Sheep production norms for the Eastern Highveld Flashcards

1
Q

Before starting a sheep enterprise first …

A
  1. Choose a production system
  2. Choose a breed that comply with the requirements of the production system
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2
Q

Name the breed type devided into long, intermediate and short breeding season.

A

Long: Fat tailed sheep
Intermediate: All wool and dorper
Short: British mutton

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3
Q

When should the teaser ram be put in a single breeding season?

A

After at least 4 weeks of ram absence - 2 weeks before the mating season

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4
Q

Autumn Breeding

A

• High sexual activity in ewes
• Fecundity is high
• Parasite infection in lambs are high
• Ewes lamb with scarcity of feed (Sept/ Oct)

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5
Q

Spring mating

A

• Minimal parasite infection in lambs
• Feed availability during lambing is high
• Low lambing percentages
• Low fecundity

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6
Q

Multiple lambing seasons

A

• Ewe productivity is higher/ more lambs per year
• Difficult management
• Fodder flow & additional feeding NB

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7
Q

Name the 4 mating methods

A

• Flock mating

• Group mating

• Hand mating

• Artificial Insemination

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8
Q

Describe Flock mating

A

• Several rams (2-3%) amongst ewes (200-300)
• Lambs sire not identified
• Separate age groups & camp size NB (<170ha) and H2O point is NB
• Rams compete

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9
Q

Describe group mating

A

Groups of ewes and each group receives a single ram

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10
Q

Describe hand mating

A

Specific ewe mated to specific ram (stud breeding)

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11
Q

When is ram puberty?

A

In rams it is related to body weight = 40 – 60% of mature weight

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12
Q

When is ewe puberty ?

A

4 – 10 months or 50 -70% of mature weight

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13
Q

Fast growing and early puberty breeds ( Mutton or wool breeds)

A

Mutton breeds

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14
Q

Slow growing and late puberty breeds ( Mutton or wool breeds)

A

Wool breeds

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15
Q

Sheep age at first mating ?

A

14 – 18 months
2 tooth-age
BW of > 40kg

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16
Q

Duration of sheep pregnancy

A

150 days
5 months

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17
Q

Ewe carrying a single lamb weight increase

A

8kg

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18
Q

Ewe carrying a twin lambs weight increase

A

12.5kg

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19
Q

Why is nutrition important in the last 1.5 months of pregnancy ?

A

70% of foetal growth and development
udder development
lamb birth weight
weaning weight

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20
Q

When do we provide creep feed to lambs ?

A

3 weeks of age

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21
Q

When is a sheep’s max milk production ?

A

2-3 weeks post partum

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22
Q

When do we wean lambs ?

A

12 – 13 weeks

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23
Q

When can the sheep ewe mate again ?

A

60 days / 8 to 9 wks post partum

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24
Q

ADG of lamb without creep feeding ?

A

200g

25
Q

ADG of lamb with creep feeding ?

A

250 – 300g

26
Q

What factors effects age of lamb weaning ?

A

Birth weight of lamb
Breed
Production system
Nutrition
Creep feeding

27
Q

What is the min weaning weight of a sheep lamb ?

A

18kg

28
Q

What is the effects of creep feeding ?

A

– Wean and market lambs earlier
– Higher weaning weight
– Multiple birth lambs grow better
– Multiple lambing seasons
– Difficult under extensive systems (training of
lambs)

29
Q

When do we select for replacement ewes ?

A

At weaning and again at 1st shearing for wool sheep.

30
Q

Name the qualities of slaughter lambs ?

A

Must not have shed any teeth
120 – 150 days/ 4 - 5 months of age with creep feed
Carcass weight 14 – 25kg
Carcass classification

31
Q

Merino weaning weight ( 100 days)

A

20 kg

32
Q

Döhne Merino weaning weight ( 100 days)

A

25 kg

33
Q

SA Mutton merino weaning weight (100 days)

A

25 kg

34
Q

ADG of replacement ewe Merino ?

A

40 g

35
Q

ADG of replacement Döhne Merino ewe ?

A

40 g

36
Q

ADG of replacement SA Mutton Merino ewe ?

A

50 g

37
Q

Mating weight of Merino replacement ewe ?

A

35 kg

38
Q

Mating weight of Döhne Merino replacement ewe ?

A

40 kg

39
Q

Mating weight of SA mutton Merino replacement ewe ?

A

45 kg

40
Q

Feedlot sheep ADG ?

A

200 – 350g

41
Q

What is the marker weight of wool and wool-mutton sheep?

A

+- 32Kg

42
Q

What is the marker weight of mutton wool sheep?

A

+-40Kg

43
Q

Sheep carcass weight ?

A

14 – 25kg

44
Q

Average wool production per Merino ?

A

5 – 7 kg

45
Q

Average wool production per Döhne merino ?

A

1.5 – 4.5 kg

46
Q

Average wool production per SA Mutton Merino ?

A

1 – 3.5 kg

47
Q

Factors affecting feed intake

A

Type of feed
Breed
Size
Physiological status
Palatability
Anti-quality factors

48
Q

What is average feed intake of a sheep?

A

2.25 – 3% BW

49
Q

Protein requirement by young ewes

A

80 – 120g/d

50
Q

Protein requirement by mature ewes

A

120 - 180g/d

51
Q

What does a mineral lick contain ?

A

50% Salt & 50% DiCaP

52
Q

How much of a mineral lick should a young ewe consume?

A

10 – 15g/d

53
Q

How much of a mineral lick should a mature ewe consume?

A

15 – 20g/d

54
Q

Creep feeding space per lamb ?

A

5cm/lamb

55
Q

What is the composition of creep feed ?

A

15% CP
12.3 MJ ME/kg DM
Good quality palatable roughage

56
Q

What should the feed intake be of a sheep finishing in a feedlot?

A

Intake 800g to 1400g for 60days

57
Q

Lambing % =

A

number of ewes lambed / number of ewes mated x 100

58
Q

Fecundity =

A

n Lambs born / n Ewes lambed x 100

59
Q

Weaning % =

A

n lambs weaned / n Ewes mated x 100