MCQ Questions Flashcards
(164 cards)
1
Q
What is the value of the sheep industry in Ireland
A
€420 m
2
Q
How much did sheep meat exports increase by in 2021?
A
15%
3
Q
What is the average FFI of sheep farming in Ireland
A
€17,000
4
Q
How much did sheep FFI increase by in 2020?
A
21%
5
Q
What caused the increase in FFI in 2020?
A
Higher price for lamb
6
Q
How much sheep meat is exported?
A
75%
7
Q
What % of sheep meat is exported to the UK?
A
16%
8
Q
What is the current average price for lamb?
A
€1.20/kg
9
Q
Where is the main market for Irish exports?
A
France
10
Q
What is the primary market for irish sheepmeat
A
European union
11
Q
In what year was FFI very low?
A
2018 - due to drought and high cost of feed and forage prices
12
Q
What is the purpose of direct payments
A
To offset losses to ensure constant supply of food
13
Q
What % of FFI is direct payments for sheep farms
A
105% (€425/ha)
14
Q
What is the average sheep farm size?
A
44ha
15
Q
What is the average basic payment on sheep farms?
A
€258
16
Q
Average farm income from sheep farming
A
€404 / ha
17
Q
What is the current litter size
A
1.48
18
Q
What is the main challenge of achieving future targets?
A
Farmer’s perceptions
19
Q
Average stocking rate?
A
7.8 ewe/ha
20
Q
What is the most common breed in flocks
A
Suffolk X - for their cull value
21
Q
What % of sheep are suffolks?
A
62%
22
Q
What breed has declined over the past century?
A
Galway breed
23
Q
What is the target % cut of concentrates by 2027?
A
50%
24
Q
Which breed are desired for prolificacy
A
Belclare
25
Top ranked replacement breed
Belclare
26
What is the most common terminal sire
Suffolk
27
What is the mortality rate for triplets?
15%
28
Average GHG emissions per kg liveweight of sheep meat produced
9.2 kg CO2 e/kg carcass
29
Current net margin (excluding support payments)
€150/ha
30
What is the most weighted trait in replacement indexes
Maternal (60%)
31
What is the most weighted trait in terminal indexes
Growth (47%)
32
What trait is of least significance for indexes
Health
33
Approximately how much CO2 was produced from the average sheep farm?
126.8 t CO2 ( over half the emissions were from cattle + sheep enterprise farms)
34
Economically efficient farms generated less GHG per kg of liveweight.
35
What is the average yield of ammonia produced on sheep farms?
0.02 kg of NH3 per kg of liveweight.
36
What was the average gross margin on sheep farms in 2020?
€507 / ha
37
What % of sheep only farms are economically viable?
26%
38
What is considered to be in a kg of lamb
DM grass
DM silage
DM concentrates
22.2 kg
3.8 kg
0.9kg
39
What is the predicted stocking rate for a ha to produce 1 tonne of lamb per year
1 ewe/ha/yr
40
What is the difference infeed requirement between high and medium prolificacy ewes
No difference in requirements
41
How much grass needs to be grown for every ewe to consume 850 kg DM?
1 tonne
42
What sward type gives the greatest DM yield?
PRG with WC
43
What is a common lowland breed to breed for replacement
Cheviot
44
What are the top 3 breeds in Irish flocks
Suffolk, Texel, Charllais
45
Which of the following is not considered to be ranked as sires of flock replacements:
Belclare
Cheviot
Bluefaced leicester
Bleu de maine
Cheviot
46
What breed is associated with improving prolificacy
Belclalre
47
What is the average lambs reared per ewe joined for belcares
1.65
48
In relation to the belclare what breed has the highest efficiency index figure
Charolais cross
49
What breed has the greatest carcass weight
Texel
50
What are the 6 ways to improve flocks
Breeding/ genetics
Nutrition
Management
Education
Technology transfer
Health
51
What is the issue with using the €uro-star index for sheep?
Not enough data
52
What does 5 * index represent
The top 20% of rams
53
Which is the following is a disadvantage of increased ewe size
Increased milking ability and confer superior lamb growth rates
Increases cull ewe value
Increased feed requirement and housing capacity
Can increase the breeding stock value
Increased feed requirement and housing capacity
54
What relative emphasis does days to slaughter have on terminal index
40%
55
What trait is the most relative emhpaahsis put on for replacement index
Ewe mature weight (16%)
56
List 3 main reason why ewes are culled
Teeth
Masitisits
Prolapse
57
What is the primary cull decision
Teeth - missing teeth can affect feed intake and condition
58
What age is a ewe considered to be when they have 6 incisor teeth
3 years
59
What age do ewes develop a full set of teeth
4 years
60
Which of the following is not considered an involuntary reason to cull
Teeth
Barneness
Prolificacy
Lameness
Prolificacy
61
What is the minimum liveweight and BCS for breeding
45kg + 3-3.5
62
What is the cheapest option for breeding stock
Keep and breed own ewe lambs (net cost €32)
63
Target age for 1st lambing
12 months
64
Age of ewes with highest lamb mortality
2 years
65
Age of ewes that culled for poor condition
4 years
66
Age of puberty
6-9 months
67
Oestrous cycle length
17 days
68
Duration of oestrus
24-36 hrs
69
Gestation length
147 days
70
What breeds are considered to be short season breeders
Hill breeds
71
Which of the following is not a medium season breeder
Dorset season
Suffolk
Oxford
Charollais
Dorset - long
72
What measurement of performance dictates the output of the flock
Weaning %
73
The equation for weaning %
No. of lambs reared/ no. of ewes to ram X 100
74
What is the consequence of each 1 unit increase in BCS in terms of weaning rate.
Increased weaning rate of 0.1 ( extra €9)
75
What % of farmers BCS sheep
60%
76
How much body weight can be lost after lambing
20-25 kg
77
Target BCS at lambing
3
78
What is the energy gain of gaining 1 BCS
24 MJ/kg liveweight
79
Purpose of flushing ewes
To ensure weight and condition scores are gained prior to breeding.
80
When should flushing be done?
6-8 weeks prior to mating
81
Which of the following is false about improved response to flushing
Better response early in the season
Better response to young well conditioned ewes
Better response with mature ewes
Better response with lower BCS
Better response to young well conditioned ewes
82
What is the effect of starving ewes
Fertility issues
83
During the 1st month of pregnancy what is the recommended management of ewes
Leave ewes alone for the 1st 4 weeks.
84
Which is not advantages of flushing
Improved LH surges
Improved insulin production for glucose uptake but lower oocyte growth
Increasing no of eggs ovulated
Improved nutrition for positive oocyte growth
Improved insulin production for glucose uptake but lower oocyte growth
85
Relationship between energy balance and ovulation rate
Positive energy balance maximises ovulation rate
86
What are the physical signs of cobalt deficiency
Wirey wool and Flakey skin
87
When using the ram effect when should the fertile ram be introduced
Day 14
88
When should sponges be removed when sponging to synchronise
Day 12
89
How far away should rams be kept separated from ewes
1 mile
90
What % of ewes lamb within a 2 week period when ram effect if used
75-80%
91
What % of genetics do rams make up in the flock
50%
92
Average cost of sponging
~€5.50-6.00
93
Normal dose of PMSG
500-750 IU
94
BCS of rams at mating
3.5-4.0
95
How much weight can a ram loose over the 6 week breeding season
15%
96
Ratio of ram:ewe
1:40
97
When sponging how many ewes per ram
8-10 ewes :1
98
In order to avoid having lambing at christmas when should ewes be mated
After 5th August
99
For hill sheep when should ewes be mated
November to lamb in april
100
What is the amount of grass DM needed to maintain a ewe and her lambs annually?
1 tonne
101
What % of the national flock of breeding ewes are Suffolk/Suffolk cross?
45%
102
What % of the national flock are Belclare ewes?
6%
103
What number of lambs would you expect to be reared from a Texel ewe?
1.3
104
When scanning % = 150, what would be the expected rate of singles, twins and triplets?
Singles – 50
Twins – 45
Triplets – 5
105
When scanning % = 190, what would be the expected rate of singles, twins and triplets?
Singles – 22
Twins – 65
Triplets – 13
106
When scanning % = 220, what would be the expected rate of singles, twins and triplets?
Singles – 13
Twins – 57
Triplets – 30
107
Current genetics allow for 1.5 lambs/ewe/year. Why is this not achieved?
Due to nutrition, inadequate BCS at mating
108
Low heritability can be overcome with:
More data recording
109
If days to slaughter decreases by one day, how much does profitability increase by?
12c
110
What is the net cost of rearing a replacement ewe?
€126.40
111
What causes the start of ovulation in ewes?
Melatonin trigger
112
If shearing is carried out after housing, this will increase gestation by:
2 days
113
What is a problem caused by having over fat ewes?
Poor feed intake post lambing
114
When should the 1st BCS observation be made?
12 weeks prior to breeding
115
How long on good grass should equal an improvement of 1 BCS?
6-10 weeks
116
What hormone initiates ovulation?
LH
117
What is the usual weaning age?
14 weeks
118
How long should ewes be isolated from rams for pre-mating?
6 weeks
119
Large testicles produce how much more sperm than medium sized testicles?
80%
120
What is the disadvantage of early season lamb production?
Expensive, high reliance on concentrates
121
What is the mean length between lambing and sale in early lamb production?
16 weeks
122
What lameness rates should be targeted within the flock?
Below 5%
123
What would be the expected weight gain of lambs on a twin suckling ewe?
325g/day or 2.25 kg/week
124
Approx VFI during lactation
2.5 kg/ewe/day
125
What is the average DMI of a lactating ewe
2-4% of body weight
126
What level of energy is required 7 weeks prior to lambing
12 MJ
127
What is the level of increase in feed intake 7 weeks post lambing
3 fold increase - 30-50% higher intake (36-38 MJ required)
128
What level of weight loss can a ewe tolerate after lambing
7-8% (4kg for twins)
129
When does most of the foetal development take place
85% during month 4+5
130
What are the placentomes?
Links between the cotyledons and caruncles
Cotyledon = Foetal side
Caruncle = maternal
131
How many placentomes do sheep have
75-125
132
Why do some twins have uneven birth weights?
Initial triplet pregnancy
1 has been reabsorbed but the carnuncles have already been assigned.
133
Increasing litter size can have a negative effect on:
Ease of finishing lambs + increase lamb mortality
134
The terminal index criteria are primarily based on:
Growth and lambing
135
The replacement index criteria are primarily based on:
Maternal traits and production
136
What is the main objective in early pregnancy?
Embryo Survival
137
What function does placenta lactogen carry out?
Stimulates the mammary gland, increases ability of ewe to lactate
138
What stage does a foetus reach its final weight at?
120 days
139
Winter shearing will cause:
Heavier lambs (0.5 kg)
Increased feed intake of ewe (10-20%)
Longer gestation (2 days)
140
When should pregnancy scanning be done
50-90 days
141
If mating was compact when should scanning be done
Scan earlier
Main purpose of scanning
Late pregnancy feeding management
142
Lamb mortality target
<8%
143
Single lamb birth weight
6kg
Twin = 5kg
Triplet = 4.5kg
144
Achievable ewe mortality rate
<2%
145
Key to lamb survival
Timely intake of adequate amounts of good quality colostrum
146
What does hypo immunocompetent mean
Lambs have a non-functioning immune system
147
Normal lamb body temperature
38 degrees C
148
Highest risk period for lamb loss
First 48 hours post lambing
149
What colostrum form do lambs have a greater post weaning average daily gain?
From meraternal colostrum
150
Mortality % in quadruplet born lambs?
28%
151
Average mortality of single born lambs?
6%
152
3 reasons for lamb mortality
Low lamb birth weight
Malpresentation
Inadequate colostrum
153
What is the benefit of optimum birth weight
Reduced lamb mortality, lambing difficulty and small lambs
Improved flock productivity
154
What compound in colostrum is needed for preparation of digestive tract
Bio active compounds
155
What determines the max possible number of lambs that can be born?
The number of eggs ovulated
156
What are the 3 main challenges to newborn lambs
Hypo Immunocompetent
Temperature / hypothermia challenge
Predators
157
What is roughage feed deficient in?
Protein and energy
158
What is the cost of doing a forage analysis?
€35-40
159
When should protein be increased in pregnancy?
During the last 2 weeks
160
What is fatty liver syndrome closely linked to?
Prolapse
161
What causes variation in lambs birth weight
Ewe management during pregnancy
162
Relationship between litter size and mortality
Increase litter sizes have a greater risk of lamb mortality (eg: singles 6% VS quads 28%)
163
Consequences of lambs being born too light or too heavy?
Increased lambing difficulty, labour and lamb mortality
164
When is flushing carried out?
6-8 weeks prior to mating
