E/LMS 12603: Breeding Sheep

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Pre-Lambing Management

The nutritional needs of the ewes increase rapidly in the last six weeks before lambing. This is because of the fast growth of the unborn lamb/s inside the womb and therefore the limited space available for the large stomach (rumen) to be filled with food.

Grouping of ewes	Ewes should have already been scanned for pregnancy from 42 days after the end of the breeding period. This examination is used to divide ewes into groups according to the number of lambs that they carry (single/twins/triplets). Nutritional management cannot be effective without this information
Supplementation	Supplement where necessary to obtain an average body condition score (BCS) of 3 at the start if lambing. Supplement bypass protein, high-quality roughage or pastures for optimal foetal growth and udder development. Too little nutrition will cause undersized lambs (less than 4.5 kg) and increase lamb deaths. Do not change the food ration r availability in the last three weeks before lambing.
Vaccination	Multi-clostridial vaccination four to eight weeks prior to lambing to provide passive immunity to lambs and protect ewes during the lambing process.
Deworm	Do worm egg counts to determine roundworm and liver fluke infestations. Treat if needed four to eight weeks before lambing to reduce contamination of the grazing.
Crutching of shearing	Crutch or shear four to eight weeks before lambing as shorter wool will prevent soiling during lambing and blowfly strikes. No shearing form three weeks before the start of lambing.
Select and prepare the lambing area	Selection is based on the size of the camps, the availability of shelter and the quality of available pasture.

Pre-Lambing Checklist

	Ewes are grouped according to pregnancy status.
	Conditional score four to eight weeks before the start of lambing.
	Supplementation is provided according to needs and body condition score.
	Ewes were vaccinated with a multi-clostridial vaccine.
	Worm egg counts were done to establish the need for deworming.
	Deworming done, if needed.
	Shearing or crutching is done in the case of woollen sheep.
	Lambing camps were selected and prepared.

Lamb Management

Be ready for the first births from 142 days after the start of the previous breeding season. The only way to manage this critical period effectively is to limit the breeding season so that ewes lamb down within a restricted period of four to six weeks.

Most lamb deaths occur within the first 24 hours after birth and lamb deaths are the major cause of production losses in sheep farming.

Management of pregnant ewes close to lambing	Put ewes about to lamb in lambing camps or pens. As the lambing season progresses, try to separate ewes with lambs from pregnant ewes that still need to lamb.
Close observation during lambing	Watch ewes closely. When ewes go into labour, allow 30 minutes to one hour for normal delivery. Help if more than an hour has passed without delivery, if there is an abnormal presentation, or the water bag has burst, and no lamb appears. Wash the external genitalia of the ewe thoroughly before entering the ewe. Hands and arms must then be washed with a disinfectant soap and then lubricated with a water-based lubricating gel. If you cannot readily get into the uterus and feel the Lamb, stop and call your veterinarian. Umbilical cords should be disinfected with a solution of iodine to prevent navel ill.
Colostrum intake	The lamb is born without immunity against diseases. The only immunity it will receive to protect it during the first two to three months of life will be obtained from the colostrum (first milk). If the lamb has not been nursed within six hours after birth or if it is weak, use a feeding bottle or stomach tube and feed it 50ml of colostrum.
Daily observation	Do not cause unnecessary stress to ewes busy lambing or just after lambing. Observe animals in daylight and avoid disturbing them during the late afternoon, night and early morning.

Lambing Checklist

	Be ready and equipped to assist ewes that struggle to lamb.
	Check that lambs drink colostrum within three to six hours after birth.
	Be ready and equipped to supply lambs that didn’t suckle within the first three to six hours with colostrum.
	Disinfect naval at birth if the lamb is born in a contaminated area.
	Ensure the specific daily observation of lambs and ewes for the first signs of disease.

Being able to identify ewes very close to lambing, giving assistance with difficult births, providing colostrum with a stomach tube to lambs and resuscitating weak lambs are trained skills that the livestock handler must be taught by an experienced farmer or the flock veterinarian.

Equipment/Remedies Needed

Disinfectant for treatment of navel
Disinfectant soap
Lubricating gel
Stomach tube
Bottle with teats
Glucose solution

This is a basic list of the equipment needed that can be expanded upon according to the different production circumstances and the intensity of the production unit.

Lactation Management

The most important factor in the growth of lambs is the level of milk production by the ewes. Milk production is stimulated by the availability of good grazing and the supplementation of bypass protein to the ewe.

Group ewes	Group in multiple and single-lamb groups to be supplemented according to need.
Dock tails	Dock lambs at less than two weeks of age, if possible.
Castrate male lambs	Castration may be done at this point. Lambs should be castrated before they are one month of age.
Remove ewes	Remove ewes that lost their lambs to save on the amount of supplementary feed needed by the lambing flock.
Monitor milk production	Observe and examine, if needed, the udders of all lactating ewes for any defects (mastitis) and milk production. Enough water should be readily available as a lactating ewe may consume up to 9 litres of water a day. Keep ewes on high-level nutrition during lactation for maximum milk production.
Monitor parasites	Ewes — Do faecal egg counts two weeks after the end of the lambing period. Lambs — First treatment for roundworm and tapeworm 30 days after the lambing season.
Vaccinate	Lambs — First vaccination against pulpy kidney should be done from two months of age when the protection provided by the colostrum is declining. Ewes — Annual vaccination of non-pregnant ewes against bluetongue.

Lactation Checklist

	Dock tails using the correct method. Dock tails using the correct method.
	Castrate male lambs.
	Specifically, observe the udders of ewes for milk production.
	Deworm lambs.
	Deworm ewes, if needed.
	Vaccinate lambs against pulpy kidneys.
	Vaccinate ewes against bluetongue.
	Feed supplement for ewes.

Weaning Management

Because of the short lactation period of sheep, it is essential to maintain the optimal growth of lambs up to and after weaning. To ensure this, creep feeding has become a standard management tool in sheep farming.

Lamb management	Lambs’ rations should not be changed for two weeks before or after weaning. Creep feed, with a 16% to 18% crude protein content, can be provided to lambs. Creep feeding has a dual effect: increased weaning weights and lamb survival. Post-weaning survival rates are largely dependent on the growth rate in the pie-weaning period, as well as the final weaning weight. The faster growing and heavier weaners will have better survival rates.
Vaccination	Lambs must be given a booster vaccination against pulpy kidneys at weaning. This vaccination can be in the form of a broad-spectrum vaccine that includes other clostridial diseases and vaccination against pneumonia.
Parasite Management	Depending on when lambing takes place, internal parasite infestations must be monitored, especially during the wet season. Follow-up treatments against roundworms and tapeworms are usually needed before and at weaning.
Evaluate ewes at weaning	If ewes are on a high level of supplementation, this can be reduced 14 days prior to weaning in order to reduce milk flow. Udder examination at the time of weaning is informative to identify ewes that did not lamb, ewes that have lost their lambs and ewes that have lambs with them at weaning. Use this data and the examination of the ewe’s teeth to identify ewes for culling.

Livestock Handler Weaning Checklist

	Provide creep feeding to lambs.
	Booster vaccination of lambs against pulpy kidney.
	Monitor internal parasite infestations in lambs.
	Treat lambs against internal parasites, as needed.
	Evaluate ewes at weaning to determine cull animals. Evaluate ewes at weaning to determine cull animals.

Source: Afrivet – Livestock Handler Training Manual Module 10 Managing the breeding of cows and growth of suckling calves

Ewe's Reproduction Cycle

Stadium	Phase	Days	Condition Point: Objective	Energy MJ ME / head/day	Guidelines
1	Paar	0	3.5	8 – 9.5	Ooie moet in stygende kondisie wees. Moenie ooie onder 3 kondisiepunt paar nie.
2	Vroeg tot Mid-Dragtig	1 - 90	3	9 - 11	Behou kondisie.
3	Laatdragtig	90 - 150	3.5	Enkeling: 10 - 14,5 Tweeling: 11 - 18	Maak seker ooie kry genoeg kwaliteit voeding vir fetus- en uierontwikkeling.
4	Lam	150	3.5	Enkeling: 18 – 21 Tweeling: 23 - 27	Maksimum toesig met minimum inmenging - lam in klein groepies.
5	Laktasie	150 - 240	3		Ekstra voeding vir melkproduksie veral tweelinge - kruipvoeding (monitor kruipinname).
6	Speen	240	2		Speenlammers minimum 45% van volwasse massa.
7	Na Speen	240	2		Goeie kwaliteit voer vir lammers - beste benutters van voer.
8	Voor Paar	265	2 - >3.5		Prikkelvoeding sodat ooie verbeter in kondisie.

Reproduction Tables

Click here to view a video that explains Mamre Intensive Lambing System (M.I.L.S).

E/LMS 12603 Livestock Production Animal Breeding

Breeding Sheep