sheep p

SPRING 2013 | MOLE VALLEY FARMERS SHEEP SUPPLEMENT

FARMING

SPRING 2013

ROBERT JORDAN (NSA) SHEEP REVIEW AND OPPORTUNITIES COMING UP PHIL HADLEY (EBLEX) LAMB MARKET UPDATE KATIE BRIAN (EBLEX) REDUCING LAMB LOSSES DR CHRIS BARTRAM (MVF) SHEEP FEED AND LAMB FEED SELECTION JOHN LAWRENCE (MVF) MINERAL SUPPLEMENTATION

TAGS, WEIGHING EQUIPMENT, FEED BINS AND HANDLING EQUIPMENT FROM MOLE VALLEY PLUS

KEVIN AND JACQUIE DANIEL OUR SHEEP FARMING SYSTEMS HEALTH AND WELFARE OF YOUR FLOCK

FORAGE CROPS AND GRASSLAND TIPS FOR SHEEP FARMERS

In this issue www.molevalleyfarmers.com

1

MOLE VALLEY FARMERS SHEEP SUPPLEMENT | SPRING 2013

CONTENTS Introduction............................ 2 Peter Delbridge writes ............... 3 NSA report.............................. 4

Dear reader Welcome to the 2013 edition of the Sheep Management guide, I hope you will find it interesting and informative as we try to look forward to the coming year. Many shepherds will be glad to see the back of 2012, but the consequences linger on, poor returns, low quality forage and high compound feed prices. Probably even

Lamb market update ................. 5

more significant is the level of reported cases of Schmallenberg as the lambing season

Reducing lamb losses ................. 6

gets underway. Unfortunately there seems little that can be done to tackle this

Sheep feeds .......................... 7-8

unwelcome import from the Continent.

Late pregnancy nutrition ............ 9

There are lessons to be learnt from the effects the weather can have on our farming

Lambing feeds .................... 10-11

practices. Low quality grazing, including depressed mineral levels, and a high risk of

Mineral supplementation ........... 12 Buckets and blocks .................. 13 Feeding organic ewes ............... 14

parasite infection, resulted in poor growth rates and delayed marketing of finished lambs. These conditions have been overcome to some extent by farmers who have younger grass leys, which coped with the conditions better. Although supplementary feeds and mineral prices were high, those who decided to feed them experienced a

Farmer story with Kevin Daniel .... 15

cost effective result.

Lameness .............................. 16

Many of these issues are dealt with in greater detail in the pages of the guide. Sheep

Coccidiosis / Medicines ............. 17

farmer and MVF Director, Peter Delbridge, gives his résumé of the sheep sector, and

Pneumonia ............................ 18

Cornwall sheep farmers Kevin and Jacquie Daniel explain how they manage their

Hygiene ................................ 19

high performance flock. South West NSA Board Member Robert Jordan highlights

Feed bins / weighing ................ 20

the practical and political issues he is involved with and we have articles relating to

Handling and feeding equipment .. 21 Tags / forage crops .................. 22 Grassland .............................. 23

sheep diseases and topical nutritional advice. We are grateful to all our guest writers and our own team of specialists, who have given their time to contribute. These articles cover many topics relevant to the professional shepherd, large or small.

Madras Style Roast Lamb Cooking Times Medium 25 minutes per 450g/1lb plus 25 minutes Well done 30 minutes per 450g/1lb plus 30 minutes

Method

Serves: 4 Prep Time: 10 minutes Avg. cooking time for 3lb: 1 hour 40 minutes An Asian inspired roast using half lamb leg or shoulder, Madras curry paste, natural yogurt and freshly chopped coriander. A great dish for an informal dinner party too.

Ingredients • • • • • 2

900g-1.3kg/2-3lb lean half lamb leg joint or half shoulder Salt and freshly milled black pepper 75ml/5tbsp prepared Madras curry paste, or similar 90ml/6tbsp natural yogurt 45ml/3tbsp freshly chopped coriander leaves

Preheat the oven to Gas mark 4-5, 180-190°C, 350-375°F. Place the joint on a chopping board and with a sharp knife make several slits over the surface of the joint and season. In a small bowl mix together the curry paste, yogurt and coriander leaves. Spread half the mixture over the surface of the lamb, cover and store the remainder of the paste in the fridge. Place the lamb in a shallow dish, cover and marinate for 2 hours or overnight in the refrigerator, if time allows. Place the joint on a metal rack in a large non-stick roasting tin and open roast for the preferred calculated cooking time. Cover with foil if browning too quickly. 15-20 minutes before the end of the cooking time, remove the foil from the lamb, brush with the remaining paste mixture and return to the oven. Serve the lamb with a selection of pickles or relishes, naan bread and rice. Notes This recipe is great for lamb mini roasting joints too

SPRING 2013 | MOLE VALLEY FARMERS SHEEP SUPPLEMENT

OPTIMISM FOR SHEEP FARMERS THE FUTURE LOOKS BRIGHT BY MVF DIRECTOR AND SHEEP FARMER, PETER DELBRIDGE

2012 may go down as a vintage year for British sporting success, but my guess is it will be a year most sheep farmers will want to forget. It all started so well in the autumn of 2011, with buoyant store and finished trades. Both unfortunately did not live up to expectations as winter progressed. The depressed finished market encouraged finishers into keeping hogs on to heavier and heavier weights, in an attempt to make some sort of a margin on the store lambs bought pre Christmas that had started to look expensive. Once that failed, some resorted to running the ewe lambs on for breeding. As a result, the consequences have remained with us throughout 2012. The early suck lamb, breeding ewe, and later store lamb trades all suffered and were down substantially on the previous year. More significantly, the major retailers and their dedicated processors do not get caught with a restricted supply two years running and no doubt some phone calls were made to the antipodes where NZ and Australian lamb processors were all too keen to do a deal. Normally a contract is fixed a little below UK lamb values with little or no effect on our farm gate prices and conveniently maximising their returns. However, this time they were not so savvy and pitched in plenty low enough doing neither UK nor southern hemisphere sheep farmers any favours at all! Putting economics aside, of course, most of last year was spent, along with all other sectors of the agricultural industry, struggling against the weather. Even those that lambed in the warm and dry March eventually joined the rest of us in a record wet and cool summer. The grass that did grow was low in dry matter, sugar and most goodies that are needed to ensure lambs thrive. Knowledge, experience and stockmanship were all tested as challenging conditions seemed never ending and left many shepherds perplexed, wondering why lambs were not performing. One is never too old to learn, so when confronted with a bunch of scouring 12 week old lambs that had been drenched and showing no eggs on a FEC test, the importance of adequate

levels of trace elements became evident to me when they picked up after a mineral supplement drench was administered. I had mistakenly presumed that they were still receiving selenium and cobalt from their mum’s bolus administered mid pregnancy, but as milk intakes had diminished the wet grass had not been compensating adequately. We will not make that mistake again, and gave both lambs and ewes (pre-tupping) an extra dose of Molecare mineral supplement. Looking forward to the rest of 2013, we still really do not fully understand how Schmallenberg virus will pan out, and will the impact on some early lambing flocks be repeated across other later flocks? We just hope the understanding of this potentially devastating disease becomes greater and a reliable safe vaccine becomes available if required. Let’s hope the doomsday prophecies remain unfulfilled. On some brighter notes, and not wishing to tempt fate, it looks as if the Euro is a little more stable and has been consistently above 80p for the past four months, thus ensuring the important European exports continue, and in some cases resume to countries where customer solvency has been an issue for exporters. The retail price of lamb on the supermarket shelves has remained high, we now just need the balance between supply and demand to be rectified to make sure we get our fair share of the end price! Worldwide supply is still on the tight side. Importantly, the cull ewe trade has held up reasonably well and ensured that the national flock has only shown modest expansion. Lastly, sheep are starting to be seen in environment circles as a positive management tool to maintain the nation’s most treasured landscapes, as under-grazing is starting to become an issue.

PETER DELBRIDGE Peter and his wife Carol farm 1000 breeding ewes and 40 single suckler cows, 1200ft up on Exmoor. The ewes are mainly North Country Mules, with some Easycare dams and a 50 ewe flock of purebred Exmoor Horns. Finished lambs are sold deadweight with the remainder sold as store lambs through Exmoor Farmers, or Sedgemoor markets. Peter is a director of Mole Valley Farmers and a past Regional Chairman of NSA

Being eternal optimists, I guess we need to look forward and, of course, hope the weather will be a little more favourable! 3

MOLE VALLEY FARMERS SHEEP SUPPLEMENT | SPRING 2013 NATIONAL SHEEP ASSOCIATION

Sheep review and opportunities coming up for sheep farmers We have faced the wettest year in living memory so it is inevitable sheep will have suffered. The true financial effect will not be known until later in the year when it comes to selling progeny. For the majority who lamb over the next few months there is still time to try and ensure ewes are in the best nick possible to do their job. Spiralling feed costs will inevitably mean most producers will want to put on the brakes in this department. However, don’t forget, it is not the ewe’s fault she is more expensive to keep. Like all good women, the more you look after them the better they should respond! That’s not always easy to remember when the feed rep quotes the latest prices. Anecdotal evidence also suggests some early lambing flock performances have been devastated by Schmallenberg. The rest of us wait with trepidation to see what arrives in our own lambing sheds. So, when you take into account a stagnant sheep trade that is under the stranglehold of a supermarket dictatorship and flattened by an exchange rate that makes our lamb too expensive to export, we aren’t exactly in a great place. It is at times like this we all need to have an open mind and take on board any sound advice, and respond to research and technical advancements that translate into improved returns. Government policy must also be relevant and so it is good news that the yearold NSA national structure is working well through a board of 12 trustees who understand the sheep industry from grass roots upwards. Chief Executive Phil Stocker has wasted little time in

Robert Jordan, NSA

Robert Jordan is a national Board Member of the National Sheep Association (NSA) as well as South West Regional NSA Chairman. getting to grips with the sheep industry and so, in turn, has a firm grasp of the NSA’s objectives for the benefit of its membership. Committees such as the Finance and General Purpose (F&GP) and Policy and Technical are working hard for sheep farmers on specific policies such as electronic identification and its associated database. For this to work, be relevant and useful it must be simplistic. Otherwise not only will the system be ignored by the industry, but it will also not achieve its purpose of quickly and easily tracing animal movements. Surely what is vital if there is another outbreak of Foot and Mouth or Blue Tongue for example, is not the immediate identification of the specific animal that has resulted in that transfer of disease – but the instant detection of the route by which that flock number arrived at a specific destination? Despite all the latest gadgets and scientific formulas, farming remains hard work and requires buckets of patience. Rewards are not immediately apparent. It is not surprising social events such as county and local shows are still well supported and contested. This year’s NSA Sheep South West on Tuesday 11th June is another opportunity to meet up. The event promises to satisfy the most curious and ambitious young farmer at the same time as whet the appetite of the seasoned stockman who has seen it all. Hosts Michael and David Snell farm at the heart of the South West’s sheep country at Moortown Barton, Knowstone near South Molton in Devon. Here they successfully finish high quality fat lambs in a market in which we all contribute and trade. Later in August (Wednesday 14th) the NSA is hosting its annual ram sale at Exeter market. A large selection of breeds of quality rams over the past few years has secured a good trade for vendors. Buyers must also be happy as many return year on year. Twelve months ago industry leaders were extolling the confidence of the sheep sector and its rosy future. Unfortunately we trade into a market that is unpredictable due to it being one of the few businesses with an end-product price that is not just calculated on the clear pendulum of supply and demand. We are therefore always at a disadvantage, never knowing the price of our stock at point of sale. To ensure we make any margin at a time when fixed costs defy belief, it is more important than ever to cut any slack in the system and focus on efficiency and quality. Our saving grace is that what we produce tastes delicious.

Subscription to the NSA The NSA welcomes new members, and offers many benefits. Costs are £50 for members living in the United Kingdom, £25 for Under 27 members and £55 for overseas members. These subscription entitles you to 12 months of membership. For further information please go to www.nsa.org.uk contacts page or call 01684 892661 4

SPRING 2013 | MOLE VALLEY FARMERS SHEEP SUPPLEMENT

Lamb market update Dr Phil Hadley, EBLEX SW

UK lamb slaughterings in November were 5% lower on the year at 1.08 million head, as the season continued to be affected by the severe weather disruptions that have made it difficult to finish lambs. Lamb carcass weights were also lower for the month, further reflecting the difficult season. Adult sheep throughputs in the UK were 12% lower year on year. Overall sheep meat production in the month was 8% lower than 2011 levels. By the end of November, year to date lamb throughputs were 5% down. Sheep meat export volumes in September were down on the year as lower production levels continued to impact shipments. Much of the decline was to the more established markets within the EU, with volumes to France, Italy and Germany all back over 20% on the year. There continued to be considerable growth to third country markets with shipments almost doubling on the year. Trade to these markets accounted for 13% of total volumes during September 2012 compared with 5% in September 2011. Year to date export volumes are now 6% lower on the back of a 5% decline in production. However, in carcass weight terms, export volumes in the first nine months of the year represented 34 per cent of UK sheep meat production in the same period, which represents no change on 2011. When comparing with 2010, this is actually still showing slight improvement, as in the first nine months of 2010 just over 33 per cent of UK production was exported. The growth in domestic lamb sales has continued with volume purchases in the four week period ending 25th November increasing by 12% on the corresponding period a year ago. The 12 week period showed a 6% increase with the 2 week period showing a 4% rise. This continues to be driven by increased promotional activity that has made lamb cheaper and thus more attractive to the consumer. While the growth is still being driven by a large increase in leg joint sales, other cuts such as chops, shoulder joints, mince and ready meals have all recorded improved sales recently. Market penetration has also improved with over 58% of households purchasing lamb in the 52 weeks ended 25 November, the highest level in 2012 so far. Following continued disruption to the finishing of lambs in 2012, EBLEX estimates the final slaughter figure for 2012, as a whole, will be over 4% lower than the 2011 level, an actual decline of around 550,000 head. This takes into account some lowering of expectations for the lamb crop as a whole and

the anticipation of a higher carry over of lambs from the final quarter of 2012 in to the first half of 2013. The lamb kill in 2013 has been revised backwards as concerns over productivity persist as a result of the ongoing poor seasonal conditions. Additionally, the unexpectedly positive results reported in the June census indicate that flock growth has been considerable. As such there is some expectation of higher retentions that have limited slaughter numbers further. The forecast for the breeding flock for December 2012 has been revised up considerably and now stands at 14.8 million head, an increase of over 4%. Further growth is still forecast for 2013 with the breeding flock expected to be above the 15 million head mark for the first time since 2005. For more information visit www.eblex.org.uk

eblex.org.uk • Research and Development • Exports • Direct selling • Marketing • Better Returns programme • News

Log on to www.eblex.org uk the organisation for the English g beef and sheep industry.

For Welsh lamb and beef recipes and ideas, log on to

eatwelshlamb.co.uk 5

MOLE VALLEY FARMERS SHEEP SUPPLEMENT | SPRING 2013

Reducing lamb losses Katie Brian, EBLEX Project Manager

Improving animal performance and reducing physical losses is key to ensuring sheep farming is profitable. When financial margins are tight, maximising ewe productivity is essential. The more live lambs they give birth to and rear, the greater the returns will be. Recent data suggest losses of around 10-25% between scanning ewes and the sale of their lambs. Generally, most occur during pregnancy or in the first week of life. Farmers are often surprised to find out just how many lambs they do lose. This is partly because many are not visualised as dead animals, i.e. they either die inside the ewe, or are aborted as foetuses.

There is much more information in the EBLEX Sheep BRP manual 14: Reducing lamb losses for Better Returns. Available online at www.eblex. org.uk or free by emailing brp@eblex. ahdb.org.uk or calling 0870 241 8829. Or in our Reducing Lamb Losses DVD, to view go to http:// www.eblex.org.uk/ returns/videos.aspx or email brp@eblex. ahdb.org.uk with your name and address for a hard copy.

Infectious abortions continue to account for a significant percentage of losses on lowland farms. Weather is also an important factor – impacting on ewe condition leading up to lambing, and affecting lambs at birth. Reducing lamb losses has to take various factors into account, including the farming system, ewe body condition, nutrition, health planning and stockmanship.

Why are losses occurring? The first step is to look at and analyse farm records to understand what is happening now. Comparing scanning, lambing and rearing percentages between years, and with national benchmarks, highlights where problems occur and indicates where action is needed.

when compared to lambs scanned, this indicates how many lambs have been lost during pregnancy through absorption or abortion.

D Lambs turned out when compared to lambs born, this shows how many lambs are lost during the first days of life.

E

Rearing percentage comparing rearing percentage or lambs weaned/sold, to lambs turned out, gives an indication of mortality during the lambs first few months.

Where ewes lamb outdoors ‘lambing percentage’ and ‘lambs turned out’ may be replaced by a figure for ‘lambs tailed’. This is generally done a couple of weeks after lambing, but is still an important measure. Table 1: Performance standards for different sheep farming systems Lowland

Upland

Hill

A Ewes tupped

100

100

100

B Lambs scanned

195

175

116

C Lambing percentage

183

166

112

D Lambs turned out

172

156

104

E Rearing percentage

168

151

100

Lamb losses

Five key measures will indicate where the problems lie.

Scanning to birth (B-C)

12 (6%)

9 (5%)

4 (3%)

A Ewes tupped

Birth to turn-out (C-D)

11 (6%)

20 (6%)

8 (7%)

Turn-out to weaning/sale (D-E)

4 (2%)

5 (3%)

4 (3%)

Birth to sale (C-E)

15 (8%)

15 (9%)

12 (10%)

Scanning to sale (B-E)

27 (14%)

24 (14%)

16 (14%)

the total number of ewes/ewe lambs put to the tup

B

Lambs scanned calculated from the results of pregnancy scanning

6

C Lambing percentage

SPRING 2013 | MOLE VALLEY FARMERS SHEEP SUPPLEMENT

Sheep feed selection - season specifics Dr Chris Bartram, Head of Nutrition There are a number of issues that must be considered in the planning of sheep feeding this season that are specific to this year. They include:

- Forage type and quantity. The volume of maize silage may be a concern or the amount of hay may be less than normal.

- Forage quality. Grass silage analysis is very variable. Protein content may be unusually high or low.

- Body condition score of ewes. An accurate assessment of body condition enables appropriate targeting of supplementary feed.

- Feed cost. There is a danger that physical and financial performance is reduced this year as a consequence of higher purchased feed costs. This must be avoided. It is critical that appropriate feed and mineral supplements are selected according to the requirements of the system. It must be remembered that an extra investment of £50 per tonne in concentrate feed is approximately £2.50 per ewe in a typical lowland system. Other examples are included in the table below.

A recent report from the Scottish Agricultural College (SAC) has highlighted that despite being one of the most expensive ingredients per tonne, protected soya may be one of the most cost effective this year. The author also reminds us that those ewes with triplets produce more birth weight per unit of maternal weight than any other mammal - a useful fact! If an increase in production is required then an appropriate investment must be made. The article also highlights the importance of targeted nutrition and emphasises the link between nutrition and animal health. A reminder of typical concentrate feed rates is summarised in the table below. Exact amounts will depend on forage quality. Weeks after lambing

Weeks before lambing Fed with

8

7

6

5

4

3

2

1

1

2

3

Total kg

Concentrate feed rate (kg/hd/day) for ewes with twin lambs Straw

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.6

0.8

1

1.2

1.3

1.5

1.5

1.3

70

Hay

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

0.7

0.9

1.1

1.3

1.3

1.1

55

Silage

-

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.6

0.8

1.0

1.2

1.2

1.1

50

FEED COST PER EWE System A

Feed price (£/tonne)

25kg feed

System B 50kg feed

£200

£5.00

£10.00

£225

£5.62

£11.25

£250

£6.25

£12.50

£275

£6.87

£13.75

£300

£7.50

£15.00

EXTRA INVESTMENT PER EWE Extra Feed price (£/tonne)

25kg feed

System B 50kg feed

£5

12.5p

25p

£10

25p

50p

£15

37p

75p

£20

50p

100p

£25

62.5p

125p

System A

- Protein nutrition. Protein prices have increased significantly. However, it is essential to feed the correct level and type of protein.

For advice on feeds, to contact an MVF Nutritionist or Feed Specialist, or to order compound feeds, please call the FeedLine on

01278 444829 7

MOLE VALLEY FARMERS SHEEP SUPPLEMENT | SPRING 2013

Sheep feeds latest Dr Chris Bartram, Head of Nutrition A combination of sound experience, understanding the latest market and recent developments in ewe and lamb feeding has resulted in an improved range of Mole Valley Feed Solutions sheep feeds for the new season. Products are formulated to provide several unique features and benefits. Details are summarised in table 1.

digestible undegradable protein. This results in increases in lamb birth weights and milk protein content. Ultimately, the effect is stronger and faster growing lambs. The benefit of ensuring an adequate supply of vitamin E is now widely documented but often ignored. Detailed trials have provided evidence that ewes fed additional vitamin E produced lambs that

TABLE 1 Key Feature

Benefit

Product Type

Research base specification

Increase performance

All sheep feeds

Selected ingredients

Increase intake

All sheep feeds

Fixed formulation

Consistent product

All sheep feeds

Excellent palatability

Increase intake

All sheep feeds

Ideal mineral balance

Minimise nutritional disorders

All sheep feeds

Very high vitamin E (155 iu/kg)

Increase lamb performance

Ewe feeds

High selenium (0.6 mg/kg)

Increase lamb performance

Ewe feeds

Copper antagonist

Minimise copper toxicity problems

Lamb feeds and specialist ewe

Ammonium chloride

Minimise urinary calculi

Lamb feeds

Ewe feeds are designed to maximize the number of viable lambs born, ensure ewes lamb down with enough colostrum and have enough body reserves to produce the required amount of milk during lactation. Information on the new range of ewe feeds is summarised in table 2.

were more vigorous at birth and had faster growth rates.

Amount and type of energy supply is crucial. In order to optimize rumen function, diets must be formulated to a specific level of starch and digestible fibre. Overfeeding starch, particularly in late pregnancy when forage intakes are low, can lead to acidosis and potentially serious consequences on the subsequent health and performance of the ewe.

Product selection and exact feed rates will depend on breed, body condition, forage quality and quantity and the target level of performance.

Lamb feeds are designed to encourage early dry feed intake, achieve target daily liveweight gain and maximise the gross margin for a particular production system.

Full details on formulations and prices for the new season are available now.

Amount and type of protein supply is also crucial. Numerous studies have demonstrated the need to provide sufficient protein to ewes during late pregnancy and early lactation. Particular care is required with the type of protein. As a result of a detailed knowledge of individual ingredients, products are formulated to specific levels of Table 2 Product

Form

Protein

System

Key Feature

Nut and Roll

18

Traditional lowland

Low cost

Nut

18

High performance lowland

Optimised nutrition

Premier Ewe

Nut and Roll

18 and 20 (Nut only)

High performance lowland

Sugar beet, wheat and soya

Prestige Plus

Nut

20

Indoor, high performance

Biotin, ProPass or prairie, Megalac

Pellet

33

Home mix

Mineral content

Champion Ewe Super Ewe

Multimix Sheep 8

Mole Valley Farmers Ewe and lamb feeds are available delivered direct to farm or from your local branch. Please call for details, prices and deliveries

FEEDLINE

01278 444829

SPRING 2013 | MOLE VALLEY FARMERS SHEEP SUPPLEMENT

CORRECT PROTEIN NUTRITION IN LATE PREGNANCY IN EWES Alastair Macrae Dairy Herd Health and Productivity Service, University of Edinburgh We have long known about the importance of energy in ewes in late pregnancy, and the harmful effects that a shortage of energy can have on lamb birthweights, lamb survival and milk production. However, recent work from SAC and others has highlighted the importance of protein nutrition in late pregnancy. Like all things, balance is the key to protein nutrition, and sheep need a balance of rumen degradable protein (ERDP) and bypass protein (DUP). ERDP is important for the rumen microbes to work efficiently and produce protein, and supply can be limiting with diets based on poor quality hay or straw. In our last analyses of sheep results, approximately 6% of the group average urea-N results were low in DHHPS sheep blood tests, indicating that the diets were short of ERDP. The SAC work has also highlighted the importance of bypass protein (DUP), which is necessary to meet any shortfall in late pregnancy when the rumen is working at full capacity. In SAC trials, increasing protein supplementation by roughly 20% above current recommendations resulted in: •

Around 10% heavier lambs at birth

•

Around 30% increase in milk production

•

Over 60% reduction in worm burden

•

Almost 90% reduction in worm egg output

Dairy Herd Health and Productivity Service Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, EBVC, Easter Bush, Roslin, Midlothian EH25 9RG 0131 651 7474 E-mail [email protected]

www.ed.ac.uk/vet/dhhps

Any additional protein supplementation needs to be discussed in conjunction with your feed adviser - grass silage systems will obviously need less than straw-based diets for example. Get your forages analysed first. This will not only potentially save on feed costs, but enable you to work out how much supplementation is needed. The SAC work looked at feeding twin-bearing Greyface or Mule ewes 200 grams of soya per head per day for the last 3-4 weeks of pregnancy (the rule of thumb used was 100 grams of soya per day per lamb carried), and then increasing this to 400 grams per head per day in early lactation to maintain the benefits (especially for worm control). One of the key findings was the reduction in worm burdens and egg outputs. As twin-bearing ewes excrete more eggs than singles, one recommendation is to separate off the twin-bearing ewes in late pregnancy and target only these ewes for protein supplementation. So we need to look beyond the crude protein content of the cake (which is crude – as it says!), and feed diets in late pregnancy that are correctly balanced for ERDP and DUP. A properly balanced ration is key. Blood testing is the quickest and cheapest way of checking on the diet in late pregnancy, and measuring urea/urea-N will assess whether ERDP requirements are being met. Detailed analysis of the concentrate will show whether enough DUP is being supplied prior to lambing.

9

MOLE VALLEY FARMERS SHEEP SUPPLEMENT | SPRING 2013

Pre lambing preparation 1) Vaccination Vaccinate against clostridial infections and Pasteurellosis. Booster injections are best administered one month before lambing.

2) Scanning Scan to ensure appropriate and accurate feeding of the ewe, thus reducing the risk of energy deficit and subsequent health problems.

3) Ewe condition scoring Use regularly to identify subtle changes in condition to ensure that potential problems can be rectified in good time.

Care of new arrivals

Rearing orphan lambs

Navel cord

There are several methods of rearing orphan lambs. The pros and cons of each method are:

This must be treated immediately to reduce the risk of infection.

Colostrum – the 3 Q Rule Quality • • •

Ewe condition Ewe parity Ewe health

Quantity • •

50ml/kg lwt per feed Minimum 210ml/kg bodyweight

Quickly • •

First 6 hours of life Small frequent feeds during the first 24 hours

In situations where ewe colostrum is not available use Volac Lamb Volostrum:

10

•

A natural alternative to colostrum

•

Highly digestible source of energy helps reduce risk of hypothermia

•

Helps newborn lambs resist

•

potentially fatal disease challenges

•

Proven in independent trials

Bottle feeding More control More labour Less growth Increased risk of digestive upsets 9-10kg Mole Valley Lamlac used

Ad-lib (Ewe2 Feeders) Less labour Low set up costs Faster growth Milk consumed little and often Less risk of digestive upsets 11-12kg Mole Valley Lamlac used

Automatic Feeding (Volac Autofeeder) Least labour Highest set up costs Fastest growth Milk consumed little and often Low risk of digestive upsets 12-12kg Mole Valley Lamlac Freeflow used

Volac EWE2 Feeder

•

Concentrated milk protein Highly digestible for faster growth

Provides warm or cold ad-lib milk for up to 20 lambs

•

Ultrafiltrated milk protein - Natural health protection with less risk of nutritional upsets Instantised - Easy mixing even in cold water

•

Fully formulated - Provides all the nutrients required by the lamb

•

Stays fresh for 24 hours - Excellent in adlib systems

•

Outstanding growth rates proven in performance trials

Feeding system EWE2 Feeders - Ideal for 20 > 49 lambs Auto Feeder- Ideal for 50+ lambs

Feeding recommendations • 200g Mole Valley Lamlac + 800ml water = 1 litre of milk. • Start lambs on restricted warm milk (39°C) until trained. • (1 litre split into 4-5, 200-250ml feeds, per day. • Training usually takes 1-3 days. • Ad-lib access to milk once trained. Temperature of the milk should be reduced to 18-20°C

Weaning • Wean abruptly when lambs are: • Minimum 2½ times birth weight (910kg). • Minimum 35 days old.

Mole Valley Farmers Lamlac The benefits

•

Feeding systems and requirements

• Eating 250g of solid feed per day.

Volac autofeeder •

Automatically mixes milk and feeds up to 70 lambs

•

Available for hire

25 litre capacity with external pen position Complete temperature control EWE2 PLUS - 50 litre capacity feeds 40 lambs

For a copy of the Healthy Lambing Guide produced in conjunction with Volac, call your local branch

SPRING 2013 | MOLE VALLEY FARMERS SHEEP SUPPLEMENT

Lamb feeds

Information on the new range of lamb feeds is summarised in Table 1. The products are designed to encourage early dry feed intake, achieve target daily liveweight gain and maximise the gross margin for a particular production system. Analysis of the lamb price and feed price is very important as shown in Table 2. Despite higher feed costs the excellent lamb price still justifies an investment in high quality lamb feed. The minimal impact of a higher priced lamb feed on feed cost per lamb is illustrated. Based on a lamb value of approximately £80 per head, the impact of the higher feed price at the various levels of concentrate input can be considered as minimal. For example, at a feed level of 25kg per lamb, an extra investment of £50 per tonne equates to a cost of only £1.30 per lamb!

There is a good arguement that creep feeding early season lambs is financially justifiable. If you look at the last three years the lamb price takes a natural curve to peak around June before it drops off as it get closer to the autumn. This drop in price can be as much as £30 per lamb from the peak to the bottom. If it costs on average £12 per lamb to creep feed, you could be up to £10 or more better off. Therefore, with a financial benefit there is a strong argument for getting them away quicker. There are also quite a few other advantages. More available grazing for other stock is a great benefit if we have a dry year! Also, there is no risk of trying to finish them off grass in a summer and autumn like the one in 2012. In addition, it is likely that the killing out percentage will be better and there is no need for any more concern about how to market them as the year progresses.

TABLE 1 - MVF Lamb Feeds Product

Form

Protein (%)

System

Key Feature

MultiLamb

Pellet

18

Ad-lib start to finish

Actisaf yeast

Rapid Lamb

Pellet

18

Traditional creep

Sugar beet and wheat

Fast Lamb Finisher

Nut

16

Ad-lib high performance

High starch

Prime Lamb Finisher

Nut

16

Store semi-intensive

Low cost

£225

£250

TABLE 2 - Feed costs for lambs Feed price (£/T)

£275

Feed level (kg/head)

12.5

25

50

12.5

25

50

12.5

25

50

Feed cost (£/lamb)

2.8

5.6

11.2

3.1

6.25

12.5

3.4

6.9

13.8

All branches carry a wide range of products needed at lambing time or you can buy on line at www.molevalleyfarmers.com 11

MOLE VALLEY FARMERS SHEEP SUPPLEMENT | SPRING 2013

CORRECT MINERAL SUPPLEMENTATION FOR BREEDING EWES HELPS IMPROVE LAMB HEALTH AND VIGOUR John Lawrence Mineral Supplements Technical Manager The profitability of sheep farming for obvious reasons revolves around the birth of one or more healthy lambs per ewe each year. Whilst the gestation period is approximately 5 months, it is important to get the ewes (and of course the ram) in optimal condition for breeding and for the ewes to develop the egg follicle in good time for the rams to go in. Preparations for lambing should commence at least 6 or even 7 months beforehand. An adequate supply of minerals, trace elements and vitamins is essential for the breeding animal throughout this crucial period. Remember that breeding animals have a daily requirement for minerals and that grass and conserved winter forages can be a very poor source of essential micro nutrients including vitamins, minerals and trace elements. In some systems a good general purpose ewe mineral should be available for a minimum of one month before tupping, right through lambing and then continue to be used for ewes and lambs post lambing, as this will help the lambs to develop. Correct mineral supplementation in the months prior to lambing will help improve ewe health, lamb survivability and vigour. It is also worth noting that short term leys, perennial ryegrasses and improved grassland management, whilst producing improved yields have reduced mineral availability to ewes.

Cobalt Research work has demonstrated how lambs stand and suckle earlier when adequate levels of cobalt are supplied.

Zinc Together with selenium and vitamin E, zinc is responsible for immune system function and helps guard against mastitis and other infections and helps cleanse and speed tissue repair such as may be caused to the birth canal at lambing and recovery from infection. For the same reasons, zinc will help to reduce lameness or aid hoof repair. There are many sources of zinc, but protected sources of zinc (often referred to as chelates) can be particularly beneficial – see “product options” on right.

Vitamin E and Selenium These two essential nutrients are responsible for effective immune system function and as with zinc play a key role in prevention and recovery from infection. Both are essential for lamb vigour, and protection against hypothermia. Research has shown that Vitamin E should be supplied at 100iu per head per day for optimal results. Increased vitamin E for ewes in late pregnancy has shown:-

–

Increased lamb plasma vitamin E at birth

–

Lambs stand earlier

–

Lambs suckled earlier

–

Colostrum with a higher vitamin E content

–

Lambs gained extra LW per day to weaning

Product information: MVF Nutri-LINK GP Ewe and NutriLINK Housed Ewe powdered minerals are available for direct to farm delivery and provide excellent levels of cobalt, zinc, iodine and selenium and contain Vitamin B12. When fed at 30g per head per day will also provide the target 100iu vitamin E per head.

Product options: An option is available on both the NutriLINK GP Ewe and Nutri-LINK Housed Ewe minerals detailed above containing protected zinc and Sel-Plex selenium (minimum ½ tonne drop)

Selenium works in conjunction with vitamin E. Organic sources of selenium such Sel-Plex are much more available to the ewe than traditional sources of selenium – see “product options” on right.

Iodine Involved in the production of thyroxine hormone helps guard against hypothermia at lambing. Also linked to selenium.

Nutri-LINK

Vitamin B12 The mineral requirements of the in-lamb ewe are very similar whether they are housed or not. The main difference is that housed ewes should not be fed too much magnesium. This should only be introduced when they are turned out (or preferably the day before). Note from the chart above that cobalt, zinc, iodine and selenium levels in graph are well below the requirement of the ewe. Ironically these same elements are some of the most important to the ewe and unborn or new born lamb.

12

Critically important to ewe and lamb performance, vitamin B12 is essential for efficient energy metabolism. B12 deficiency results in poor feed utilisation.

If you require further guidance or advice on our sheep mineral supplement product range, please contact the mineral helpline on 01278 420481 or email [email protected]

SPRING 2013 | MOLE VALLEY FARMERS SHEEP SUPPLEMENT Feed Buckets and Blocks

Mineral bucket, feed bucket or feed block what’s the difference?

Depending on requirements, mineral buckets and blocks can supply the minerals, trace elements and vitamins required. In addition the Mole Valley Farmers feed blocks and feed buckets supply good quality protein and energy. •

Mineral buckets provide major minerals, trace elements and vitamins

•

Feed buckets provide major minerals, trace elements and vitamins with energy and protein to help balance shortfalls in the diet

•

Feed blocks can replace compound feeds or be fed in conjunction with forages to provide the animal with a balanced diet

Recommended intake levels Mineral buckets Livestock Sheep

Feed buckets Feed blocks

Daily Intake Daily Intake Daily Intake (g/head/day) (g/head/day) (g/head/day) 15 - 30 50 - 150 150 - 300 No of buckets required / 100 head / month 3-5 7 - 20 20 - 40

Feeding during mid-pregnancy and pre/ post lambing Feed Bucket or Block feeding has proven to be a successful feeding practice on many sheep farms across the country. At Mole Valley Farmers we offer our own specialist professional brand in convenient 22.5kg size buckets/blocks for collection ex store or delivered direct to farm. We recommend feeding our Extra Energy range in mid pregnancy to maintain the ewe’s condition and bridge the energy gap maintaining the essential body reserves. As 70% of the lambs growth occurs in the last 6 weeks pre lambing we then advocate the use of our higher specification Super Energy products. During this critical time there will be an increased demand for dietary concentrations of energy and by-pass protein, vital in late pregnancy for: •

Milk production

•

Colostrum quality

•

Energy metabolism/liver function/Twin Lamb Disease

•

Immune function

•

Lamb growth

More information on the full range of Mole Valley Farmers mineral buckets and blocks can be found on our website www.molevalleyfarmers.com Alternatively if you have any queries or to order a free copy of our latest brochure please call

0845 602 7321

or email [email protected] 13

MOLE VALLEY FARMERS SHEEP SUPPLEMENT | SPRING 2013

Feeding organic ewes

Nigel Mapstone Feed Nutritionist (Organics) The wet difficult summer and start to winter has left many ewes in poor condition, not only due to the poor grazing but an exceptional fluke challenge. Lambing is about to start for many and ewes should be offered compound feed to maintain energy intakes. In these last few weeks the intake of the ewe is so low that a high energy density is critical to promote udder development and better milk yields after lambing. With the forage quality this year, supplementation is going to be even more important. A ewe carrying twins will have such restricted rumen volume that it will be impossible for her to eat enough to satisfy her own and the lambs’ energy requirement if the forage is low in energy or dry matter. Under organic guidelines the ewe must be fed 60% forage at all times, so it is essential that the preserved forage is analysed and the best kept for pre and post lambing. Our Rumigan range of organic feeds has changed this year. 16% Rumigan nuts and Rumigan HDF 18 are both high energy, cereal

based organic compounds, including sugar beet, suitable for sheep pre and post lambing. It will also be important to have some milk substitute ready for lambs that are struggling and have some creep pellets in hand to help get lambs growing. Rumigan Multi Rearer pellets are suitable for creep feeding and we can supply organic approved sheep milk substitute Zelmo Green minimum ½ tonne.

Guidelines A 70 kg lowland ewe carrying twins requires, 15MJ of energy and 170g of protein per day. Prelambing the average intake will be 1.8kg DM/day. The maximum compound allowed (40%DM) is 0.72kg DM or 0.85kg nuts. If the dry forage has 9.8 MJ/kg DM or better, then 0.5kg of Rumigan 18 nuts should be enough to balance, giving 16 MJ and 190g protein to a ewe achieving her maximum intake. If she is carrying triplets even at maximum compound the forage will need to be very high quality. This year especially, these ewes will need careful monitoring so that immediate intervention can be taken at the first signs of twin lamb disease.

Ordering sheep feeds - points to be considered Lead time Make sure you place your order in time. Lead times for delivery are 3 working days. For example, call by 5.30pm on Monday and your feed will be delivered on Thursday

The delivery Please give g us a mobile/telephone p number on which you can be contacted when you p place your order. We can then contact you, should you need to be on site to assist our driver.

Health and Safety A primary concern is health and safety for 14

both you and our staff. Suitable equipment must be provided for off-loading feeds. A purpose built feed bin or store should be used, but if you do not have one, you must advise us when you place your order.

Site access Narrow entrances, difficult to find locations, suitable access – let us know if there are likely to be any problems we may encounter. Knowing about them helps us to overcome any issues and deliver your feed faster.

Combined loads Because we manufacture different products on different days, (i.e. nuts one day, rolls the next) if you need two or more products, have them all delivered on one day – it helps to keep your costs down.

SPRING 2013 | MOLE VALLEY FARMERS SHEEP SUPPLEMENT

LIFE AS A SHEEP FARMER KEVIN DANIEL FROM LAUNCESTON TALKS ABOUT FARMING SYSTEMS Soggy fields and a shortage of grass has led us to house sheep two weeks earlier than normal.

Kevin Daniel farms with his wife, Jacquie, at Trebursye near Launceston.

We find shorn ewes are a lot more content indoors, showing no signs of heat stress, enabling them to achieve far greater forage intakes, saving on concentrate feed. Ewes are housed in redundant cattle sheds in large groups of 80 to 100, according to their scanning results and body condition. Forage is available adlib with concentrates fed in troughs. We closely monitor forage intakes in the run up to lambing. This sounds complicated but all it means is that we occasionally weigh a silage bale on the cattle weigh crush and calculate the quantity the ewes are actually eating. The correct amount of concentrate can then be targeted to each group for their specific needs; assessing body condition and metabolic blood profile are used to check the effectiveness of the ration,

After spending another morning leaving two brown lines around the fields while feeding and checking ewes, I hope that February will be significantly drier. Like most of you, the legacy of last year’s wet summer/autumn is still being felt, some mediocre forage and leaner ewes are adding to the cost of feeding this winter. When grouping the ewes for tupping last autumn, a lot of them had not reached our target condition score of 3–3.5 and with grass being of a low dry matter, we decided to introduce 0.25kg of sugar beet pellets per day for six weeks, which has improved their condition and hopefully secured our usual lambing percentage of 195% – 205%; as I’m writing this article in December we await scanning results with interest. DM

ME

D value

Protein

Ryegrass/red clover

42

11.7

73

15.4

1st cut May

48

11

69

10.6

1st cut June

27

10.2

63

12.5

1st cut July

65

9.8

61

9.5

This season we have a double hit of poor forage Home Mix Ration and high concentrate prices. The ration here Product % cost us £180 per tonne last year, the same Barley 28.0 formulation this year would be £239!! Oats 28.0 Ewes are given 24 hour supervision through Rapeseed 14.0 the main period of lambing, mainly to avoid Hipro Soya 14.0 mis-mothering and facilitate the wet adoption Sugar beet 10.0 of trebles onto singles. After 24–36 hours in Molasses 3.5 individual pens, they are turned out to grass. Vit & Min 2.5 No concentrates are fed at grass unless grass length drops below 40mm. The exception would be ewe lambs rearing twins, whose lambs also receive creep feed.

“

“

Our sheep numbers have been increasing over the past 2 or 3 years at the expense of the suckler herd. This spring will see 700 ewes and 200 ewe lambs giving birth with the flock based on North Country Mules and homebred Texel x Mule. The ewes and Mule ewe lambs are mated to Texel, with the Texel x Mule ewe lambs to Charolais rams. Ewes start to lamb from 18th March with ewe lambs starting on the 1st April. All lambs are sold deadweight through CQLP, a farmer - owned livestock marketing co-operative. www.cqlp.co.uk

The best forage is reserved for trebles with up to 1kg of concentrate per head fed before lambing, as good size lambs are required; the spare lamb being either adopted on to a single or reared on a Ewe 2 feeder. No sheep are turned out with three lambs. We prefer a home mixed concentrate ration, making use of oats and barley grown on the farm. It also allows the ration to be easily adjusted according to the silage analysis of each cut.

Mineral feed buckets are offered to all sheep to prevent staggers

Every season brings its own challenges, so make use of the advice that is available, because “doing what worked well last year” might not be the right strategy this year.

I hope you all have a successful lambing and fingers crossed for an early spring.

Kevin and Jacquie Daniel

Ewes and lambs graze the whole farm in spring, only shutting up fields for big bale silage when grass growth exceeds grazing need. The aim is to cut 5 – 6 weeks later; quality not quantity is needed, but as you can see from the silage analysis, 2012 weather did not allow this to happen with first cut extending from May to July. Our usual practice is to house, then shear half the ewes 6 weeks before lambing; with all the singles, late lambing doubles and ewe lambs out wintered on stubbles or sacrifice pasture. These are brought in just prior to lambing when sheds become available. 15

MOLE VALLEY FARMERS SHEEP SUPPLEMENT | SPRING 2013

SHEEP LAMENESS Max Hardy BVSc MRCVS, Molecare Farmvets South Molton Lameness is one of the most important welfare issues facing UK sheep production. Lame sheep are in pain; inevitably leading to significant production losses and increased costs. A number of organisations, including DEFRA, FAWC and the RSPCA have drawn up welfare codes and targets in an attempt to reduce prevalence in the national flock. The national average currently stands at 10%, amounting to 3 million lame sheep in the UK, which at an estimated cost of £10/ewe/year adds up to an astonishing £30m!! This arises from production losses (weight loss, reduced live weight gain, reduced lambing percentages) plus labour and treatment costs.

Result of excessive trimming and long standing infection, with subsequent over exuberant tissue healing at the toe. This soft tissue bleeds very easily leading to further tissue formation. Excess use of formalin may worsen the problem. It is advisable to cull affected sheep.

TREATMENT PRINCIPLES

CAUSES OF LAMENESS Infectious causes (>90% cases):

Over 90% of lameness cases are potentially contagious, therefore it is essential that all lame sheep are caught as soon as possible to identify the cause of lameness, allowing correct treatment and minimising spread. It is important to mark all treated sheep, record the diagnosis and which leg. If a sheep has to be treated more than twice, culling is advised.

Scald/Strip

Trimming

Fusobacterium necrophorum is a bacterium found in normal ruminant faeces. Infection occurs once the inter-digital skin becomes excessively wet or abrased. It affects all flocks with potentially very high prevalence especially in lambs. Generally superficial pink-grey lesions can be seen with mild lameness.

Only trim feet if sheep are lame as a result of marked overgrowth, or if WLD has led to packing of foreign material between the hoof wall and sole. Be sure to leave 2-3 mm proud wall to provide protection for the white line and sole. Do not draw blood - toe granulomas will form, leading to the affected animal needing to be culled. Disinfect clippers and hands between sheep to minimise spread of infection.

Footrot A more severe cause of lameness is Dichelobacter nodosus which is a highly infectious organism. Initially, deep infection of the interdigital skin occurs, followed by separation and under-running of the hoof horn and a foul smelling discharge. Optimal conditions for growth are >10°C and wet conditions. The bacterium can survive up to 10 days on pasture; however survival on bedding can be 2-4 weeks or longer. Hoof clippings may remain infective for up to 6 weeks.

CODD Spirochete bacteria are implicated in contagious ovine digital dermatitis, followed by secondary infection. Typically lesions start on the coronary band skin with associated hair loss. Rapid under-running of the hoof wall follows with a bloody discharge quite different to footrot. Often infection leaves permanent defects in hoof growth.

Structural causes White line disease/shelly hoof Thought to have nutritional and/or hereditary links, WLD causes poor quality horn production, leading to separation of the hoof wall and sole. Foreign material then becomes impacted within this space. Abscess formation may then occur. The hoof becomes hot and very painful, pus will commonly break out at the coronary band.

16

Toe Granuloma

Antibiotic regimes should be discussed with your vet. Use of a long acting injectable combined with a topical spray is the proven best treatment for foot rot. If CODD is a problem on your farm other treatments may be required.

CONTROL Long term results can be achieved by focusing on the five-point plan: 1.

Prompt treatment - correct diagnosis and recording

2.

Culling – recurrent cases

3.

Environmental control-prevent spread at gathering/trough management etc.

4.

Vaccination

5.

Quarantine new/returning sheep for 28 days

Individual farm plans should be discussed with your vets with the aim to set realistic targets for the next 12 months. In summary, sheep lameness is a significant welfare concern across the UK with the majority of lame sheep being infectious to other members of the flock. Individual tailored flock plans should be created to address key management areas, reducing the prevalence in your flock.

SPRING 2013 | MOLE VALLEY FARMERS SHEEP SUPPLEMENT

ON LINE

Veterinary medicines Don’t pay more than you need to at www.molevalleyfarmers.com

Go on-line today to see full details of the range available from Mole Valley Farmers

£ 238.00

Coccidiosis Coccidiosis is a disease caused by a microscopic parasite called Eimeria. Scour is one of the signs most commonly associated with the disease but clinical disease is just one of the possible consequences of coccidiosis. Eimeria lives inside gut cells, multiplying and in the process, destroying the cells. The infective form, or oocyst, that is passed out in the faeces contaminates the environment, presenting a source of infection to other animals. Eimeria parasites are very widespread on farms.

Sub-clinical Some animals can also suffer from sub-clinical disease – where the signs of illness are not as obvious but the gut damage that is occurring can lead to a reduced ability to absorb nutrients from food. This non-specific ill-thrift results in: •

Poor growth

•

Depressed live weight gains.

The economic consequences of this can actually be more severe than when animals are very obviously ill, because greater numbers of animals in the group tend to be affected.

Factors causing Coccidiosis Most animals are exposed to the Eimeria parasites at some point in their lives. In most cases this happens when the animals are young. Many lambs have some passive immunity acquired from colostrum but when this wears off, they need to acquire their own immunity. Some exposure to the parasite is necessary to develop immunity. The conditions for the development of natural immunity to develop are: •

Exposure to low levels of infective parasites

•

A healthy immune system

Natural immunity helps animals resist future challenges. Exposure to a high parasite load, or stress that reduces the effectiveness of the animal’s immune system, can overwhelm natural defences and result in disease. Typical stress factors include weaning, turn out, castration and bad weather. Animals that have had inadequate colostrum are often at risk at an early age and overstocking or unhygienic conditions are also risk factors.

Coccidiosis in lambs Symptoms include - Severe diarrhoea - faecal straining – weakness – anaemia – dehydration - open fleece or shedding wool (may be of short duration). Subclinical symptoms of Suboptimal weight gain and poor appetite are common.

Why Vecoxan? The evidence from studies in lambs shows that the treatment of coccidiosis with diclazuril does not interfere with the development of natural immunity. It works by managing the animals exposure to the parasite. It kills all lifestages of the parasite in the host animal and rapidly lowers the challenge. It has also been suggested that, by causing the rapid death of Eimeria, Vecoxan® may allow those parasite proteins to be recognised more quickly by the immune system, leading to a rapid immune response.

Batch treatment It is important to treat all young animals in the batch and to keep animals grouped in batches according to age and separated from animals of different ages, as one of the main sources of infection to younger animals is older lambs excreting oocysts into the environment. There are two treatment options: treat all the animals in the batch as early as possible; or where a known trigger exists, treat 10-14 days after the trigger event before signs of the disease are seen.

Additional information Vecoxan is used for the treatment and prevention of coccidial infections in lambs caused in particular by the more pathogenic Eimeria species, Eimeria crandallis and Eimeria ovinoidalis. To aid in the control of coccidiosis in calves caused by Eimeria bovis and Eimeria zuernii. Vecoxan has a zero day withdrawal period for meat in lambs and normal routines for disposal of manure from treated animals apply – there is no residual effect on plant life. 17

MOLE VALLEY FARMERS SHEEP SUPPLEMENT | SPRING 2013

BEWARE OF PNEUMONIA IN SHEEP Pneumonia continues to be a significant cause of death in sheep over 12 months of age. Indeed, post mortem data from the Veterinary Laboratories Agency (2007) show that pneumonia is the single biggest reason for these animal losses. Disease outbreaks are also seen in very young lambs (up to two weeks of age) and in 6-10 month animals, but the reality is pneumonia affects sheep of all ages. Sheep producers simply can’t afford to ignore the threat of pneumonia in the run up to lambing. The disease can have a variety of causes, but the majority of outbreaks are caused by pasteurellosis. Pasteurella are a group of bacteria, with Mannheimia haemolytica and Bibersteinia trehalosi being the most important types to cause disease in sheep. Both bacteria are found on the tonsils and in lungs of many healthy sheep. On average, eight out of every 10 sheep harbour these bacteria, rising to 95% in some flocks. As with clostridia, under normal circumstances the pasteurella bacteria do not cause disease unless a trigger factor such as weaning, bad weather or a change of food causes them to multiply rapidly, spread round the body and release toxins. The end result is usually death. Most pasteurella pneumonia outbreaks occur in the spring. Flock problems usually start with sudden deaths, often in very young lambs, but occurrence can be sporadic in individual sheep. Antibiotics are often used when an outbreak occurs, but as

the disease cause is usually very short they rarely save any seriously affected lambs. In addition, the stress of gathering and injecting lambs during an outbreak can sometimes make the situation worse. Lambs that do recover, following treatment, often have chronic lung damage, which will affect their subsequent health and growth. The unpredictability and rapid onset of an outbreak of pneumonia, the uncertainty of treatment success and the sheer cost of lost animals, means a comprehensive vaccination programme can be easily justified.. For example, ewes that are vaccinated with Heptavac-P Plus in the run up to lambing can also confer immunity to their lambs. As well as covering the ewe, the vaccine also increases the concentration of antibodies in the ewe’s colostrum, which pass to the newborn lamb when it suckles. This is known as passive immunity and lasts for around three weeks after birth. The lambs themselves should then be vaccinated with Ovivac-P Plus. These vaccines induce immunity against pasteurellosis, along with the main clostridial diseases affecting sheep. Generally, older ewes that have been vaccinated with Heptavac-P Plus and had the necessary annual booster will be adequately covered against pasteurellosis. It is the younger, often pedigree lambs and rams – and invariably flock replacements – that tend to be forgotten.

MOLECARE SHEEP NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENT Ideal for pre-lambing ewes and for lambs at weaning (from 5 weeks of age) Molecare Sheep Nutritional Supplement is a unique formulation of liquid minerals, vitamins and chelated trace elements exclusive to Mole Valley Farmers; designed to maximise performance and promote growth and fertility. Available with or without copper for use in situations where sheep are known to be suffering from copper deficiency; please contact your veterinarian to confirm this. Uses chelated trace minerals therefore enabling sheep to absorb minerals in a safe and more efficient manner. Contains natural vitamin E which has strong antioxidant qualities and may protect cells from damage for maximum availability and effectiveness. 18

Key benefits for ewes Promotes general well-being, mineral balance and offers an energy boost at critical times Supplement 1-4 weeks pre-tupping and pre-lambing to help minimise unviable and still borns Promotes increased lambing percentage and conception rates Essential nutrients help to optimise health, condition score, overall production and yield Added selenium and natural vitamin E have antioxidant properties B vitamins for energy and a healthy nervous system Vitamin D3 for a strong immune system and muscle function

Key benefits for lambs Supplement lambs at 5 weeks A rapid source of energy; fast absorption Maximise profits by maximising growth Increased vitality to help overcome the stress of weaning Natural vitamin E helps boost lambs natural immune system Increased levels of vitamin A to promote growth and development Cobalt and vitamin B12 for rumen development

How to administer Administer the supplement on its own, with feed or added to the water supply. If administered orally a multi dose drench gun should be used.

SPRING 2013 | MOLE VALLEY FARMERS SHEEP SUPPLEMENT

Good hygiene at lambing time Lambing is one of the most intensive times on many farms as there is so much to prepare, along with a significant increase to the daily workload, all combined with the usual sleep deprivation. However, hygiene is one of those small but important areas worthy of some attention. Many will be using buildings that have seen other tasks throughout the year ahead of lambing, but all buildings require scrutiny ahead of assembling the pens, and the sheep arriving. Although huge attention is offered to housing stock, it is easy to overlook good practice when housing sheep for lambing, as it is a relatively short period. However, lack of attention to hygiene could give the obvious cost of losses in the neo-natal stages, as well as those more hidden losses in lambs not reaching their full potential later in life. Buildings should be emptied of all manure, especially those awkward corners, under gate rails and non-fixed equipment taken outside the building. Drinkers and non-movable feeding points should be emptied. Thoroughly clean and disinfect the building, including gates and any fixed equipment. All nonfixed equipment should be cleaned and disinfected outside of the building and then put into its correct location.

picture by Lawrence Wright, North Devon This should give you a great start to lambing, but good hygiene prior to the animals arriving is just the beginning. Clean clothes and overalls when entering the building should be a minimum standard. Provision of a solution of disinfectant by the entrance will allow anyone entering to ensure that their footwear and waterproofs are disinfected. Ensure that equipment is disinfected routinely, especially anything used in the lambing process, including your hands.

General Housing Disinfectant Iodel FD 11: 5 LITRE Use at 6ml/Litre Water for porous walls. Use 2.5ml/Litre of water for non porous walls, drains and gulleys.

Muck pens out and freshen with straw regularly. Sick animals should be isolated, with special attention given to disinfecting any pens they may have been in. Good hygiene is possibly one of the simplest measures to introduce to help protect your flock, but one of the easiest to overlook.

Ritchey 10% BP Iodine Disease in livestock is influenced by environmental factors as well as good animal husbandry. Transitional winter/spring weather can create an explosion of bacteria that will infect and thrive on the moist umbilical cord of new born lambs. With the lambing season around the corner, now is the time to stock up on your lambing essentials! Navel infection can be readily prevented and dipping the navel as soon as possible after a lamb’s birth is vital (fully immersing the navel in strong iodine is recommended). Whilst a 7% concentration is adequate as a drying agent for navels, 10% BP Iodine provides a high bacterial kill and causes the umbilical cord to dry up rapidly, reducing the risk of bacteria from getting in, yet it will not damage the skin. It also adheres to the treated area for longer than weaker solutions. Products to help include antibiotic aerosol sprays and also Ritchey’s 10% BP Iodine, considered to be cost effective. You can purchase Ritchey 10% BP Iodine in 500ml and 2.5L quantities from any Mole Valley Farmers branch or on-line.

Advice for sheep farmers Our molecare vet consultant, Peers Davies, MA VetMB MRCVS is available for advice to all MVF Members on all sheep matters, from growth rates and lambing percentages to flock health and parasite control.

Contact Peers on 07714 613747 [email protected] This advice is a service to all Mole Valley Farmers’ Members 19

MOLE VALLEY FARMERS SHEEP SUPPLEMENT | SPRING 2013

DIRECT TO FARM

PRODUCTS AVAILABLE FROM MOLE VALLEY PLUS

FEED BINS

01769 576201

We are all well aware of the effect that the British weather has had on rising animal feed prices and this provides food for thought when looking at your compound feed storage plans; taking feed deliveries in larger quantities is guaranteed to save you money and improve efficiency whilst covering the cost of the initial investment in no time at all. We are able to offer a choice of bulk bins manufactured by two of the major suppliers of bulk feed bins in the UK. Both have an excellent reputation for quality products, which has been built up over many years of working with farmers. Collinson and EB have a wide range of bins to meet your varied requirements and we are able to offer competitive terms, including tailored payments to your particular needs. Collinson manufacture the Tristor Silo, a low cost kit form Silo ideal for taking smaller loads of either 4.8t or 7.6t with a choice of a Snacker model with a versatile multi position chute, ideal to suit all sectors, saving time and money by discharging directly from the Silo into your snacker or a discharge to easily fill bags or barrows. EB Equipment are the only UK based manufacturer of GRP Silos, who produce a mono-piece cone and body for a totally seamless and watertight silo. They also offer storage for both Dry Feeds and Liquids from 6m3 to 70 m3 capacities with various discharge options. So not only do we save you money by moving from bags to bulk but we utilise our buying power to offer you a choice of manufacturer and to achieve the best price on the silo too. If you require any information on bulk Silos, Augers, Feeding Systems, or require a site visit, please contact the Mole Valley Plus Office on 01769 576201

ACCURATE ELECTRONIC WEIGHING – WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS? How accurately do you calculate the weight of your livestock? Handling can provide a good estimate, and a swinging needle can get in the right range, but only electronic weighing equipment can give accurate readings to within hundredths of a percent. Electronic weighing can help your farm unlock hidden profits by; ensuring animals are sent for sale when ready, avoiding overfeeding with expensive inputs, identifying under performers, spotting health problems early, plus much more.

Electronic weighing has many benefits: •

Auto-zero resets the scale back to zero after each animal, and ignores any additional deposits left on the platform;

•

Moving animals are weighed accurately as the electronic scales average thousands of weights per second

•

Live weight gain can provide important information on herd performance and effectiveness of feeding rations;

•

Monitoring herd health, by regularly monitoring animal weight, slowing growth or a loss of condition can be used as early indicators of health issues

•

Checking sale weights, select stock by weight for sale and slaughter, use the accurate data to meet contract requirements

•

Capitalise on the value of EiD, monitor individual animal performance by linking EiD tags with weight

The ICONIX electronic weighing systems offer a package to suit 20

every enterprise, whether simple weights are required or detailed information for the herd over time. The starter model Iconix weigh indicator, the FX1, is simple to use, provides accurate weights and only has three buttons to press, and one of these is the ‘off’ button! Just hook it up to the load bars under your crush or platform, switch it on and it is ready to go. The top of the range indicator, the Iconix FX41, can be used in conjunction with electronic identification (EID) to produce a variety of data both during and after weighing. Easily retro-fitted to fixed handling units, or even mobile units such as Alligator, it can automatically calculate weight gain – either as total gain or gain/day – and will store up to 6000 records. From an FX41 the operator can easily and quickly upload records and statistics to a personal computer for later analysis and archiving. Iconix weighing systems can be retrofitted to many branded crushes, crates and platforms, to bring your existing weighing system right up to date. Contact Mole Valley Direct on 01769 576201 regarding more information on suitability and availability.

SPRING 2013 | MOLE VALLEY FARMERS SHEEP SUPPLEMENT

SHEEP HANDLING AND FEEDING EQUIPMENT Mobile sheep handling the Alligator way

AVAILABLE FROM YOUR LOCAL BRANCH

Would you like to make handling sheep, faster and easier? Many shepherds across the UK are discovering the benefits of mobile systems, whether they have livestock at several farms or simply because their existing handling system is no longer up to scratch and they want the flexibility offered by a mobile system. The Alligator Mobile Sheep Handling System from Cox Agri is made from aluminium, making it light and easy to transport, it can even be comfortably towed by a quad. A chain of the profiled hurdles can be pulled into position to create your holding pen, straight from the trailer, making it possible to set up a complete system from scratch in just 10 to 15 minutes. Additional equipment options such as built in electronic weighing, foot rot baths and shearing pen walls increase the flexibility of the system. One Alligator buyer commented ‘Take the pens to the sheep, not the sheep to the pens, that’s the way to do it’. Reducing flock movements saves time and money, improves biosecurity, reduces livestock stress and in many cases movement paperwork.

Description

code 34397

Feed storage bin 0.8mx0.64mx0.9m

£124.55

34398

Feed storage bin 1.2mx0.64mx0.9m plus 1 partition

£162.00

1

34399

Feed storage bin 1.6mx0.64mx0.9m plus 2 partition

£210.40

2

28866

Hayrack saddle type

£16.95

3

34391

Free standing lamb adoptor

£170.20

4

35076

Adopter add on extends free standing adopter

£143.40

5

22435

Double sided, 8ft lamb creep feeder

£241.60

6

02570

Half mesh gates 10’ 5 rail - good roadside safety

£58.95

02593

Half mesh gates 12’ 5 rail - good roadside safety

£67.75

Each system is custom designed and assembled by Alligator specialist, Chris Byrne. Chris commented ‘We have sold Alligator systems to farms with flocks from as few as 30 sheep to as many as 3000; there is an Alligator to suit every enterprise because each system is individually designed to meet your needs.’

1

‘Many farmers now require electronic weighing equipment to evaluate each animal’s progress when handled, Iconix precision weighing equipment can be incorporated into an Alligator system very easily, the Iconix weigh tray fits snugly into the trailer’s 10ft race’, explained Chris, this reduces the need to transport additional weighing equipment as well as your handling system. If you are interested in Alligator, watch a video of set-up, use and take-down at youtube.com/coxagri, for more information contact Mole Valley Plus on 01769 573431 AND Members can enjoy a 2.5% discount off any complete Alligator system.

2

3

2.5% DISCOUNT ON ANY COMPLETE ALLIGATOR SYSTEM CALL NOW FOR DETAILS

price

ALL THE EQUIPMENT ABOVE IS AVAILABLE FROM YOUR LOCAL MVF BRANCH. VISIT YOUR BRANCH TO SEE A WIDER RANGE OF SHEEP AND LAMB EQUIPMENT AT KEEN PRICES

4

5 6

21

MOLE VALLEY FARMERS SHEEP SUPPLEMENT | SPRING 2013

SHEEP TAGS

CROPS FOR SHEEP

QWIKeid - top quality sheep tags at affordable prices QWIKeid are simple, yet effective and are manufactured to the highest standards, using high quality raw materials and electronic transponders. The QWIKeid tag has amongst the highest read rates at markets and other central control points and is simple to apply and easy to read, both visually and electronically. QWIKeid is both ideal for long term use in breeding stock and as a quality and functional slaughter tag that is easily read at the market or abattoir. The Swiss glass transponders are held securely inside the tag, within an enclosed space, which protects the transponder and prevents dirt gathering around the entry point of the tag. This single shot tag, allows the user to apply each and every tag accurately. The electronic tags and match up visuals are supplied in strips of 10 to make pairing of tags easy. The same tagger is used to apply both electronic and non-electronic QWIKeid tags. The laser marking is clear and easy to read; the point of the tag is blunted on application by the tagger for animal welfare; the tagger is made from cast aluminium and is light and comfortable to hold, making tagging so easy that it has been commented that it is ‘like a knife through butter’. The tagger also holds the tag securely, until it is applied, reducing the chances of losing tags on the ground or amongst bedding.

For more information or to order your QWIKeid tags contact Mole Valley Plus on the ear tag hotline number 0845 601 6926

Forage crops for extending the grazing season until the end of the year A full range of forage crops are available from Mole Valley Farmers which are beneficial in reducing the reliance on purchased feed inputs. Kale, swedes and hybrid brassicas are most suitable for grazing during the winter months. Stubble turnips, maincrop turnips and and forage rape for extending the grazing season until the end of the year. Visit your local branch where the most popular seeds will be stocked, or call the SeedLine for help, advice or to place your orders.

SHEEP HANDLING The innovative CombiClamp system from David Ritchie UK available through Mole Valley Plus.

0845 601 6926

22

•

Ideal for dagging, drenching, vaccinating, ear tagging, etc

•

Portable unit with mechanical operation

•

Ergonomically designed for the operator

•

Suitable for left or right handed operators

•

All steelwork hot dip galvanized finish

Call Mole Valley Plus on 01769 576201 for more information.

SPRING 2013 | MOLE VALLEY FARMERS SHEEP SUPPLEMENT

GRASSLAND

Efficient grazing for Sheep Optimising the use of good grassland offers the greatest opportunity, though for some, this may mean changing lambing dates. As it is, many sheep farmers have insufficient grass for their flock at turnout and too much by May, leading to stemmy pastures and lower growth rates from June onwards. The best graziers target at least 6cms at turnout and maintain this height into April by utilising a rotational grazing system to maximise ewe milk production. Ideally, the grass should not be grazed below 4cm. As the sward height reduces, the ewes compensate by grazing for longer until it drops below 4cm when intake drops, resulting in the ewe’s body condition and milk yield falling and with it lamb growth rates, unless concentrates are offered to make up the nutritional deficit. Lambs will attempt to compensate for the fall in milk by grazing earlier and of necessity, tighter, but as worm larvae are concentrated at 2-3cm from the ground at this time of year, the lambs are exposed to an unnecessary parasite challenge, when they are also under nutritional stress. The challenge is greater for ewes with twins and their lambs, but maintaining sufficient grass sward helps to prevent this. Last autumn, we suggested closing up a proportion of the grazing swards; these rested pastures carry some autumn growth and are also thicker and better able to respond to early nitrogen. Rested fields will produce twice as much grass as those grazed through winter. On heavily stocked sheep farms (12 ewes/ha+) nitrogen needs to be spread over the whole grassland acreage at 30kg N/ha (24 unit/acres) 5-6 weeks before the due lambing date, with a further application in late March or early April to keep the grass growing well. Grazing the silage ground until early April enables the grazing fields to get sufficient cover to maintain flock demand. Spread when ground is sufficiently dry not to mark with the tractor wheels and rain is not forecast for 48 hours to prevent run-off or leaching. Urea is cheaper and less likely to leach, but CAN will probably give a faster response from the end of March on lighter soils that may dry out faster.

TOP 10 TIPS FOR QUALITY GRASSLAND 1. Assess your sward for weed ingression. If the perennial rye grass percentage is below 50%, consider reseeding to boost output and quality. 2. If perennial rye grass is between 50% and 75% then consider over-seeding with a perennial rye grass or grass/clover mixture. 3. If there is 5% or more dock, nettle, thistle, buttercup or dandelion ingress, it will be worth using a selective grassland herbicide. 4. Soil test your grassland fields on a 4 year cycle to check pH, phosphate and potash levels. 5. Maintain pH at 6.0 to 6.5 for grassland. At a pH of 5.5 approximately 35% of all the nutrients in the soil, applied by FYM/slurry or by bought in fertilisers are wasted. 6. Try to maintain soil phosphate and potash indexes at 2 (satisfactory). Use additional bagged nitrogen to increase yield, depending on stocking rate at grazing and silage yield required. 7. Look at soil structure;- Dig a hole in the grassland with a spade to spot any compacted layers. Avoid poaching with livestock during wet periods and compaction due to heavy machinery. This will help preserve a vibrant healthy soil bacteria and earthworm population. 8. Measure and monitor grass growth through the season to ensure adequate grass for grazing and silage. Remember, under-grazing is probably even more harmful to sward composition and quality than over-grazing. 9. Integrate grazing and silage making so any surplus grass can be shut up and made into silage. Big bales can be useful to make this surplus grass into silage. 10.Value and treat your grass as you would do any other arable crop on the farm. It is potentially the most profitable crop on the farm.

Mole Valley Farmers supply a comprehensive range of grass seeds for all situations. Please ask for a copy of our Premier Ley guide at your local branch or call the SeedLine on 01769 576232 23

FOR MORE INFORMATION AND TO FIND MOLE VALLEY FARMERS SHEEP SUPPLEMENT | SPRING 2013 OUT HOW MOLE VALLEY FARMERS CAN HELP YOUR SHEEP BUSINESS, CALL OUR Sheep Specialists Adam May 07818 017116 Lachie Maclachlan 07818 542859 or your Farm Sales Specialist

FeedLine 01278 444829

Cover picture taken near Salisbury, Wiltshire by Richard Lane

PLEASE CONTACT YOUR NEAREST STORE Mole Country Stores

Mole Valley Farmers

SCATS Countrystores

Bury St Edmunds Colchester Darley Dale Dereham Fauld Market Rasen Melton Mowbray Newark Stamford Worksop

Bridgwater Cullompton Frome Holsworthy Liskeard Newton Abbot South Molton St Columb Yeovil

Andover Basingstoke Billingshurst * Bridgend * Canterbury Devizes Dorchester * Gillingham (Dorset) Godalming Heathfield Lymington Newbury Newport (IoW) Redhill Romsey Salisbury Wickham Winchester * MVF Farm Services

01780 758750 01780 758712 01780 758737 01780 758757 01780 758734 01780 758717 01780 758742 01780 758778 01780 758722 01780 758773

Mole Valley Farm Select

Cox & Robinson Buckingham

24

01278 424240 01884 34333 01373 831114 01409 253014 01579 340034 01626 836555 01769 574477 01637 881115 01935 420971

01280 816011

Redruth

01209 340044

01264 323482 01256 882776 01403 782031 01656 665555 01227 781398 01380 721594 01305 262141 01747 824933 01483 415101 01435 866938 01590 676633 01635 43436 01983 524351 01737 823205 01794 514426 01722 336886 01329 835010 01962 863007 Centres

Published by Mole Valley Farmers Ltd., Moorland House, Station Road, South Molton, Devon EX36 3BH 01769 573431 www.molevalleyfarmers.com 02/13