is Whatever your land type or market target, the number of lambs you rear will impact the income you reap from your sheep enterprise. Tupping sheep is the starting point for avoiding those empty sheep that don’t pay the bills.
The best thing you can do is to look back at your previous lambing’s. What went well and what did not? With this considered, you can reduce the risk of any issues reoccurring next season. Here’s some of the most critical factors that can impact on tupping and lambing performance.
Tupping sheep with the correct body condition score
Having ewes at the correct body condition score (BCS) throughout the year reduces variation in the flock and makes feeding simpler. Ewes with the correct BCS have better fertility and have superior lamb performance.
Generally speaking, you should be aiming for the following BCS in good time before sheep tupping:
- Lowland sheep – 3.5
- Upland sheep – 2.5 – 3.5
With it taking 6 to 8 weeks to move up just one BCS point, starting early is vital.
Colostrum production impacted as early as when tupping sheep
It is hard to change BCS during pregnancy without affecting lamb development. By having body condition right before tupping, the pregnant ewe can maintain her condition and focus energy on lamb development. Ewes in better BCS at tupping will milk better, will rear heavier lambs, and will be in better condition at the next weaning.
Having lively lambs with access to adequate quality colostrum is so important, and tupping is the first step in achieving this.
‘A strong, healthy lamb up and sucking within 15 minutes of birth has a 90–95% chance of still being alive 90 days later.’
AHDB
A staggering 28% of lambs aged one week or less that had been submitted for post-mortem were tested insufficient in colostrum, according to a recent UK report. Additionally, 74% of flocks had been supplemented with less than the industry recommendation, according to a recent AHDB study.
- Within first 6 hours – 50ml per kilogram of live weight (as soon as possible after birth)
- Within 18 hours – 210ml per kilogram of live weight
- After 24 hours – the lamb’s ability to absorb immunoglobulins in colostrum ends.
A bit EXTRA goes a long way
Suitable for any grazing situation, hundreds of farmers favour Crystalyx Extra High Energy for ensuring ewes reach the correct BCS quickly before mating with the ram. The low moisture feed lick is high in protein, energy, and all the required micronutrients, and can be offered from tupping to lambing as required. Farmers using Crystalyx see the benefits right through the season:
- Tupping – for increased eggs at ovulation and faster conception
- Pregnancy – for better condition and lamb development, even when forage quantity and quality declines
- Lambing – for better colostrum and milk production, and a faster recovery for next tupping season
Crystalyx Extra High Energy is proven to control intake levels while increasing forage intake by 15% and forage digestion by 10%. Independent studies have clearly evidenced that ewes fed Crystalyx Extra High Energy at grass throughout the tupping period will go on to perform better. Study results include:
- Gain condition and liveweight faster (+2kg in 6 weeks)
- Ovulate more eggs (+11% to 20%)
- Conceive faster to the ram (22 vs 49 days)
With this, feeding Crystalyx Extra High Energy at a rate of just 40-60g (4 to 7 pence) per ewe per day, will increase lamb numbers at scanning and reduce the lambing period.
