Weather consequences

This week’s heatwave is affecting sheep farms to greatly varying degrees. There are farms that have not received any significant rainfall for four to five weeks and this week’s temperatures have brought to a halt what was already a low level of grass growth. Grass supplies on these farms have become very tight and alternative measures, such as weaning ewes to prioritise grass supplies for lambs and introducing concentrate supplementation, were initiated to try and underpin performance. In contrast, farms located on more marginal soils that received heavy rainfall in the previous week have found that growth has reduced, but these farms were generally in a much better position heading into this week. Where concentrates are being introduced, targeting supplementation to the lambs that will give the best financial return should be the priority. This can be achieved by grouping lambs by weight or gender, so that feeding levels can be targeted. The feasibility of batching lambs into groups will depend on the numbers and it is particularly useful where dealing with large groups as blanket-feeding can quickly escalate into high costs. For example, batching ram lambs weighing 38-40kg upwards will allow meal feeding levels to focus on achieving a short finishing period. Teagasc research has shown that the best financial return from meal supplementation will generally be achieved by offering 300-600g concentrate daily, while higher supplementation may be warranted where grass supplies or quality is limiting. Feeding in troughs rather than ad-lib feeders is recommended as offering ad-lib levels is a high-cost alternative, with lambs consuming on average 1.1-1.3kg concentrates. Care should be taken where supplementing ewe lambs, as these have a much greater risk of becoming overfat at lower liveweight. Access to water is vital, but especially when offering concentrates.

Transport precautions

Temperatures in trailers can greatly escalate when animals are transported in close confines, with animals having greater difficulty regulating body temperature. High-risk areas for animals are generally upper decks, while in rigid and articulated trucks there is often a risk of higher temperatures close to the cabin area. This is not a concern in most specialised units, with fans in place to regulate temperature. The stocking rate should be reduced by 20-30% where risks are envisaged. Avoid transporting animals during peak daytime temperatures. Limiting stress by minimising handling pre-loading or a allowing rest period will help. Animals should be checked at regular intervals during transport.

SMS reference number

With grass supplies under pressure and farmers selling cull ewes earlier as a result, some have queried the consequences of reducing ewe numbers below the sheep welfare scheme reference number. As of now 2017-born ewe hoggets can be used in calculations, but where this does not prevent numbers from falling below the reference figure then the Department advises that contact can be made to notify them of a lower number. This will then be used to base your next payment on. Notification can be made by sending a note to the Sheep Welfare Scheme Section, DAFM, Government Offices, Old Abbeyleix Road, Portlaoise, Co Laois, or by emailing sheepscheme@agriculture.gov.ie

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