Sheep

Question 1

Different types of pasture

Answer 1

• Temporary leys; single grass species (may have clover for extra nitrogen). Life span 3-4 years. Productive and fertile
• Permanent pastures; found on uplands. Lower quality and yields.
• Natural grasslands; hills and uplands. Meadows. Shorter growing season and mainly limited for conservation

Question 2

three main terminal sire breed

Answer 2

texel
suffolk
charollais

Question 3

what is a mule?

why are they used?

Answer 3

cross between a lowland ram and a hill ewe.

good mothering ability and fats growth rate

Question 4

common breeds?

Answer 4

texel
blue faced leicester
cheviot
suffolk

Question 5

what is an ideal ewe to ram ratio

Answer 5

1:35- 1:50

Question 6

hat is group 1 scrapie genotype?

Answer 6

sheep more genetically resistant to scrapie. no restriction for sale or breeding

Question 7

ideal lambing percentage

Answer 7

150-200%

Question 8

ideal quarantine period for new stock

Answer 8

24-48 hours

Question 9

five things needed on pedigree sheep certificates

Answer 9

flock number
breed
date of birth
details of breeder
name of parents and grandparents and their info

Question 10

how often should sheep be sheared?

Answer 10

At least once a year unless fast growing wool. Shouldn’t be sheared too close to lambing as will induce cold stress and predispose ewe to twin lamb disease

Question 11

what is creep feeding

Answer 11

Feeding lambs small pellets of concentrates in a creep feeder. Has small bars to allow lambs to access food but not ewes

Question 12

What is growth rate for a lamb fed creep?

Answer 12

DLWG 50-70g

Question 13

What is pregnancy toxaemia?

Answer 13

• This is caused by an inadequate energy supply during the last weeks of pregnancy. It is common in ewes bearing multiple lambs per pregnancy.
• Affected ewes may stand still or lean on objects and may sit down. The ewe usually reguses to eat and drink and the head may twitch.
• Treat by providing a glucose/ propylene drench. Give 100ml of 20% calcium borogluconate with added magnesium and phosphorus. This should be administered subcutaneously over 2-3 sites. Call the vet if the condition worsens.
• Prevented by providing correct nutritional quantities. Ensure constant assessment of BCS during pregnancy.

Question 14

average lamb mortality rate

Answer 14

15%

Question 15

lambing early in year?

Answer 15

pros- produce lamb earlier in year, higher prices
cons- potential impact of poorer weather if lambing earlier. If lambing in winter, need to provide an adequate indoor area to prevent lambs dying from hypothermia. Scours and pneumonia are problems of winter. May have problems with earlier lambing if lambs take longer to grow.

Question 16

lambing later in season

Answer 16

pros- Lower cost of production if lambing later as can utilise non- harvested forages. Spring lambing causes shorter and more condense lambing seasons.
cons- lower prices

Question 17

earliest lambs can be born without advancing oestrus?

Answer 17

last week in January, earliest will come into oestrous without Hormonal intervention end of august. Native breeds won’t start cycling around November.

Question 18

Which vitamins and minerals are required for sheep health?

Answer 18

• Copper= deficiency can lead to sway back and poor growth. Supplement by injection of per os.
• Cobalt= deficiency leads to ill thrift and scour. Supplemented per os.
• Iodine= deficiency leads to goitre and decreased fertility. Causes poor growth. Supplement in feed and salt licks.
• Selenium= deficiency leads to white muscle disease. Supplement in the feed, per os, by injection and use of fertiliser.
• Vitamin E= deficiency causes low vigour. Supplement in the feed.

Question 19

What biosecurity issues are there to consider to a farm open to the public?

Answer 19

• People have not had previous contact with sheep on other farms.
• Disinfectant of vehicles and boots.
• Provide adequate hand washing and sanitising areas.
• Don’t leave people unsupervised with the sheep.

Question 20

What are the effects of over and under-grazing

Answer 20

• Over grazing; leads to soil exposure and weed infestations, reduced by field roation and supplementary feeding
• Under grazing; weed infestations and bald patched or uncontrollable length of grass, reduced by cutting grass.

Question 21

How is breeding performance of sheep assessed?

Answer 21

Lambing percentage, abortion rates, early embryonic death, age of ewe at first conception.

Question 22

Outline oestrus cycle of ewe

Answer 22

• Oestrus cycle 17 days
• Oestrus last 24-36 hours
• Ovulation occurs 24 hours after oestrus

Question 23

What repro techniques are used

Answer 23

• AI- the male is presented to the teaser head and then to the tail end. The male mounts the artificial vagina and semen is collected.
• Natural service- the vulva and penis of the mating pair should be washed. The male is presented to the head and then the tail and allowed to mount and serve.

Question 24

Percentage of ewes will conceive on first oestrous cycle?

Answer 24

80% good target

Question 25

Scanning

Answer 25

Around 60 days gestation, beyond six weeks so fixation has occurred, but while uterus is still small enough to see in one field of view.
If you don’t want this expense, keep BCS routinely so can separate thin ones and give them supplementary feeding p, reducing pregnancy toxaemia.

Question 26

Male pre breeding checks

Answer 26

Teeth
Toes
Testicles

Question 27

What are draft ewes?

Answer 27

Older hill ewes which are moved to upland ground, too old for hills but continue to have lambs

Question 28

Examples of long wool upland breeds

Answer 28

Blue faced Leicester

Border Leicester