How to do a better job of sheep farming

[neilo]

The judicious use of concentrates or biodegradable dietary protein, as Supplements, can produce a very significant increase in animal health and the efficiency with which forage is used.

The classic examples area:

Compensating for annual variations in roughage quality and quantity.

Weaned calves on poor grass or high silage or haylage diets.

Ewes or lean cows in late pregnancy where lack of energy can have serious welfare issues.

Increased risk of swayback in lambs where no concentrates are fed.

Store lambs on winter grass show a marked response to even small amounts of supplementation.

The improvement in appearance (wool and facial hair quality etc ) of breeding sheep offered for sale.

Anyone who advocates a blanket ban on supplementary concentrates or has a rigid ''pasture for life'' mentality, doesn't understand the basic principles of sound animal husbandry. And these are often the folk who have long-tailed shitty-arsed sheep running or hobbling around, and who seem to take little or no pride in the type of stock they produce.

The judicious use of supplementing additional nutrition can produce significant improvements, if/when they are lacking it makes no difference whether it comes from concentrates or additional/better forage. The key is to use the cheapest way of providing that nutrition, which is rarely in the form of purchased concentrates, although it is often the simplest way of course.

Concentrates don't stave off swayback btw, copper does, if the sheep are deficient through diet or genetic ability to absorb it.

 

[unlacedgecko]

The judicious use of concentrates or biodegradable dietary protein, as Supplements, can produce a very significant increase in animal health and the efficiency with which forage is used.

The classic examples area:

Compensating for annual variations in roughage quality and quantity.

Weaned calves on poor grass or high silage or haylage diets.

Ewes or lean cows in late pregnancy where lack of energy can have serious welfare issues.

Increased risk of swayback in lambs where no concentrates are fed.

Store lambs on winter grass show a marked response to even small amounts of supplementation.

The improvement in appearance (wool and facial hair quality etc ) of breeding sheep offered for sale.

Anyone who advocates a blanket ban on supplementary concentrates or has a rigid ''pasture for life'' mentality, doesn't understand the basic principles of sound animal husbandry. And these are often the folk who have long-tailed shitty-arsed sheep running or hobbling around, and who seem to take little or no pride in the type of stock they produce.

I think in several of those examples culling/destocking would be more cost effective.

Edit: @neilo said it better than me.

 

[unlacedgecko]

The judicious use of concentrates or biodegradable dietary protein, as Supplements, can produce a very significant increase in animal health and the efficiency with which forage is used.

The classic examples area:

Compensating for annual variations in roughage quality and quantity.

Weaned calves on poor grass or high silage or haylage diets.

Ewes or lean cows in late pregnancy where lack of energy can have serious welfare issues.

Increased risk of swayback in lambs where no concentrates are fed.

Store lambs on winter grass show a marked response to even small amounts of supplementation.

The improvement in appearance (wool and facial hair quality etc ) of breeding sheep offered for sale.

Anyone who advocates a blanket ban on supplementary concentrates or has a rigid ''pasture for life'' mentality, doesn't understand the basic principles of sound animal husbandry. And these are often the folk who have long-tailed shitty-arsed sheep running or hobbling around, and who seem to take little or no pride in the type of stock they produce.

Key profit drivers.

 

[Woolless]

The judicious use of concentrates or biodegradable dietary protein, as Supplements, can produce a very significant increase in animal health and the efficiency with which forage is used.

The classic examples area:

Compensating for annual variations in roughage quality and quantity.

Weaned calves on poor grass or high silage or haylage diets.

Ewes or lean cows in late pregnancy where lack of energy can have serious welfare issues.

Increased risk of swayback in lambs where no concentrates are fed.

Store lambs on winter grass show a marked response to even small amounts of supplementation.

The improvement in appearance (wool and facial hair quality etc ) of breeding sheep offered for sale.

Anyone who advocates a blanket ban on supplementary concentrates or has a rigid ''pasture for life'' mentality, doesn't understand the basic principles of sound animal husbandry. And these are often the folk who have long-tailed shitty-arsed sheep running or hobbling around, and who seem to take little or no pride in the type of stock they produce.

While I wouldn't disagree with most of that, there is a difference between what impresses the neighbours and what leaves the most profit. Pride CAN be expensive.

 

[Sandpit Farm]

It sounds to me like a mineral issue. Many of the disease options would result in an abortion epidemic (I guess there is still time mind you, so look out for that - it isn't always easy to spot). It sounds like you should be testing for the main contenders - MV, Border, Toxo etc... you can test a selection of the older ewes as sentinels but useful to test some of the homebred younger ewes too so you can see if it is a historic problem or one from the last year or so. @Tim W may have a perspective on that.

One of the issues with testing ewes for blood minerals is that it doesn't always highlight why they have the problem. We see that she is deficient in something but don't know why. Sometimes it is down to a worm burden as TimW has said, sometimes it is disease preventing absorption of minerals. The outcome is the same - low titre of mineral in the blood. I would be interested to test some soils (it isn't very cheap) to establish if you have something 'locked up'. Comparing this with bloods will give you some indication on what bolus you could use pre tupping next year. Drenches are ok but very short-lived - licks are good because they are a visual reminder of how much they have had.

Beware of Copper or copper supplements... test rigorously before treating any Texel with copper

 

[Agrivator]

While I wouldn't disagree with most of that, there is a difference between what impresses the neighbours and what leaves the most profit. Pride CAN be expensive.

Of course it can. But lack of pride can be disastrous.

 

[Dicky.A]

We were dragging our heals with our sheep, until we changed vet. She has completely turned our sheep enterprise around.
Somethings not right if scanning at 1.3, blood tests a good start, also get Tups sperm tested. Seek professional advice or change vet. Grow more turnips. If you haven’t got any land for turnips, find an arable man that does. Been mentioned already but 2 average lambs are worth more than 1 spectacular lamb!

 

[tinsheet]

I didn't suggest it was, but with all else the same south is milder than North so grows for longer.

So varied in my part of the world, you can drive down of the hill here and it's a different world, only 8 miles or so.
Boxing day about 10 years ago we'd had snow, drove down for the annual boxing day rugby match and people wouldn't stop starring as they'd no snow and I'd 4 inches on the truck, they thought I was pulling a fast one

 

[Sandpit Farm]

You aren't grazing clovers pre tupping are you... that's another possible issue

 

[NZDan]

Interesting, having had a quick read I see that border disease is a close relation to bvd in cattle and the species can actually cross infect. Could well be worth looking into especially as you have a beef herd also.

I know of people who "dose" ewes with milk from BVD PI cows to "vaccinate" them against Border disease. Seems to work.

 

[Agrivator]

I know of people who "dose" ewes with milk from BVD PI cows to "vaccinate" them against Border disease. Seems to work.

In that case, how would milk from PI cow affect human babies or even adults?

 

[tr250]

@Andy545 what are they crossed with and when are you scanning this year if it’s soon maybe it’s just too early as texels tend not to come tupping early

 

[M-J-G]

W

I know of people who "dose" ewes with milk from BVD PI cows to "vaccinate" them against Border disease. Seems to work.

Who knowingly keeps and milks a PI cow?

Does a cow shed virus in her milk? Will it vaccinate calves against BVD?

 

[Bury the Trash]

No clover ?? well that's me fecked then...



And yep I will definatly keep an eye out for breeding sheep that have been fed up to 'improve the look of their wool and facial hair

 

[Anymulewilldo]

I'd be tempted to get them tested for copper deficiency. Our texel crosses were down at 140% while the mules were a comfortable 190%. We kept being told we can't copper texels, 6/7 years ago I saw my backside about the big idle swines and they all got a 4g copper when the rest did. That year we scanned texels at 163%, the next year I culled everything that was 3/4 texel and above leaving just the first crosses out of the mules. Now they sit around 168-175%. Not as many as the mules but a lot more bareable. If it wasn't for the older generation insisting I keep 100 of them though I would probably have replaced them with Cheviot Mules by now.

 

[NZDan]

W

Who knowingly keeps and milks a PI cow?

Does a cow shed virus in her milk? Will it vaccinate calves against BVD?

Most PI cows will be shot, but easy enough to get some milk off one before it is shot I presume. I wasn't aware that cows passed on the virus in there milk but it seems to work.

 

[Sandpit Farm]

W

Who knowingly keeps and milks a PI cow?

Does a cow shed virus in her milk? Will it vaccinate calves against BVD?

Yes there is virus in the milk. It will effectively 'vaccinate' the calf but it will also cause transient infection in peer cows, which will cause more PIs. A dangerous unintended consequence.

 

[deere 6600]

I'd be tempted to get them tested for copper deficiency. Our texel crosses were down at 140% while the mules were a comfortable 190%. We kept being told we can't copper texels, 6/7 years ago I saw my backside about the big idle swines and they all got a 4g copper when the rest did. That year we scanned texels at 163%, the next year I culled everything that was 3/4 texel and above leaving just the first crosses out of the mules. Now they sit around 168-175%. Not as many as the mules but a lot more bareable. If it wasn't for the older generation insisting I keep 100 of them though I would probably have replaced them with Cheviot Mules by now.

No question the more you water down mules!!! With a terminal breed and keep as replacements the less lambs you get in our experiance

 

[M-J-G]

No question the more you water down mules!!! With a terminal breed and keep as replacements the less lambs you get in our experiance

Personally I feel that one dose of something like a Texel which is mainly terminal but has a reasonable maternal element onto a mule is enough, beyond that first cross if ewe lambs are to be kept for replacements I think you need something with more maternal traits and litter size. Lleyn and Roussin spring to mind.

 

[M-J-G]

Yes there is virus in the milk. It will effectively 'vaccinate' the calf but it will also cause transient infection in peer cows, which will cause more PIs. A dangerous unintended consequence.

Thanks, I wasn't sure if virus was shed in milk it was something I'd never thought about.
Thankfully few will ever get to the point of having a calf, but things would have to be in some mess to have PIs getting as far as adulthood.