Lambing is slowly gaining pace on Tullamore Farm with about 25 ewes lambing since 17 March. While lambing is progressing OK now, there were a few nervy days in the preceding 10 days with a handful of abortions in the flock.

Two of these stemmed from normal issues in the run-up to lambing with one ewe carrying triplet lambs suffering from uterine prolapse and dying in the process. Another was being treated for twin lamb disease and as can often be expected also slung the three lambs she was carrying.

The other four cases of abortion took place over the space of a week and included three triplet-bearing ewes and one single-bearing ewe. Two of these occurred on the point of lambing.

The lift in weather is allowing ewes and lambs to be let outdoors quickly which will help to reduce pressure on housing as lambing progresses.

The ewes were isolated and a sample submitted for post-mortem analysis by the farm’s vet Donal Lynch returned a diagnosis of enzootic abortion. A decision was in turn taken to treat all ewes with a long-acting antibiotic as a precaution.

The commencement of lambing seems to have settled issues down, but the farm will remain on guard for further issues including isolating any suspect cases and submission of samples for laboratory analysis.

Ideal weather

Farm manager Shaun Diver reports this week’s improvement in weather is providing an ideal opportunity to get ewes and lambs outdoors quickly with 19 out of the 25 ewes lambed to date turned out. The farm has experienced issues with grass tetany in recent years in both the sheep flock and suckler herd and as a precaution ewes are also receiving a magnesium bolus on turnout.

Shaun says the lift in weather also allowed more cows and calves to be turned out on Tuesday with more set to go to grass later in the week.

Calving is progressing nicely with 56 cows calved and 56 live calves on the ground, including two sets of twins.

A Charolais-cross bull sired by the easy-calving sire Bivouac which calved unassisted.

Read more

Mature ewes scan 2.33 lambs per ewe joined in Tullamore Farm

Tullamore Farm: calving cows and hitting targets