1. Level II Agricultural Business Operations

2.  Appropriate management and nutrition to achieve optimum performance from  The pregnant ewe  Lactating ewe  Overview of feeding properties of a range of feedstuffs  Identify the most suitable feed options/levels for the pregnant/lactating ewe

3.  Proper nutrition is central to ◦ Productivity ◦ Health ◦ Welfare  Based on ◦ Body condition score ◦ Pregnancy scanning  Influences future production

4.  Ewes are very sensitive to stress caused by handling, poor weather or health  Maintain body condition score in early pregnancy to maximise embryo viability  Maintain a level plane of nutrition  Ewes above target BCS (4.0+) can afford to lose some condition

5.  Placenta development occurs  Placenta size and development is critical to Lamb birth weight  Ewes should not gain or lose more than half a BCS or 5% bodyweight

6.  70% of foetal growth takes place in the last 6 - 8 weeks  Energy demand goes up dramatically  Ewes appetite drops 30% in the last 6 weeks due to increasing foetal growth. POSSIBLE NEED FOR CONCENTRATED ENERGY

7.  Ensure viable even-sized lambs at birth  Adequate colostrum  Prevent metabolic disorders  Minimise cost by maximising use of suitable forage

8. Under feedingOver feeding More twin lamb diseaseCostly Low lamb birth weight, vigour and survivability Increased lamb size & difficult lambing Little/no colostrum, poor subsequent milk yield Adequate colostrum Poor maternal bonding with lambs Good maternal bonding with lambs Slow finishing lambsFast growing lambs

9.  Majority of lamb losses happen within 48 hours of birth Deaths during lambing Hypothermia (exposure) Hypothermia (starvation) Abortion Poor nutrition Stress Infectious disease

10. Deaths before lambing 10-20% Deaths during lambing 10-20% Hypothermia (exposure) 15-25% * Hypothermia (starvation) 20-30% Infectious disease 10-15% ** Abnormalities 5% Other causes 5% *Very small lambs are more prone to hypothermia ** Lambs which have had insufficient colostrum are more prone to infectious disease e.g. Scours, watery mouth etc

13. Litter sizeLamb Size 14.5 – 6.0kg 24.0 - 5.5kg 33.5 - 4.5kg

14. Size of lamb Colostrum Requirement Large single lamb (5kg)250 ml/feed 4 X daily Medium lamb (4kg)200 ml/feed 4 X daily Small lamb (3kg)150 ml/feed 4 X daily

15. BreedNutrition No of lambs Total lamb weight (kg) Colostrum Production (ml) 1 hour post lambing Total after 18 hrs BlackfaceWell fed27.907151805 BlackfaceUnderfed26.43160990

16.  Selenium  Vitamin E  Iodine  Copper (breed dependent) ◦ Essential for hill breeds ◦ Toxic in excess to breeds such as Suffolk/Texel ◦ Never feed cattle mineral to sheep

17.  Pockets of NI are very low in selenium ◦ 50% hill ewes sampled had inadequate selenium (Se) status  Assess mineral status of ewes ◦ Blood sample 6-8 weeks before mating (Selenium, Cobalt, Iodine)  Methods of supplementation ◦ Injectable, boluses, drenches and feed additives

18.  Supplemented ewes ◦ Needed less assistance at lambing ◦ Ewe body weight and condition maintained more efficiently ◦ Higher lamb output  Lambs from supplemented ewes had ◦ Lower mortality at lambing ◦ Higher growth rates avg. 2kg heavier at weaning

22. WhySource EnergyMaintenance requirements Growth Lamb development & birth weight Carbohydrates Starch ProteinUdder development & colostrum Lamb development & birth weight Adequate brown fat FibreHealthy rumen function Vit & MinsFunctional immune system

23. Meal is concentrated energy ConcentrateForage eg. Silage 73% moisture27% Dry matter14% Moisture86% Dry matter

24. Feed (Average) Dry Matter ( %) Energy (MJ/Kg DM) Protein (% in DM) Spring grass2011.618-22 Clamp silage2510.512-14 Baled silage351012 Hay858.89.0 Wheat straw855.04.0 Forages; especially silage must be good quality

25. Protein ££Energy ££Fibre £ Soya bean mealBarleyOats Rapeseed mealWheatBeet pulp Peas & BeansMaize glutenCitrus pulp LinseedMaize (yellow meal) Soya hulls Vegetable/fish oilStraw  Do not give sheep cattle feed or cattle minerals  Be aware of distillers present in rations as they may increase copper levels above desired threshold

28. ME= 12.8MJ/kgDM Crude protein 19.5% fibre 14% & oil 2% ME= 12.8MJ/Kg DM crude protein 19% fibre 14% & oil 2% Ration 1 Lightly rolled barley 500 Soya bean meal 250 Sugar beet pulp 225 Mins and vits 25 Ration 2 Lightly rolled barley 350 Sugar beet pulp 250 Maize meal/whole 100 Soyabean meal 200 Protected soya 50 Molasses 25 Mins and vits 25

29. Level of feeding pre lambing depends on…  Season of lambing  Grass supply / stocking rate  Expected lamb numbers / scanning result  Forage quality OR no forage available  Condition score

30.  To assess feed value  Predicted animal performance and the need for supplementation  To identify early the stability of the silage and possible impacts on waste and animal health

31.  Dry matter – left after water removal  pH – acidity, fermentation quality  Ammonia N – fermentation, <10  Protein – grass maturity  ME – usable energy  D Value - digestibility

32. ValueSilage clamp qualityBales HighGoodAveragePoorHigh Metabolisable energy (ME) (MJ/kg DM) >1211.5- 11.8 11.5 - 10.5 <10.510-12 Crude protein (CP) (%) >1311-1310 – 11<1010-12 Dry matter (DM) (%) > 3025 – 30 20 – 25<2030-35  Feed value of baled silage will depend on both  Analysis  Characteristics eg. Chop length

33.  Silage 1  Silage 2

34.  Silage analysis & attached Feed report based on analysis

35. Weeks before lambing Precision chop silageBig bale Excellent quality (12 MJ) Average quality (10.4 MJ) Poor quality (9.6 MJ) Excellent quality (11.7 MJ) 4 - 600.20.400.25 2 - 40.350.530.700.55 0 - 20.500.821.00.70 Total fed kg12203021 Post lambing feeding  Ewes with twins -1 kg per day until grass is 5-6 cm  Ewes with singles can be fed 0.4 kg per day

36. Weeks before lambing Excellent quality (11.7 MJ) Average quality (10.4 MJ) Poor quality (9.6 MJ) 4 - 600.20.40 2 - 40.350.530.70 0 - 20.500.821.0 p/ewe/day212529 £/6 weeks8.8010.8012.5  Individual costs  Silage £35/tonne good quality £30/tonne poor quality  Concentrate £250/tonne

37.  Highly stocked sheep only farms - no need for silage  Possibly reduce labour  Release covered silos etc to hold more sheep  Good value concentrates are essential?  0.5m of feed space per ewe required  Water supply essential

38. Weeks pre lambing (kg/d) 6421 Wheat straw 0.420.490.56 Soya hulls 0.80.921.1 Soya bean 0.140.160.23 Cost pence/ day 0.230.270.33 £/week 1.611.892.31 £ for 6 weeks 11.62 Straw £100/tonne Soyabean £380/tonne Soya Hulls £166/tonne

39.  Flat Rate Feeding can be introduced 6-8 weeks pre-lambing  At 0.4kg/day to twin bearing ewes. ◦ (50 days = 20kg fed)  If feeding more than 0.4 kg/day then split over 2 feeds

40.  6 Weeks prior to lambing 20 kg  6 weeks post lambing 42 kg ◦ 1kg/day/6 weeks  Total 62 kg  Cost £250 per tonne  Cost per ewe £15.5  Cost per lamb @1.50 % = £10.30

41.  Feed blocks contain - Energy ( Sugars and fats) - Protein - Vitamins and minerals  Mineral blocks contain - No energy or protein - Minerals and vitamins

42.  Reduced labour required –remote locations  Useful where moderate lambing % is expected and little concentrate is fed before lambing  Examine the energy and moisture content  Cost ◦ Crystalyx £844 per tonne ◦ Supalyx £755 per tonne  (2014 price)

43.  A ewe requires 3 x as much energy in early lactation compared to maintenance  Energy supply comes from – ◦ Grass ◦ Silage ◦ Concentrates ◦ Body fat  Restrict energy supply and milk production will drop and lamb growth will suffer

44.  Lambs are very dependent on ewes milk for up to 6 weeks  Peak milk yield of the ewe is 3 to 4 weeks post-lambing  Appropriate feeding is essential to ensure good lamb growth  If ewe loses a lot of condition it will affect performance

45.  If sufficient grass is not available ewes and/or lambs may require supplementation  Offer twin bearing ewes up to 1kg/head/day until grass growth reaches potential (least 5cm)  Once grass is above this height, feed levels can be reduced  Be aware with lush spring grass there is a high risk of staggers, provide supplementary magnesium

46.  Early spring grass ◦ 11MJ/KG DM ◦ 18-22%CP  Potential to support ewes needs without feed  Target swards at 4-5cm  Stocking rate-twin bearing ewes ◦ 12ewes/ha 5ewes/acre

47.  Grass is approximately ¼ the price of meal. Early spring grass18% CP mix ME (MJ/kg DM)11.612.5 CP (% DM)20.520.9

48.  Correct nutrition will ◦ Reduce ewe and lamb mortality ◦ Benefit lamb growth ◦ Result in lambs being sold sooner  Sample your silage  Examine your ewe concentrate  Plan ahead to have early grass