Sheep Husbandry (S 1-3) Flashcards
what country has the highest national flock of sheep and is a major importer of sheep meat and wool
China
these sheep breeds are selected for their hardiness and ability to survive in very high and rough hill ground with minimum input from man
mountain/hill breeds (Scottish Blackface, Swaledale, Cheviot, Welsh Mountain, Kerry Hill)
Halfbred sheep are usually crossed with a terminal sire to produce this
fat lambs
these sheep breeds are large framed sheep with long wool staple, usually crossed onto draft ewes to produce halfbreds/mules
longwools (Border Leicester, Blue-faced Leicester, Teeswater)
this type of sheep flock has extensive grazing, Low input/low output (LILO), usually only tups brought in, late lambing
hill flocks
this type of sheep flock has variable degrees of intensity, may be LILO or HIHO, often large numbers of replacements purchased, may lamb early or late
upland/lowground flocks
this type of sheep flock is often intensive, usually high input/high output (HIHO), usually only tups bought in, often early lambing
pedigree long wool/terminal sire flocks
what is the major event in Spring for sheep management
lambing
what is the major event in early summer for sheep management
shearing
what is the major event in summer for sheep management
weaning
what is the major event in autumn for sheep management
tupping
what is the major event in Winter for sheep management
scanning to diagnose pregnancy
what is the major event in late summer/early autumn for sheep management
sale of tups, store lambs and replacement breeding females
gestation period of sheep
147 days
what day of gestation can sheep be scanned
60-90 days
what age are lambs weaned
12-16 weeks
what age is the target for slaughter of fat lambs
4 months
what age is the slaughter of store lambs
9 months
what age is the slaughter of long-keep store lambs
12 months
how long is the oestrus cycle if ewes
17 days
how long are the tups usually kept with the ewes
2 cycles (34 days)
what is ordinarily the correct tup:ewe ratio for good fertility
1:50
what is the correct tup:ewe ratio for good fertility in single-sire groups or using tup lambs
1:20
what is the correct tup:ewe ratio for good fertility if ewes are synchronised
1:10
what is the scanning percentage for sheep
of foetuses seen at scanning / # of ewes put to the tup
5 advantages of indoor lambing
- sheep/shepherd protected from inclement weather
- less chance of lamb death by hypothermia
- closer supervision
- enables early lambing
- allows pasture growth / recovery
3 disadvantages of indoor lambing
- high labor requirement
- increased infectious disease risk
- must provide feed, bedding, water
4 advantages of outdoor lambing
- lower labor requirement
- less infectious disease risk
- lower capital expenditure
- lower fixed costs
4 disadvantages of outdoor lambing
- increased losses from starvation/hypothermia
- increased losses from dystocia
- limited to later lambing flocks
- must have sufficient pasture available
flock disease management is often concerned with controlling these 2 risks
flystrike and parasitic gastroenteritis
the principle purpose of the UK sheep industry is this
production of fat lambs
primary output in which productivity of the sheep industry is judged is this
of lambs sold fat per ewe
this is when the price is determined by the weight of the dressed carcass
deadweight
this is when the price is per kg of living lamb
liveweight
fat lambs are usually sold around this weight
45 kg
carcase conformation of lambs is scored on this scale )from excellent to poor)
E, U, R, O, P
carcase fatness of lambs is scored on this scale (from very little fat to obese)
1-5
producers are paid a premium for lamb carcases with these conformations and fat classes
E, U, & R and 1, 2, & 3L
peak lamb prices are in this month
April (Easter consumption and few lambs around since majority is spring-born)
lamb prices are the lowest at this time of the year
early autumn (supply is high)
since 2005, sheep farmers receive this as subsidy support
single farm payment
before 2005, sheep farmers were paid these two subsidies and the UK sheep industry relied heavily on government support
ewe premium and variable premium
sheep and goats must be electronically tagged within this long after birth if housed overnight
6 months
sheep and goats must be electronically tagged within this long after birth if not housed overnight
9 months
2 ear tags each with the same unique individual ID number (one electronic) are required for sheep if they will be kept longer than this
12 months
this is the most important disease of growing lambs
parasitic gastroenteritis
most common trace element deficiencies in lambs leading to poor growth rates
cobalt and selenium
what type of breeders are sheep (what type of oestrus cycle)?
seasonal polyoestrus
sheep are termed this type of breeder with peak fertility in late autumn for most, because the return to cyclicity is triggered by increasing release of melatonin by the pineal gland in response to increasing hours of darkness
“short-day breeders”
these sheep breeds tend to have the shortest breeding season
hill breeds
these sheep breeds have longer breeding seasons
lowland breeds
this sheep breed may breed all year round
Dorset Horn
4 ways to advance the breeding season of sheep
- artificially alter the photoperiod
- Melatonin Implants
- Insertion of progesterone sponges / injection of eCG
- use of vasectomised ram ‘a teaser’
why is artificial insemination not common in sheep farming
ovine cervix is convoluted and thus must be inseminated surgically/laparoscopically (requires synchronisation, anaesthesia and vet involvement)
this is when ewes are placed on an improved plane of nutrition (better quality pasture), often prior to the beginning of the tupping period to increase fecundity of the ewes
flushing
ewes in what body condition will respond to flushing
suboptimal only (optimal will not respond)
this is the accepted standard percent of lamb losses from scanning to sale for lowland, upland, and hill flocks
14%
the nutritional demands (energy, protein) increase dramatically in this part of pregnancy
last third of pregnancy
3 most common causes of abortion in sheep in the UK
- Enzootic Abortion of Ewes (by Chlamydophila abortus)
- Toxoplasma gondii infection
- Campylobacter infection
what are the 3 major causes of perinatal lamb mortality
- dystocia
- hypothermia
- starvation
this is the single biggest impact on the health and welfare of ewes and their lambs
availability of skilled shepherds
castration and tail docking on sheep with rubber band must be performed before this age if anaesthetic is not used
1 week
