Principles of feeding – late pregnancy and post lambing
• Assess body condition score
• Group accordingly
• Analyse forage
• Assess ewes – metabolic profiles
• Quality of supplement
• MAXIMISE dry matter intake
• Post lambing nutrition
• Grazing cover, forage, supplements
Assess body condition score
• Ewe nutrition – year round importance
• Aim – optimum body condition score at lambing
• Lambing ease
• Minimal risk of disease – metabolic, dystocia, prolapse
• Colostrum quality/quantity
Body condition score targets
• Targets at lambing
• Lowland Ewe – 3-3.5
• Hill ewe – 2.5
• Achieving the correct BCS provides adequate mobilisation body reserves
• Ewes can lose -75-200g/day contributing to energy/protein supply
Effective feeding during late pregnancy
Optimise feeding by grouping ewes according to:
• Raddle mark, number of lambs expected, BCS and age
• Energy and protein demand increase
• Promote optimum lamb birth weights and colostrum quality