Ewe flock annual mortality rate

[Chev54]

Just wondering what everyone reckons is their average mortality rate for the flock . I see 5% thrown around a lot is that 5% of ewes or 5% of ewes and lambs once weaned ? Working out ours are probably about 7% is that a long way out ?

 

[unlacedgecko]

Just wondering what everyone reckons is their average mortality rate for the flock . I see 5% thrown around a lot is that 5% of ewes or 5% of ewes and lambs once weaned ? Working out ours are probably about 7% is that a long way out ?

2% is a figure I see thrown about for UK ewe mortality.

 

[Jimdog1]

2% is a figure I see thrown about for UK ewe mortality.

La La land.

 

[Jimdog1]

Just wondering what everyone reckons is their average mortality rate for the flock . I see 5% thrown around a lot is that 5% of ewes or 5% of ewes and lambs once weaned ? Working out ours are probably about 7% is that a long way out ?

Your doing a good job.

 

[Al R]

Just wondering what everyone reckons is their average mortality rate for the flock . I see 5% thrown around a lot is that 5% of ewes or 5% of ewes and lambs once weaned ? Working out ours are probably about 7% is that a long way out ?

There was a thread not so long ago about ewe mortality. I’ve been on around 3% with ewes/ewe lambs carrying them up to 7-8 year old. This year for some reason I’m near 4.5-5%, a lot of them totally random, we’re fine at 7-8am but dead at 10am

 

[Al R]

Ewe Mortality

Hi there, its been an interesting year so far lambing and wondering what others lambing and survival rates are if you don't mind me asking. Its the first time we lost a ewe at lambing so want to understand if this is common enough or if I'm just unlucky? And what rams do people use, have you...

thefarmingforum.co.uk

 

[Al R]

Lambing losses

Has anyone else been experiencing higher than normal, unexplained lambing losses this year?

thefarmingforum.co.uk

 

[Estate fencing.]

There was a thread not so long ago about ewe mortality. I’ve been on around 3% with ewes/ewe lambs carrying them up to 7-8 year old. This year for some reason I’m near 4.5-5%, a lot of them totally random, we’re fine at 7-8am but dead at 10am

Same. Always ran at 3% no matter what I have done. But this year 1 flock is more like 7% (weaning until now) a lot of random dead ewes when it was cold and a lot of ewes with bust bags.

 

[MJT]

For us to be 3-4% it roughly works out at one a week . Had nothing couple weeks and then one dead on her back and one dead for no apparent reason this morning , so they’re doing well at keeping that average ticking along .

 

[beardface]

There was a thread not so long ago about ewe mortality. I’ve been on around 3% with ewes/ewe lambs carrying them up to 7-8 year old. This year for some reason I’m near 4.5-5%, a lot of them totally random, we’re fine at 7-8am but dead at 10am

I've had some random losses this year. I'm putting it down to 2 shite winters on the bounce and a couple of droughty springs. Weather has been very up and down this year too. I call it survival of the fittest.

 

[CopperBeech]

Usually works out as 3-4% a year over a five year period.

 

[Chris123]

2% is a figure I see thrown about for UK ewe mortality.

2% of ours find various ways to commit suicide. That’s before adding up the rest

 

[Mc115reed]

You can’t set a mortality rate really without knowing the ground type or ewe type... I run older ewes but on pretty good ground and average 4% atm over 12 months... most of that 4% was in 1 month...

If I ran younger ewes I’d imagine it would be well down too 1-2%...

If I was on hill ground it be up at 10% with my older ewes...

 

[neilo]

If I only ran ewe lambs and shearlings, I guess I might get close to 2%..

Nationally I think the figure is nearer a 5% average. We usually hover around that figure if you count everything, sometimes better, sometimes worse.

I always lose more in the pedigree ewes than in the maternal crossbreds, but when I speak to other pedigree folk they seemingly never lose any ewes or lambs.

 

[Estate fencing.]

For us to be 3-4% it roughly works out at one a week . Had nothing couple weeks and then one dead on her back and one dead for no apparent reason this morning , so they’re doing well at keeping that average ticking along .

That's the sort of thing I think about, I did mange to go from 10th October to March 25th without loosing anything (including store lambs and bought in ewe lambs). Then lost 4 in one day, followed by one every day for 3 weeks. Then stopped again for 5 weeks before losing 2 one morning.

 

[Frank-the-Wool]

I would guess that 5% from breeding ewes is our top level, but often less than 3%. This year will be one of the worst for many. While not losing hardly any from last July to March, we have really made up for it since.
Weather conditions have exacerbated the losses with a very high number of bad udders and for a short time ewes getting Cast and being attacked by every predator going!

 

[exmoor dave]

Worked it out yesterday after calling the hunt for yet another ewe..... then found a rather good shearling dead too
3.5% so far
And 16% very roughly on lambs but have only guessed at live lambs on the place.

Pasturella, or sudden death at least, seems to be the big killer this year

 

[Agrivator]

It's not unusual to have a 3% loss in suckler cows, so it's bound to be significantly higher in ewes. The folk in charge of the National Fallen Stock Scheme were very surprised at how high sheep losses were. Even the most diligent shepherd, at least one who can count, would struggle to get the true figure below 4%.

A local shepherd was asked by a tourist ''how long do you keep your ewes?''

''Generally for about three days after they've deed'', he replied.

 

[Only]

Old saying I heard was you loss your whole flock over 20 years which works out at 5% per annum

 

[Skintagain]

Old saying I heard was you loss your whole flock over 20 years which works out at 5% per annum

Thanks for that I have never thought of it that way