Intro to sheep Flashcards
common problems for sheep
- Lambings/ Csections
- Flock based problems
- Lameness
- Abortion
- Lamb mortality
- Poor lamb growth
- Thin ewes
- Sudden death
- Parasites
How do we manage infectious/ parasitic dx?
- Biosecurity: preventing disease entry
- Reduce disease challenge through Management, Test and cull infected animals and Drug treatments:-antibiotics/anthelmintics
Management =
i. Hygiene,
ii. Ventilation
iii. Stocking rates - Improve animals resistance through
a. Vaccinate
b. Management- Improve nutrition, Reduce stress, Reduce concurrent disease
c. Breeding (Genetics)
What is approach to Diagnosis in sheep
Dx is v seasonal - weather, stage of production
Experience, knowledge, probability v important
Age/ stage of production
Diagnostic tools (limited comparatively as sig cost constraints)
- CE, biochem, Haemolysis, serology, microbiology (FEC), US/ radiography, PM and path
UK sheep industry
Meat, wool, skins, small dairy
£1.3 bill industry
Import meat NZ Dec- June
Exports meat to EU
- changes in subsidy = uncertain future
Future challenges to sheep industry
- inc meat consumption (asia)
- Utilise upland areas
- sustainable farming
- Drug resistance
- climate change (endoparasites, fluke, vector borne dx)
Production systems UK
50% upland. lowland
4 diff characteristics of breeds adapted to diff land - Pedigreee, hill, lowland, store lambs
Dx problems associates with inefficiency
- Ewe Mortality
- Lamb Mortality
- Chronic Wasting Diseases
- Poor nutrition
- Parasites (internal and external)
- Lameness
- Mastitis
- Abortion
What is a terminal sire?
ram wich is best suited to production of meat
What are store lambs?
weaned lamb not ready for slaughter, sold for further fattening
What is a dimmer
a ewe between its first and second shearing.
What is a steer?
male castrated bovine
Hill breed characteristics
o Hardy, thrive in harsh conditions
o Good mothering
o One lamb per ewe
o Male offspring-meat production
o Females kept as replacements or sold to upland farms where crossed with “long wool breeds” Border or Blue Faced Leicester
Upland breed characteristics
- Long Wool Breed characteristics
o Bigger carcasse
o Fast growth
o Prolificacy – more lambs
o Milkiness
o Female hill sheep crossed with male Long Wool Breed
o Blue Face X called Mule
o Border X called Half Bred
o Females sold to lowland farms as ewe replacements
o Males sold for meat
What are estimated breeding values?
*Value which expresses the difference (+ or -) between an individual animal and the herd or breed benchmark to which the animal is being compared.
*reported in terms of actual recorded traits e.g. days, kg of weight or mm of fat depth, etc.
*Baseline of zero relates to average breeding value of lambs born in the year the analysis was first produced.
2022 what’s the live and deadweight of lambs
- Deadweight - £5.75/kg- (40kg liveweight lamb = ) 22kg carcass - £126.50
- Supermarket - £13-20/kg
- Liveweight lamb (selling your live lamb to another farmer) £120- £253.90
