MCQ Questions Flashcards
What is the value of the sheep industry in Ireland
€420 m
How much did sheep meat exports increase by in 2021?
15%
What is the average FFI of sheep farming in Ireland
€17,000
How much did sheep FFI increase by in 2020?
21%
What caused the increase in FFI in 2020?
Higher price for lamb
How much sheep meat is exported?
75%
What % of sheep meat is exported to the UK?
16%
What is the current average price for lamb?
€1.20/kg
Where is the main market for Irish exports?
France
What is the primary market for irish sheepmeat
European union
In what year was FFI very low?
2018 - due to drought and high cost of feed and forage prices
What is the purpose of direct payments
To offset losses to ensure constant supply of food
What % of FFI is direct payments for sheep farms
105% (€425/ha)
What is the average sheep farm size?
44ha
What is the average basic payment on sheep farms?
€258
Average farm income from sheep farming
€404 / ha
What is the current litter size
1.48
What is the main challenge of achieving future targets?
Farmer’s perceptions
Average stocking rate?
7.8 ewe/ha
What is the most common breed in flocks
Suffolk X - for their cull value
What % of sheep are suffolks?
62%
What breed has declined over the past century?
Galway breed
What is the target % cut of concentrates by 2027?
50%
Which breed are desired for prolificacy
Belclare
Top ranked replacement breed
Belclare
What is the most common terminal sire
Suffolk
What is the mortality rate for triplets?
15%
Average GHG emissions per kg liveweight of sheep meat produced
9.2 kg CO2 e/kg carcass
Current net margin (excluding support payments)
€150/ha
What is the most weighted trait in replacement indexes
Maternal (60%)
What is the most weighted trait in terminal indexes
Growth (47%)
What trait is of least significance for indexes
Health
Approximately how much CO2 was produced from the average sheep farm?
126.8 t CO2 ( over half the emissions were from cattle + sheep enterprise farms)
Economically efficient farms generated less GHG per kg of liveweight.
What is the average yield of ammonia produced on sheep farms?
0.02 kg of NH3 per kg of liveweight.
What was the average gross margin on sheep farms in 2020?
€507 / ha
What % of sheep only farms are economically viable?
26%
What is considered to be in a kg of lamb
DM grass
DM silage
DM concentrates
22.2 kg
3.8 kg
0.9kg
What is the predicted stocking rate for a ha to produce 1 tonne of lamb per year
1 ewe/ha/yr
What is the difference infeed requirement between high and medium prolificacy ewes
No difference in requirements
How much grass needs to be grown for every ewe to consume 850 kg DM?
1 tonne
What sward type gives the greatest DM yield?
PRG with WC
What is a common lowland breed to breed for replacement
Cheviot
What are the top 3 breeds in Irish flocks
Suffolk, Texel, Charllais
Which of the following is not considered to be ranked as sires of flock replacements:
Belclare
Cheviot
Bluefaced leicester
Bleu de maine
Cheviot
What breed is associated with improving prolificacy
Belclalre
What is the average lambs reared per ewe joined for belcares
1.65
In relation to the belclare what breed has the highest efficiency index figure
Charolais cross
What breed has the greatest carcass weight
Texel
What are the 6 ways to improve flocks
Breeding/ genetics
Nutrition
Management
Education
Technology transfer
Health
What is the issue with using the €uro-star index for sheep?
Not enough data
What does 5 * index represent
The top 20% of rams
Which is the following is a disadvantage of increased ewe size
Increased milking ability and confer superior lamb growth rates
Increases cull ewe value
Increased feed requirement and housing capacity
Can increase the breeding stock value
Increased feed requirement and housing capacity
What relative emphasis does days to slaughter have on terminal index
40%
What trait is the most relative emhpaahsis put on for replacement index
Ewe mature weight (16%)
List 3 main reason why ewes are culled
Teeth
Masitisits
Prolapse
What is the primary cull decision
Teeth - missing teeth can affect feed intake and condition
What age is a ewe considered to be when they have 6 incisor teeth
3 years
What age do ewes develop a full set of teeth
4 years
Which of the following is not considered an involuntary reason to cull
Teeth
Barneness
Prolificacy
Lameness
Prolificacy
What is the minimum liveweight and BCS for breeding
45kg + 3-3.5
What is the cheapest option for breeding stock
Keep and breed own ewe lambs (net cost €32)
Target age for 1st lambing
12 months
Age of ewes with highest lamb mortality
2 years
Age of ewes that culled for poor condition
4 years
Age of puberty
6-9 months
Oestrous cycle length
17 days
Duration of oestrus
24-36 hrs
Gestation length
147 days
What breeds are considered to be short season breeders
Hill breeds
Which of the following is not a medium season breeder
Dorset season
Suffolk
Oxford
Charollais
Dorset - long
What measurement of performance dictates the output of the flock
Weaning %
The equation for weaning %
No. of lambs reared/ no. of ewes to ram X 100
What is the consequence of each 1 unit increase in BCS in terms of weaning rate.
Increased weaning rate of 0.1 ( extra €9)
What % of farmers BCS sheep
60%
How much body weight can be lost after lambing
20-25 kg
Target BCS at lambing
3
What is the energy gain of gaining 1 BCS
24 MJ/kg liveweight
Purpose of flushing ewes
To ensure weight and condition scores are gained prior to breeding.
When should flushing be done?
6-8 weeks prior to mating
Which of the following is false about improved response to flushing
Better response early in the season
Better response to young well conditioned ewes
Better response with mature ewes
Better response with lower BCS
Better response to young well conditioned ewes
What is the effect of starving ewes
Fertility issues
During the 1st month of pregnancy what is the recommended management of ewes
Leave ewes alone for the 1st 4 weeks.
Which is not advantages of flushing
Improved LH surges
Improved insulin production for glucose uptake but lower oocyte growth
Increasing no of eggs ovulated
Improved nutrition for positive oocyte growth
Improved insulin production for glucose uptake but lower oocyte growth
Relationship between energy balance and ovulation rate
Positive energy balance maximises ovulation rate
What are the physical signs of cobalt deficiency
Wirey wool and Flakey skin
When using the ram effect when should the fertile ram be introduced
Day 14
When should sponges be removed when sponging to synchronise
Day 12
How far away should rams be kept separated from ewes
1 mile
What % of ewes lamb within a 2 week period when ram effect if used
75-80%
What % of genetics do rams make up in the flock
50%
Average cost of sponging
~€5.50-6.00
Normal dose of PMSG
500-750 IU
BCS of rams at mating
3.5-4.0
How much weight can a ram loose over the 6 week breeding season
15%
Ratio of ram:ewe
1:40
When sponging how many ewes per ram
8-10 ewes :1
In order to avoid having lambing at christmas when should ewes be mated
After 5th August
For hill sheep when should ewes be mated
November to lamb in april
What is the amount of grass DM needed to maintain a ewe and her lambs annually?
1 tonne
What % of the national flock of breeding ewes are Suffolk/Suffolk cross?
45%
What % of the national flock are Belclare ewes?
6%
What number of lambs would you expect to be reared from a Texel ewe?
1.3
When scanning % = 150, what would be the expected rate of singles, twins and triplets?
Singles – 50
Twins – 45
Triplets – 5
When scanning % = 190, what would be the expected rate of singles, twins and triplets?
Singles – 22
Twins – 65
Triplets – 13
When scanning % = 220, what would be the expected rate of singles, twins and triplets?
Singles – 13
Twins – 57
Triplets – 30
Current genetics allow for 1.5 lambs/ewe/year. Why is this not achieved?
Due to nutrition, inadequate BCS at mating
Low heritability can be overcome with:
More data recording
If days to slaughter decreases by one day, how much does profitability increase by?
12c
What is the net cost of rearing a replacement ewe?
€126.40
What causes the start of ovulation in ewes?
Melatonin trigger
If shearing is carried out after housing, this will increase gestation by:
2 days
What is a problem caused by having over fat ewes?
Poor feed intake post lambing
When should the 1st BCS observation be made?
12 weeks prior to breeding
How long on good grass should equal an improvement of 1 BCS?
6-10 weeks
What hormone initiates ovulation?
LH
What is the usual weaning age?
14 weeks
How long should ewes be isolated from rams for pre-mating?
6 weeks
Large testicles produce how much more sperm than medium sized testicles?
80%
What is the disadvantage of early season lamb production?
Expensive, high reliance on concentrates
What is the mean length between lambing and sale in early lamb production?
16 weeks
What lameness rates should be targeted within the flock?
Below 5%
What would be the expected weight gain of lambs on a twin suckling ewe?
325g/day or 2.25 kg/week
Approx VFI during lactation
2.5 kg/ewe/day
What is the average DMI of a lactating ewe
2-4% of body weight
What level of energy is required 7 weeks prior to lambing
12 MJ
What is the level of increase in feed intake 7 weeks post lambing
3 fold increase - 30-50% higher intake (36-38 MJ required)
What level of weight loss can a ewe tolerate after lambing
7-8% (4kg for twins)
When does most of the foetal development take place
85% during month 4+5
What are the placentomes?
Links between the cotyledons and caruncles
Cotyledon = Foetal side
Caruncle = maternal
How many placentomes do sheep have
75-125
Why do some twins have uneven birth weights?
Initial triplet pregnancy
1 has been reabsorbed but the carnuncles have already been assigned.
Increasing litter size can have a negative effect on:
Ease of finishing lambs + increase lamb mortality
The terminal index criteria are primarily based on:
Growth and lambing
The replacement index criteria are primarily based on:
Maternal traits and production
What is the main objective in early pregnancy?
Embryo Survival
What function does placenta lactogen carry out?
Stimulates the mammary gland, increases ability of ewe to lactate
What stage does a foetus reach its final weight at?
120 days
Winter shearing will cause:
Heavier lambs (0.5 kg)
Increased feed intake of ewe (10-20%)
Longer gestation (2 days)
When should pregnancy scanning be done
50-90 days
If mating was compact when should scanning be done
Scan earlier
Main purpose of scanning
Late pregnancy feeding management
Lamb mortality target
<8%
Single lamb birth weight
6kg
Twin = 5kg
Triplet = 4.5kg
Achievable ewe mortality rate
<2%
Key to lamb survival
Timely intake of adequate amounts of good quality colostrum
What does hypo immunocompetent mean
Lambs have a non-functioning immune system
Normal lamb body temperature
38 degrees C
Highest risk period for lamb loss
First 48 hours post lambing
What colostrum form do lambs have a greater post weaning average daily gain?
From meraternal colostrum
Mortality % in quadruplet born lambs?
28%
Average mortality of single born lambs?
6%
3 reasons for lamb mortality
Low lamb birth weight
Malpresentation
Inadequate colostrum
What is the benefit of optimum birth weight
Reduced lamb mortality, lambing difficulty and small lambs
Improved flock productivity
What compound in colostrum is needed for preparation of digestive tract
Bio active compounds
What determines the max possible number of lambs that can be born?
The number of eggs ovulated
What are the 3 main challenges to newborn lambs
Hypo Immunocompetent
Temperature / hypothermia challenge
Predators
What is roughage feed deficient in?
Protein and energy
What is the cost of doing a forage analysis?
€35-40
When should protein be increased in pregnancy?
During the last 2 weeks
What is fatty liver syndrome closely linked to?
Prolapse
What causes variation in lambs birth weight
Ewe management during pregnancy
Relationship between litter size and mortality
Increase litter sizes have a greater risk of lamb mortality (eg: singles 6% VS quads 28%)
Consequences of lambs being born too light or too heavy?
Increased lambing difficulty, labour and lamb mortality
When is flushing carried out?
6-8 weeks prior to mating
