Farmer Focus: Ewe scan to reveal impact of tough summer

The little pedigree flock has been housed in preparation for lambing. I would have liked to keep them out longer, but weather is worsening so it dictated my decision a little.

The cold, wet conditions meant the ewes were burning through condition faster than I’d like, and getting them indoors provided the control necessary for the last few weeks before they drop their lambs.

See also: Fodder beet feeding advice for ewes and lambs

About the author

Joe Mault

Livestock Farmer Focus writer

Joe Mault and his family run 850 commercial ewes across 155ha near Corwen, Denbighshire. The farm produces Beltex and Charollais prime lambs and rears 100 dairy heifers from six months to calving on contract. Joe also works at a local college.

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These sheep scanned well, at 170% as a total, but those that held to the sponge did a little better, at 187%, which is not bad for hill ewes.

It shows that despite the challenging conditions, our efforts with tupping and pre-lambing management have paid off. The ewes look comfortable now, settled into their pens.

As I talk to neighbouring farmers, it sounds as though scanning is going well for most of the early flocks, but it’s an anxious wait for the main flocks due to lamb by the end of March and beginning of April.

We will start to scan our main flock over the next couple of weeks, so it will be interesting to see the results, considering the tough summer and how much of an effect this has had on the ewes.

That prolonged dry spell put immense pressure on grass growth and, consequently, on ewe body condition through the critical pre-tupping period.

We’re crossing our fingers that the recovery work we put in over the autumn was enough to mitigate the worst of the stress.

Extra feed

Although the snowfall was not as large as years gone by, it was stubborn to go, and we had to give extra feed out to the ewes.

This year, we have used fodder beet to buffer our feed reserves. It’s been a great source of extra high-energy feed for the sheep and we have also used some for the dairy heifers.

Its high sugar and dry matter content make it an excellent supplement to the standard silage, helping to fill the energy gap that the poor grazing conditions created.

The farm that is supplying us is dropping off clean and relatively stoneless beet, which has made handling much easier.

We have also bought a root bucket from a local fabricator, which mounts easily to the loader.

This efficiency has massively reduced manual labour while feeding, freeing up crucial time for other lambing preparations.