Sheep 2 Flashcards
What does sheep being seasonally polyoestrus mean?
Average cycle length in sheep
Every 17 days lasting 30 hours
How long is sheep pregnancy
144-150days
How long is weaning in sheep (physical separation of lambs from ewes happens naturally in sheep)
120 days
Average ewe replacement rate
20-25%
In sheep rate of Abortion should always be…
Below 2%
Describe the basi annual cycle of a sheep
Tupping 2.5-3.5 (body condition score) in Autumn—>
Scanning BCS 2-3, 70- 105 days—>
Lambing BCS 2-3, in spring time—>
Weaning BCS 2-2.5
What condition score should sheep have throughout the year
3-3.5
Ewes are more vulnerable during what time and why
Spring time During lambing they’re doing a lot more metabolic work so at higher risk of death
Basic sheep year
• Tup in the autumn
• Lamb in the spring (grass growth)
• Kill lambs in summer/autumn (before grass stops growing although in the UK over 25% of lambs are still on farm by the end of the year)
What are the variations in the system of lambing dates
Early lambing -pedigree breeders (breed as early as possible to get the biggest economic advantage as lamb will be bigger that way)
-for early lamb production
Late winter/spring- lambs finish June-January
Late spring -lambs finish late summer through to the following spring
-hill sheep
-easycare systems- lowland systems (gaining popularity)
What happens to flock razing requirements when selling lambs
They decline
What is the criteria for culling ewes
Select flock of ewes that are healthy-aim is to select ewes for retention that will deliver the maximum number of healthy, fast growing lambs for sale, with the fewest problems.
Culling occurs at what points of sheep year?
selected after weaning, scanning, or post lambing
What are the three T’s that farmers look at to see whether ewe should be culled or not
The three T’s: toes, teats & teeth
(Health problems, mastitis, lameness, teeth-incisors and molars)
What are the four T’s that farmers look at to see whether ewe should be culled or not
-what else is looked at?
Teeth, toes, tone (BCS 3.5-4.0), testicles (large & as firm as a flexed bicep)
Number- age of tup, breed, use of teasers, synchronisation, hill or lowland
The more inbred sheep are
The more inbreeding depression there will be
How can you help a ewe become more fertile and more foetuses growing
Increasing nutrition; minerals
What is teasing
When u have a vasectomised tup that goes out with ewes which brings forwards ewe breeding season by a cycle; lots of ewes lambing at same time- allows lambing period to be shorter and more impactful but need more staff etc.
What is a vesactomised tup
What is the danger of red clover
What does it contain that causes these problems?
Causes feminisation of males
Permanent reproductive tract
Abortion
Fatal
Contains oestrogenic chemical & high levels of copper so very digestible for sheep
What is the danger withbrassicas
Contain goitrogens which prevent iodine uptake- means lambs wont suck the way they need to, have problems with Producing heat so will more easily die of hypothermia. contain S-methyl Cysteine sulphoxide which can cause haemolytic anaemia
Why is it important to have an odd number of tups present with the ewes
1 could be ill/low fertility
2 are fighting
3 is minimum= 2 fighting and 1 working!
What is riddle marker/keel paint
Paint gets marked onto ram and rubs off onto ewes bum so farmers know she has been mated
