 Overview of lamb finishing systems for early and mid season lambing flock  Overview of store lamb finishing systems  Be aware of the range of feeding options for store lambs  Be aware of the market requirements for finished lambs

 Intensive indoor finishing – concentrate fed  Grass finished early or March born lambs – straight off ewe or weaned  Short keep store lambs  Long keep store lambs System selected depends on land and resources available

 December/January born lambs/triplets or pet lambs  Males left entire  Weaned early and fed all concentrate diet  Slatted floors or well strawed lying area  Target premium market - April/May  Wean at 6 weeks if eating g/day  Lambs consume 50-60kg creep feed  Encourage lambs to creep early  Ad-lib water  Troughs off floor to prevent fouling - coccidiosis  Rock salt to prevent urinary stone

 Lambs born December/January  Ewes and lambs outside when sufficient grass  If grass limited ewes fed concentrates  Lambs creep fed from early age  Growth rates of 450g/day possible  Lambs finished pre-Easter/May  Select lambs carefully to hit target specifications

 Lambs finished straight off their mother – usually singles and lambs born in first lambing cycle  Lambs should only be creep fed if grass supply is limited  Good grass quality and grazing management vital  Lambs weaned at weeks and moved onto silage aftermaths (clean grazing/low worm burden)  On a typical lowland system March born lambs should be finished by end September off grass  Desired daily growth rate of g/day

Pre grazing - Grass cover 2100 kg dry matter/ha Post grazing - Grass cover 1600 kg dry matter /ha

 Creep feeding can compensate for poor grass supply/quality  Creep feeding 300 grams/lamb/day ◦ Increases lamb performance ◦ Reduces age at slaughter by 28 days ◦ Increases price received for first draft of lambs ◦ Small effect on average carcase price for total flock  For mid season lamb producing flocks - Increased lamb performance does not cover cost of concentrates. To improve financial margins focus on better grassland management

 Depends on many factors ◦ Weight of lambs ◦ Length of time/feed required to finish ◦ Availability of grass or concentrates ◦ Market trends

 Grass supply can fall substantially ◦ Lambs face declining sward heights and lower quality swards  Releases grass for ewes at tupping  Provides grass to go into winter with  Can reduce need to feed ewes  Take advantage of good store trade?

 Mop up surplus grass in summer/autumn/winter without poaching the land  Improves sward quality  Sell into high market price  Buy stores at a competitive market price  What is a competitive price?

 Length of time to finish  Make the most of resources available ◦ Grass ◦ Feed ◦ Forages  Feed costs  Have a plan  Margins can be tight  Know your market

Current NI lamb prices

Length of keep Weight of lamb (kg) Weight of lamb (kg) half weight Typical weight gain per week (Kg) Length of finishing period Finishing system Short – 1.16 weeks or less Good quality grass or grass and concentrate Medium – weeksGrass and concentrate LongBelow 30 Below – weeks+Grass and concentrate Forage crops Ad Lib/ indoor finishing

 Select lambs free from Orf /scab  Little or no feet problems/ lameness/joint-ill  Avoid mixed groups of lambs  Similar breed type and sex  Keep entire ram lambs away from ewe lambs

 Dose with ‘an effective wormer’ and house/yard for hrs  Keep separate from own sheep  Footbath and keep on clean concrete for 1 hour  Vaccinate with clostridial / pasteurella vaccine  Dip if necessary or apply pour on depending on season.

 The better a lamb is fed the quicker it will grow, depends on ◦ grass supply ◦ grass quality ◦ lamb growth potential ◦ geographic location, ◦ type of production system ◦ marketing options ◦ cost and availability of feed

 Ideal for lowland Dairy / beef farms  Surplus grass on silage aftermaths or cattle grazing swards  Lower worm challenge – clean grazing  Grass quality will depend on management during the summer  Keep a good grass supply going into fields of 7 cm (2200 kg DM/ha and coming out of fields at 3cm (1600 kg DM/ha)  Block graze fields - helps to avoid poaching /compaction

 Aim to finish lambs within weeks  Utilise 50% of the sward in all fields available – grazing tight may restrict intakes and performance  During favorable conditions can gain 1 kg/head/week  Pastures with high clover content (10%) can increase lamb growth rates by 50 g/day compared to grass alone

 Makes most sense when grass quality/quantity is low  Help to stretch resource allows higher stocking rate  Feed a high energy, low protein concentrate along with good quality grass  Concentrates can be fed at 0.25 – 1 kg per day in troughs, level depends on ◦ Grass quality/quantity ◦ How quickly lambs need to be finished ◦ Lamb/conc. price Where reasonable grass is available feed kg above this level feed will replace grass

 Troughs ◦ Where every lamb can feed at the same time ◦ Groups start eating and finish at the same time  Hoppers ◦ Can be placed out in fields but are more suitable for feeding ad- lib concentrates than a restricted quantity

16% Protein 12.6 MJ/KG DM 10% Fibre Barley250 Maize250 Maize gluten100 Soya125 Soya hulls150 Citrus pulp100 Mins + Vits kg per tonne of chopped straw can be added if the lambs are fed ad lib.

 Silage quality is critical to ensure good intake and determine concentrate intake ◦ Quality D value ◦ 11.5 ME kg/DM ◦ 25-30% dry matter Don't feed poorly fermented or contaminated silage to avoid listeriosis Silage D valueConcentrates required Kg/Lamb/day Below 64Not suitable

 Expensive, useful to achieve necessary finish on lambs and meet target market  Viability depends on lamb and meal prices  Can take up to 8kg meal to support 1kg of liveweight or 0.48kg of carcass (FCR 8:1)  Lambs can get excessively fat especially ewe lambs  Don’t exceed the payable carcase weight (21 or 22 kg) Monitor performance on a regular basis and check does it pay

Cost = 1.60 Meal per tonne = £ £200 per tonne = £ per tonne = £2.00 Return = 1.68 Lamb 1kg of liveweight x 48 % kill out = 0.48 kg carcase 0.48 kg £3.50 = £1.68

 Build up gradually on meal  Generally lambs are housed  Ensure good supply of water  Provide straw in the ration to ensure good rumen function  Clipping / shearing pre housing may help performance – helps in increase intakes  NEVER use ewe minerals in lamb rations

 Up to 4 lambs per expanded metal (mesh) slat 0.7 m 2 /lamb  On restricted feeding allow mm trough space per lamb  On Ad lib feeding allow 125 mm trough space per lamb  Adequate air inlet and outlet – to prevent sticky housing/damp bedding

 Forage rape - can graze in 100 days after sowing. ◦ Sow April- Aug : Use June – Feb  Tyfon – Can be grazed after 60 days a re-growth after grazing  Kale- High yielding but may be better suited for use as a forage crop for cattle  Requires a grass lie back  Strip graze

Kill out % Grass fed Heavy meal feeding 43%50% Liveweight Expected carcase weight Effect of diet on kill out % Grass only fed lambs will have a lower kill out percentage compared to concentrate fed lambs

Purchase price 18 + kg £65 Keep for 6 weeks Variable costs  Grass cost (50 p per week) £3.00  Concentrates (30 days 0.45 kg per day) £3.00  Vet and med £2.00  Transport £1.00  Market/fees£1.50 Total variable costs £10.50 Require £76 at time of sale ( £3.62/kg)

Purchase price 15 – 18 kg £56 Variable / input costs  Grass cost (8 50 p per week) £4.00  Concentrates (56 days 0.40 kg per day) £5.00  Vet and med Clostridial vaccine £2.00  Transport £1.00  Market/fees£1.50 Total variable costs £13.50 Require £70 at time of sale

Purchase price kg £45 Variable costs  Grass cost (10 50 p per week) £5.00  Concentrates (56 days 0.40 kg per day) £5.00  Ad lib concentrates (14 days 1.0 kg /day) £3.10  Vet and med Clostridial vaccine £2.00  Transport £1.00  Market/fees£1.50 Total variable costs £17.60 Require £63 at time of sale

 Weigh lambs regularly  Assess flesh/fat cover by handling the lambs a. Around the tail root or dock - The fatter the lamb the wider the dock. b. Check the prominence of the backbone over the loin. c. Over the ribs. d. The backbone over the shoulder. e. Along the breast bone  Females will fatten at lower liveweight  Don't allow lambs to go over weight or over fat

 Market requirements for lamb carcases can be described in terms of the following 3 areas: 1.Carcase conformation 2.Carcase fat class 3.Carcase weight

 Finishing system depends on the resources you have available  Grass is your cheapest feed and most valuable resource  Sell lambs as stores if keeping them on is likely to affect performance of ewes  Purchase store lambs similar in size and free from disease  Plan what feed you have available and when lambs will be at slaughter weight  Weigh lambs on a regular basis  Read the market trends  If intensive feeding check your costs