Short of grass: Wean early?

[Woolless]

Following a tough winter and a cold, late spring grass growth has really taken off in the past five or six weeks. However, with only one decent night's rain over the same period, regrowth after grazing is really slowing up now. My neighbour is starting to see patches burn off and I won't be far behind. Forecast shows no rain for the next fortnight.

Lambs will average 5-6 weeks at the moment. Assuming no turn in the weather, I was thinking of weaning them late June at 9-10 weeks. Get cull ewes sold asap and prioritise grass for the lambs.

Any thought? I see there has been a lot of rain down the country, so I assume this is not a general problem? Maybe @scottish-lleyn, just up the coast, is in the same boat as me?

 

[Northumberland]

Alot can change in two weeks.
You could have too much grass by july

 

[scottish-lleyn]

In exactly the same boat as you i will be weaning everything with the hoggs this year youngest lambs will be about 8/9wks but then i could be weaning singles sooner if it dosnt rain to get the ewes off the fields and up the hill.

 

[Woolless]

Alot can change in two weeks.
You could have too much grass by july

This is true but it doesn't look like anything is going to change for the next fortnight at least.

The weather column in the FG is always worth reading and last week Dr Keeling was talking about a change in Atlantic water temperature patterns which could result in less changeable weather. So more chance of it staying dry or wet for a prolonged period.

 

[Woolless]

In exactly the same boat as you i will be weaning everything with the hoggs this year youngest lambs will be about 8/9wks but then i could be weaning singles sooner if it dosnt rain to get the ewes off the fields and up the hill.

What's your experience with lambs weaned earlier and how they grow on?

 

[andybk]

i know different scenario but i had same situation early last april with mid jan lambers , i weaned and got ewes gone , but lambs took a hell of a check (no creep either) they have caught up now and starting to look good , but was quite a shock to the system , its surprising the difference that bit of bypass milk makes , this time of year wont be so bad as grass is better quality , even better if they are on creep .

 

[scottish-lleyn]

What's your experience with lambs weaned earlier and how they grow on?

i find the younger weaned lambs always look abit sorry for them selfs the first couple of days and then they get on with being sheep. There dlwg drops abit for the first month after weaning i find but not significantly. Hoggs lambs are normally weaned a couole of weeks before i take my first draw fat and usually a few of them to go in the first lot.

 

[muleman]

Following a tough winter and a cold, late spring grass growth has really taken off in the past five or six weeks. However, with only one decent night's rain over the same period, regrowth after grazing is really slowing up now. My neighbour is starting to see patches burn off and I won't be far behind. Forecast shows no rain for the next fortnight.

Lambs will average 5-6 weeks at the moment. Assuming no turn in the weather, I was thinking of weaning them late June at 9-10 weeks. Get cull ewes sold asap and prioritise grass for the lambs.

Any thought? I see there has been a lot of rain down the country, so I assume this is not a general problem? Maybe @scottish-lleyn, just up the coast, is in the same boat as me?

we are in the sameboat as you in cumbria,(well maybe not boat!) but it was exactly like this last year,then got into June and it rained for the rest of the summer!

 

[Nithsdale]

we are in the sameboat as you in cumbria,(well maybe not boat!) but it was exactly like this last year,then got into June and it rained for the rest of the summer!

I think our share of the rain has been dumped down South and in France!


The silage cut around here, lower in the valley, has surprisingly greened up very well - suggesting the water table is still high. No help for me ontop of the rock though - we aren't burning, but I'd expect it to go in another week at this rate.

 

[Northeastfarmer]

Rain forecast for Friday

 

[muleman]

I think our share of the rain has been dumped down South and in France!


The silage cut around here, lower in the valley, has surprisingly greened up very well - suggesting the water table is still high. No help for me ontop of the rock though - we aren't burning, but I'd expect it to go in another week at this rate.

norain here for about 3 weeks or a month and next 10 days shows none and east winds, no rain comes out of east here, nice to have good weather tho...cos when it starts that will be it!

 

[CharcoalWally]

I think our share of the rain has been dumped down South and in France!


The silage cut around here, lower in the valley, has surprisingly greened up very well - suggesting the water table is still high. No help for me ontop of the rock though - we aren't burning, but I'd expect it to go in another week at this rate.

Here on the extreme West the water table will still be high alright as a year's rain doesn't disappear overnight . Been dry this last couple of weeks and scorching hot this week - the sort of temps we haven't seen for a very long time . Cut off the water supply to the house to do a pipe repair yesterday and the house tank overflow is still running merrily.

On the surface however , the grass will shortly need a shower or two incredibly as the heat and strong winds are going to stress the grass into burning on the shallower ground. For now though the much needed heat had caused grass to explode into life.

 

[Woolless]

we are in the sameboat as you in cumbria,(well maybe not boat!) but it was exactly like this last year,then got into June and it rained for the rest of the summer!

Yes, that's what I was worried about as well. Second half of the summer we'll probably be wading in grass but won't get two dry days strung together to make any fodder!

 

[Woolless]

I think our share of the rain has been dumped down South and in France!


The silage cut around here, lower in the valley, has surprisingly greened up very well - suggesting the water table is still high. No help for me ontop of the rock though - we aren't burning, but I'd expect it to go in another week at this rate.

You would be able to wean lambs any time from now if you wanted to?

 

[Poorbuthappy]

I think our share of the rain has been dumped down South and in France!

.

We haven't all had it "down south". Had 2mm Friday and 3.5mm over the weekend. Not a lot of help.

 

[Woolless]

We haven't all had it "down south". Had 2mm Friday and 3.5mm over the weekend. Not a lot of help.

Is grass getting a bit tight down with you @Poorbuthappy?

 

[Poorbuthappy]

Is grass getting a bit tight down with you @Poorbuthappy?

Was late lying up and a bit nervous what it's going to come to. Ok for grazing currently but going to be short quite soon if we keep missing the rain.

 

[Nithsdale]

You would be able to wean lambs any time from now if you wanted to?

I've no idea... I guess so - oldest lambs will be 12weeks now. Seems hellish early though
Don't really have anywhere to wean them onto either

 

[Nithsdale]

We haven't all had it "down south". Had 2mm Friday and 3.5mm over the weekend. Not a lot of help.

Aye but you're practically on the Med... it never rains down there

 

[Woolless]

I've no idea... I guess so - oldest lambs will be 12weeks now. Seems hellish early though
Don't really have anywhere to wean them onto either

My major learning point from last year was that, past a certain stage, they are better off getting the pick of even ordinary grass in front of the ewes rather than a few squirts of milk and then nibbling on what their mother has just crapped on. I was going to wean at 12 weeks but this dry weather may force my hand earlier.