances
It is much easier to write about ideal conditions in early lactation than it is in reality to achieve them, especially in 2023.
Leaving aside the massive role weather plays in influencing early-season grass supplies, farmers have to this year contend with another season of high fertiliser prices and the full effect of elevated concentrate costs.
In other years, farmers had the option of increasing fertiliser application rates or utilising concentrates to bridge a nutritional gap, both of which are now hard options to swallow.
Focusing on promoting grass growth through targeted fertiliser applications is still the most cost-effective manner of feeding ewes and lambs in early lactation.
An application of 1kg nitrogen is capable of delivering 10kg grass dry matter. At a urea cost of €2.17/kg N or CAN cost of over €3/kg N, this equates to roughly 54c to 75c per day to feed a ewe and her two lambs (2.4kg DM to 2.5kg DM intake/day).
The consequences of failing to provide a sufficient supply of grass are not good.
As detailed in Table 1, where the nutritional intake of ewes in early lactation is compromised through inadequate grass supplies, difficult weather delaying turnout/hampering utilisation or poor quality forage, then concentrates will be required to bridge the nutritional gap.
Feeding a ewe 1.5kg to 2kg concentrates daily at a cost of €500/t will cost in the region of 75c to €1 per day or €5.25 to €7 per week on concentrates alone to supplement a ewe to allow her feed her two lambs.
Ewes can compensate for a deficit in energy intake for a period in early lactation, provided that is that ewes are in good body condition and can afford to do so.
This unfortunately will not be an option for some farmers to utilise this year with reports showing a higher percentage of ewes falling below target body condition.
There may be a tendency for some farmers to try and limit late pregnancy feeding costs by reducing the level of concentrates in feeding programmes.
This should be avoided as the value gained in saving on feed costs pales in significance to the value that can be obtained by utilising these body reserves in early lactation.
Targeted fertiliser applications
Fertiliser costs can be optimised by focusing on trying to achieve the best response.
The following practices may help in this regard.
Target fertiliser applications to reseeded or young swards that will deliver the best growth response in spring.Fields with a reasonable cover of grass will respond better to early fertiliser applications than fields which have been grazed bare. If up-to-date soil samples are not available then this should be a task that is prioritised. The response to applied nutrients will be optimised where the soil pH is at target levels (6.3 to 6.5 for grassland swards). An application rate of 20 to 25 units will be sufficient to kickstart growth and will minimise losses where there is a poorer than anticipated response. Where slurry is available, then this should be applied to fields with the lowest covers and which will benefit most from phosphorus and potassium. Applying with low emission slurry spreading (LESS) equipment will minimise the loss of nutrients.Most farms will not be able to get away for another year by applying solely nitrogen fertiliser. However, this should suffice for the first application for most farms where P and K levels are not at very low levels. It is hoped that fertiliser costs would reduce but it will probably be still well in to the season before any substantial change is seen.Soil temperatures of in excess of 5.50C are required for a sustained period (five days plus) grass growth. These temperatures are generally present in February but monitor weather forecasts and delay applying fertiliser where soils are saturated or there is inclement weather forecast. Funding spring expenditure
The higher cost of concentrates has seen many merchants/feed suppliers adopt a payment system similar to fertiliser of requiring part or full payment at the time of purchase. This may put significant strain on cashflow for many businesses.
Budgeting what costs are likely this spring will outline the scale of the challenge ahead. Will access to a bank or credit union loan/overdraft be more economical than credit terms charged on concentrates?
For some, the only option will be to try and raise funds through the sale of animals. Where this is the only option, then the first animals to be sold should be barren ewes or replacement hoggets that are surplus to requirements.
Selling in-lamb ewes is not a good option relative to selling ewes with lambs at foot. Identifying older ewes that are likely to be culled on age later in the season is the next most suitable cohort of animals as it will not overly impact on the productive performance of the flock.
The ideal feeding programme for ewes post-lambing is being in a position to turn ewes in good body condition and healthy lambs outdoors to a plentiful supply of grass within 24 to 48 hours of lambing.
The energy content of leafy spring grass is over 1UFL/kg DM or on a metabolisable energy basis, good-quality spring grass contains approximately 12.2MJ to 12.4MJ ME/kg DM, slightly lower than a kilo dry matter of good-quality barley (13.2MJ ME /kg DM).
A plentiful supply of such grass (grass height of 4cm to 5cm upwards) is more than capable of meeting the surge in energy and protein requirements of single- and twin-suckling ewes in early lactation.
This will importantly ensure that the ability of ewes to reach peak milk yield (three weeks post-lambing for twin-suckling ewes and five weeks for singles) is not compromised and provides the opportunity to optimise lamb performance.
Different circumstances
It is much easier to write about ideal conditions in early lactation than it is in reality to achieve them, especially in 2023.
Leaving aside the massive role weather plays in influencing early-season grass supplies, farmers have to this year contend with another season of high fertiliser prices and the full effect of elevated concentrate costs.
In other years, farmers had the option of increasing fertiliser application rates or utilising concentrates to bridge a nutritional gap, both of which are now hard options to swallow.
Focusing on promoting grass growth through targeted fertiliser applications is still the most cost-effective manner of feeding ewes and lambs in early lactation.
An application of 1kg nitrogen is capable of delivering 10kg grass dry matter. At a urea cost of €2.17/kg N or CAN cost of over €3/kg N, this equates to roughly 54c to 75c per day to feed a ewe and her two lambs (2.4kg DM to 2.5kg DM intake/day).
The consequences of failing to provide a sufficient supply of grass are not good.
As detailed in Table 1, where the nutritional intake of ewes in early lactation is compromised through inadequate grass supplies, difficult weather delaying turnout/hampering utilisation or poor quality forage, then concentrates will be required to bridge the nutritional gap.
Feeding a ewe 1.5kg to 2kg concentrates daily at a cost of €500/t will cost in the region of 75c to €1 per day or €5.25 to €7 per week on concentrates alone to supplement a ewe to allow her feed her two lambs.
Ewes can compensate for a deficit in energy intake for a period in early lactation, provided that is that ewes are in good body condition and can afford to do so.
This unfortunately will not be an option for some farmers to utilise this year with reports showing a higher percentage of ewes falling below target body condition.
There may be a tendency for some farmers to try and limit late pregnancy feeding costs by reducing the level of concentrates in feeding programmes.
This should be avoided as the value gained in saving on feed costs pales in significance to the value that can be obtained by utilising these body reserves in early lactation.
Targeted fertiliser applications
Fertiliser costs can be optimised by focusing on trying to achieve the best response.
The following practices may help in this regard.
Target fertiliser applications to reseeded or young swards that will deliver the best growth response in spring.Fields with a reasonable cover of grass will respond better to early fertiliser applications than fields which have been grazed bare. If up-to-date soil samples are not available then this should be a task that is prioritised. The response to applied nutrients will be optimised where the soil pH is at target levels (6.3 to 6.5 for grassland swards). An application rate of 20 to 25 units will be sufficient to kickstart growth and will minimise losses where there is a poorer than anticipated response. Where slurry is available, then this should be applied to fields with the lowest covers and which will benefit most from phosphorus and potassium. Applying with low emission slurry spreading (LESS) equipment will minimise the loss of nutrients.Most farms will not be able to get away for another year by applying solely nitrogen fertiliser. However, this should suffice for the first application for most farms where P and K levels are not at very low levels. It is hoped that fertiliser costs would reduce but it will probably be still well in to the season before any substantial change is seen.Soil temperatures of in excess of 5.50C are required for a sustained period (five days plus) grass growth. These temperatures are generally present in February but monitor weather forecasts and delay applying fertiliser where soils are saturated or there is inclement weather forecast. Funding spring expenditure
The higher cost of concentrates has seen many merchants/feed suppliers adopt a payment system similar to fertiliser of requiring part or full payment at the time of purchase. This may put significant strain on cashflow for many businesses.
Budgeting what costs are likely this spring will outline the scale of the challenge ahead. Will access to a bank or credit union loan/overdraft be more economical than credit terms charged on concentrates?
For some, the only option will be to try and raise funds through the sale of animals. Where this is the only option, then the first animals to be sold should be barren ewes or replacement hoggets that are surplus to requirements.
Selling in-lamb ewes is not a good option relative to selling ewes with lambs at foot. Identifying older ewes that are likely to be culled on age later in the season is the next most suitable cohort of animals as it will not overly impact on the productive performance of the flock.
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