Loughguile, Co Antrim
Dermot McAleese.
Last week saw Dermot’s upland flock finish lambing. This flock consists of 200 ewes, most of which are Mule breeding with some Texel-cross Mule females mated to Texel and Suffolk rams.
Lambing started in mid-March and most ewes lambed inside the first two weeks with a handful running into a third week. Thankfully, there were no major problems encountered.
Lambing coincided with the mild, dry spell in the latter half of March, allowing ewes and lambs to go out to grass within a day of lambing.
This has been a huge labour-saving in terms of managing ewes post-lambing. Ewes at grass are getting fed a cob pellet through a snacker device.
Hill flock
The hill flock has 300 ewes which have been lambing for just over one week. Again, ewes are lambing thick and fast, thanks to animals being in great condition going to the ram last autumn.
The younger, fitter Blackface ewes are crossed back to a Blackface ram, whereas the older hill ewes are crossed to Blueface Leicester rams.
Blackface ewes were initially lambing outside in paddocks beside the yard during the dry weather.
But with weather turning unsettled, Dermot has housed all remaining in-lamb ewes for ease of management.
Ewes are fed silage and concentrate pre-lambing through a diet feeder. Ewes are grazing silage fields post-lambing, which are normally closed up for first cut by mid-April.
Therefore, the plan is to start filtering fitter Blackface ewes with single lambs back to hill ground inside the next week, followed by twins.
Park, Co Derry
Clement Lynch.
Clement also runs an upland flock of crossbred ewes alongside a pure hill flock of Blackface breeding females.
Lambing started on 27 March for the crossbred ewes, which are mostly Mule breeding and mated to Texel and Suffolk sires.
Around 130 ewes lambed in the first week out of 350 breeding females in the upland flock.
There were a handful of lambs that had trouble with watery mouth, but early action meant Clement was able to get on top of the problem quickly.
This week will see peak lambing for the crossbred ewes. The bulk of the hill ewes are likely to lamb next week after the first Blackface ewes lambed on Sunday 3 April.
Turnout
Post-lambing, ewes remain housed for three to four days before going out to grass. The first ewes and lambs went out to grass on Sunday (3 April) and are mainly grazing silage ground.
Grazing covers are reasonably good on the farm, so the plan is to keep ewes on a grass-only diet and hold off on concentrate feeding unless necessary.
Ewes in the house are being fed silage and concentrate through a diet feeder.
Ewes that have lambed are getting 0.8kg/day of concentrate split between a morning and evening feed.
Fertiliser has been applied to grazing ground to kickstart grass growth, as grazing demand will increase significantly in the next two to three weeks.
Tempo, Co Fermanagh
The Mayers family: Gavin, Ashley, Roy, Marilyn and Tanya. \ Houston Green
Mature ewes have finished lambing on Roy and Marilyn’s farm, with the majority lambed over a two-week period.
At peak, up to 25 ewes were lambing per day. In total, 190 mature ewes were lambed which were mated to Belclare, New Zealand Suffolk and a Logie Durno ram.
All ewes were lambed inside but have since moved outdoors to fresh grass. The farm is carrying heavy covers of grass, which ewes are currently working through.
To date, no concentrate is being fed to ewes post-lambing, as grass quality is good and the recent dry spell meant sward utilisation was high.
Lick buckets are available to prevent tetany.
Regrowth is slow to come back on grazed areas, but Roy reports that grazing days in front of sheep should carry the flock into May.
The oldest lambs were treated for coccidiosis on Saturday 2 April and vaccinated for clostridial diseases with Heptavac P.
Replacements
Ewe lambs started lambing over the first weekend in April and all replacements should be finished lambing over three weeks.
There are 120 animals in this batch, although there are a few older ewes that didn’t hold to service in the main breeding group.
Replacements are in great condition and, so far, are milking well. But these animals will stay inside for two to three days to bond with lambs and ensure no issues arise before turnout.
There is a group of 30 pet lambs on the farm, which are being artificially reared on an automatic feeder that has been purchased this year.
Drumquin, Co Tyrone
James McCay.
Lambing is starting to wind down on James’s farm. At the outset of the week, approximately 75 Blackface ewes were left to lamb.
The farm carries around 300 ewes, split evenly between an upland flock of crossbred animals and the remainder being pure Blackface ewes that run on the hill.
Crossbred ewes started lambing three weeks ago and the dry weather during the second half of March was ideal for James.
Ewes with a single lamb are getting 0.5kg/day of a 20% protein ration
Ewes and lambs were turned outside around 18 hours after lambing and this greatly reduced the workload on the farm.
Grass covers are low, so ewes are being supplemented with concentrates.
Ewes with a single lamb are getting 0.5kg/day of a 20% protein ration.
Ewes with twins are getting 0.75kg/day. Concentrates are also helping to safeguard ewes against grass tetany as the weather becomes more variable.
Triplet lambs have been successfully fostered to other ewes, again reducing the work involved with pet lambs.
Turnout
With the weather becoming more changeable this week, ewes are being held indoors for longer.
Ewes with a single lamb will stay indoors for at least 24 hours, while ewes with twins will stay inside for close on 48 hours, weather dependent.
Ewes are being turned out to silage ground post-lambing. Depending on grass supply, James is planning to start pushing the Blackface ewes with singles back to the hill ground towards the end of this month.
Ewes that are suckling twins will move to hill ground afterwards.
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Loughguile, Co Antrim
Dermot McAleese.
Last week saw Dermot’s upland flock finish lambing. This flock consists of 200 ewes, most of which are Mule breeding with some Texel-cross Mule females mated to Texel and Suffolk rams.
Lambing started in mid-March and most ewes lambed inside the first two weeks with a handful running into a third week. Thankfully, there were no major problems encountered.
Lambing coincided with the mild, dry spell in the latter half of March, allowing ewes and lambs to go out to grass within a day of lambing.
This has been a huge labour-saving in terms of managing ewes post-lambing. Ewes at grass are getting fed a cob pellet through a snacker device.
Hill flock
The hill flock has 300 ewes which have been lambing for just over one week. Again, ewes are lambing thick and fast, thanks to animals being in great condition going to the ram last autumn.
The younger, fitter Blackface ewes are crossed back to a Blackface ram, whereas the older hill ewes are crossed to Blueface Leicester rams.
Blackface ewes were initially lambing outside in paddocks beside the yard during the dry weather.
But with weather turning unsettled, Dermot has housed all remaining in-lamb ewes for ease of management.
Ewes are fed silage and concentrate pre-lambing through a diet feeder. Ewes are grazing silage fields post-lambing, which are normally closed up for first cut by mid-April.
Therefore, the plan is to start filtering fitter Blackface ewes with single lambs back to hill ground inside the next week, followed by twins.
Park, Co Derry
Clement Lynch.
Clement also runs an upland flock of crossbred ewes alongside a pure hill flock of Blackface breeding females.
Lambing started on 27 March for the crossbred ewes, which are mostly Mule breeding and mated to Texel and Suffolk sires.
Around 130 ewes lambed in the first week out of 350 breeding females in the upland flock.
There were a handful of lambs that had trouble with watery mouth, but early action meant Clement was able to get on top of the problem quickly.
This week will see peak lambing for the crossbred ewes. The bulk of the hill ewes are likely to lamb next week after the first Blackface ewes lambed on Sunday 3 April.
Turnout
Post-lambing, ewes remain housed for three to four days before going out to grass. The first ewes and lambs went out to grass on Sunday (3 April) and are mainly grazing silage ground.
Grazing covers are reasonably good on the farm, so the plan is to keep ewes on a grass-only diet and hold off on concentrate feeding unless necessary.
Ewes in the house are being fed silage and concentrate through a diet feeder.
Ewes that have lambed are getting 0.8kg/day of concentrate split between a morning and evening feed.
Fertiliser has been applied to grazing ground to kickstart grass growth, as grazing demand will increase significantly in the next two to three weeks.
Tempo, Co Fermanagh
The Mayers family: Gavin, Ashley, Roy, Marilyn and Tanya. \ Houston Green
Mature ewes have finished lambing on Roy and Marilyn’s farm, with the majority lambed over a two-week period.
At peak, up to 25 ewes were lambing per day. In total, 190 mature ewes were lambed which were mated to Belclare, New Zealand Suffolk and a Logie Durno ram.
All ewes were lambed inside but have since moved outdoors to fresh grass. The farm is carrying heavy covers of grass, which ewes are currently working through.
To date, no concentrate is being fed to ewes post-lambing, as grass quality is good and the recent dry spell meant sward utilisation was high.
Lick buckets are available to prevent tetany.
Regrowth is slow to come back on grazed areas, but Roy reports that grazing days in front of sheep should carry the flock into May.
The oldest lambs were treated for coccidiosis on Saturday 2 April and vaccinated for clostridial diseases with Heptavac P.
Replacements
Ewe lambs started lambing over the first weekend in April and all replacements should be finished lambing over three weeks.
There are 120 animals in this batch, although there are a few older ewes that didn’t hold to service in the main breeding group.
Replacements are in great condition and, so far, are milking well. But these animals will stay inside for two to three days to bond with lambs and ensure no issues arise before turnout.
There is a group of 30 pet lambs on the farm, which are being artificially reared on an automatic feeder that has been purchased this year.
Drumquin, Co Tyrone
James McCay.
Lambing is starting to wind down on James’s farm. At the outset of the week, approximately 75 Blackface ewes were left to lamb.
The farm carries around 300 ewes, split evenly between an upland flock of crossbred animals and the remainder being pure Blackface ewes that run on the hill.
Crossbred ewes started lambing three weeks ago and the dry weather during the second half of March was ideal for James.
Ewes with a single lamb are getting 0.5kg/day of a 20% protein ration
Ewes and lambs were turned outside around 18 hours after lambing and this greatly reduced the workload on the farm.
Grass covers are low, so ewes are being supplemented with concentrates.
Ewes with a single lamb are getting 0.5kg/day of a 20% protein ration.
Ewes with twins are getting 0.75kg/day. Concentrates are also helping to safeguard ewes against grass tetany as the weather becomes more variable.
Triplet lambs have been successfully fostered to other ewes, again reducing the work involved with pet lambs.
Turnout
With the weather becoming more changeable this week, ewes are being held indoors for longer.
Ewes with a single lamb will stay indoors for at least 24 hours, while ewes with twins will stay inside for close on 48 hours, weather dependent.
Ewes are being turned out to silage ground post-lambing. Depending on grass supply, James is planning to start pushing the Blackface ewes with singles back to the hill ground towards the end of this month.
Ewes that are suckling twins will move to hill ground afterwards.
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