Sheep management Flashcards
cull ewe
ewe no longer fit for breeding so used for meat
down breed (sheep)
short wool
draft ewe
too old for hill grazing so goes to lower ground
ewe
female sheep who has had first lamb
gimmer
female sheep in second year without having a lamb
hogg
young sheep from jan after birth until it cuts 2 teeth (18 months)
raddle
coloured pigment applied to tups chest to show which/when ewes have been mated
ram/tup
uncastrated male
store
sheep sold for further fattening
teaser
vasectomies ram which behaves like a ram but doesn’t impregnate. Brings ewes into season
Terminal sire
tup used to produce lambs for slaughter
wether
castrated male sheep
Mule
swaledale and blue faced leister
highland sheep breeds
welsh mountain, scottish blackface, swaledale, hershwick
upland sheep breeds
border leicester and bluefaced Leicester
lowland sheep breeds
suffolk, hampshire down
To advance sheep breeding period
- Use of teaser rams (vasectomised rams) to utilise the ‘ram effect’. Contact with the ram causes onset of breeding activity probably by release of pheromones.
- Artificial shortening of day length by keeping the sheep in light proof buildings and steadily reducing the day length. This is not a particularly reliable method.
- Melatonin implants inserted under the skin behind the ewe’s ear. This mimics decreasing daylight hours.
- Progesterone sponges placed in the vagina for 12-14 days (when released causes oestrus)
Lambing percentage
number of lambs born/number of ewes put to tup
Rearing percentage
number of lambs reared/number of ewes put to tup
Body condition scoring sheep
The spinous process and transverse process of the lumbar vertebrae and the overlying muscle (eye muscle) are felt and used to assess BCS.
Scale 1-5; 3 is a sheep in average condition and 2.5 is perfect
breeds which breed all year - sheep
finns and Dorsets
