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Production Goals Drive Management Decisions. Is the sheep operation a primary or secondary pursuit?Primary pursuit will dictate management.Do you want/need to make a profit?Family tradition.For the love of sheep!Careful market analysis has revealed an opportunity to make money.. Production Goals Drive Management Decisions.
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2. Production Goals Drive Management Decisions Is the sheep operation a primary or secondary pursuit?
Primary pursuit will dictate management.
Do you want/need to make a profit?
Family tradition.
For the love of sheep!
Careful market analysis has revealed an opportunity to make money.
3. Production Goals Drive Management Decisions What are you Marketing?
Lamb
Wool
Lamb and wool
Breeding stock/show animals
Specialty fleeces
Yourself and your lifestyle
4. Production Goals Drive Management Decisions Who are you marketing to?
Multi-national packing plants vs local butchers vs restaurants vs individual hoseholds.
Local 4H/FFA kids vs regional or national show circuts.
Range rams for range producers.
Specialty breeders.
Local handspinners vs woolen mills.
5. Overall Functions For The Female Reproductive Tract Control activity of organs (hormonal)
Transport sperm
Produce oocyte
Facilitate fertilization
Provide environment for embryo and fetus
7. Overall Functions Of The Male & Male Repro Tract Produce and maintain supply of sperm
Termed - Spermatogenesis
Detect females in estrus
Using - Pheromones, Visual Cues
Inseminate females and fertilize the female gamete
8. Onset of Puberty Factors which influence onset of puberty.
1) Breed
2) Threshold body size in females.
3) External/Social factors (season of birth, photoperiod, presence of opposite sex, nutrition, density of housing).
9. Sheep are Seasonally Polyestrus Cycle repeatedly during specific times of the year.
Short day breeders
Breeding season ~August-March
Southern breeds have longer season Merino
Northern breeds have shorter season - Cheviots
12. Seasonal Anestrus Evolutionary strategy for ensuring offspring are born during the optimal environmental season.
Most seasonal breeders give birth during the Spring.
Transition between cyclicity and anestrus is controlled by photoperiod (small temp. effect).
Seasonal onset of cyclicity is similar to onset of puberty.
15. Total Management of the Breeding Sheep Flock
16. Preparation is the Key to Success Animals
Nutrition
Health
Facilities
Personnel
Obstetrics
17. Ram Raise own replacements or purchase from a reputable breeder.
Conduct a breeding soundness exam (BSE) 3-4 weeks prior to breeding.
General physical : Health, structural soundness, feet, legs, eyes, jaws etc.
Reproductive exam
Semen evaluation
Libido testing
18. Ram Reproductive exam
Palpate the testicles and epididymis for firmness and hard spots
Hard spots may indicate epididymitis
Serological test for epididymitis on all rams!
Measure scrotal circumference
Testicle size is an indicator of fertility
30 cm as yearlings
35 cm as mature rams
Examine prepuce and free end of penis for lesions or infections
19. Ram Semen evaluation
Concentration: 3 billion/ml
Motility: 30-70% Satisfactory, >70% excellent
Abnormality: 50-80% normal = satisfactory, >80% excellent
Immune cells- >5 WC per HPF - indicate infections
Satisfactory ram should be able to breed 50 ewes during a 34 day breeding season (excellent = 100 ewes).
20. Ram Libido checking
Rarely done, time consuming, inconvenient.
Differentiate Studs from Duds.
USSES: MORES and FORES
Pen ram with estrus ewes and evaluate # mounts per unit time.
>3-5 mounts/ 15 minutes = STUD
21. Ram Utilize teaser rams prior to breeding season to stimulate ewes to cycle (Ram effect).
Fit rams with marking harness or paint brisket.
Change colors every 14 days (light to dark).
Allows rapid identification of Duds
22. Ewes Pounds of lamb marketed per ewe exposed for breeding is primary determinant of profitability.
Heavier lambs or more lambs?
Prolificacy = # lambs/ ewe
From singles to twins there is only a moderate increase in costs, but double the income from that ewe.
Ovulation rate sets the upper limit on polificacy.
Genetics
Environmental factors
Management factors
23. Ewes Ovulation rate
# eggs shed at ovulation
Influences on ovulation rate:
Breed (primary factor)
Age of ewe (increase during first three pregnancies).
Time of Year (low early and late in season)
Nutritional management (flushing)
24. Ewes Breed
Crossbreeding with breeds with increased ovulation rate
Finn, Romanov, Dorset.
Undesirable characteristics?
Select replacement ewes from prolific mothers (heritability of ovulation rate is high)
Age
Manage ewe lambs to ensure successful lambing as yearlings.
Health and nutritional management of aged ewes to prolong productivity.
25. Ewes Time of Year
Delay breeding season until Sept-Oct-Nov.
Inexpensive, but must evaluate effect on entire management schedule.
Nutritional Management
Ewes should be in moderate body condition at the onset of breeding season (BCS 2.5-30)
Flushing ewes by feeding extra energy 3 wks before and 3-4 wks into breeding can increase ovulation rate.
Flushing overly-conditioned ewes (BCS>3.5) is a waste of money.
Best for ewes mated early in season of for thin or old ewes.
26. Ewe Fertilization rate is high in sheep and essentially all viable eggs are fertilized.
Greatest area of reproductive wastage occurs after fertilization.
Significant numbers of embryos are lost during the first 30 days of pregnancy (15->30%).
Complete embryo loss
Partial embryo loss
27. Ewe Minimize stress during the first 30-50 days of gestation.
Handling
Heat/humidity
Avoid dramatic changes in diet.
Ewes should be maintaining body weight during this time.
Placental growth
28. Nutrition- Ewe Stages of Gestation
First 2/3 and last 1/3
Conception to Day 90 of gestation
Maintenance +
Do not overcondition ewes (BCS 3.0)
Pregnancy check ewes
29. Nutrition- Ewe Last third- 70% fetal growth
Separate Ewes with Singles from Ewes with Multiples
Supplement ewes (10-12% CP; 2.5-3.0 Mcal DE/kg; TDN 60-65%; 35%:65%)
Singles-1.5 lbs/ewe/day
Multiples-1.5-2.5 lbs/ewe/day
30. Nutrition- Ewe Post-natal (Days 1-3)
Days 1 and 2: High quality roughage and clean water.
Day 3: Roughage plus small amount of concentrate (0.5 lb).
>Day 3: Increase concentrate to 1-3 lbs/head/day depending on # lambs.
31. Facilities Shed lambing is optimal
problems with predators are minimized
mothering ability of ewes is maximized
Lambing percentage increases
reduced mortality
reduced abandonment
increased costs
increased problems with disease?
32. Facilities Drop pens
Pregnant females 1-3 weeks prior to lambing
Close to allow frequent monitoring/protection from predators
Lambing pens (Jugs)
5x 5
heat lamp
# jugs = 10-20% pregnant ewes
33. Facilities Orphan Pens (5x10)
Clean, dry, heat lamps
Clean water
Gang milkers
Creep feed troughs
Mixing Pens (15 x 30)
8-10 ewes plus lambs
1-3 weeks- enhances mothering ability/bonding
34. Facilities Pasture lambing
Reduced facilities/labor costs
Reduced incidence of disease
Increased death losses
35. Equipment/Personnel Check and order supplies 4-8 weeks prior to expected lambing
Prepare records
Check and repair shed, jugs, panels, creep feeders- Clean everything!
Schedule/train personnel
Set goals and provide incentives for surpassing goals
36. Obstetrics Sort ewes according to expected lambing dates
Shear and monitor frequently
To increase lambing during daylight hours:
Move feeding to afternoon
Check ewes quietly at night with flashlight
37. Obstetrics Advantages of shearing
Cleaner wool crop
More space and dryer in barns
Easier to detect ewes about to lamb
Stimulate ewes metabolism
Encourage ewe to seek shelter during lambing
38. Obstetrics One week prior to expected lambing begin frequent monitoring (4-6 hours)
Look for:
Engorged udders
Ewes off feed
Ewes which isolate themselves
Ewes pawing at the ground or straining
39. Obstetrics Move ewes to jugs when lambing is imminent or lamb in drop pens then move to jugs.
If ewe has already lambed, pick up her lamb and use it to entice her across the pen to the jug
Extra personnel during this time will usually pay for itself with increased lamb crop
40. Obstetrics- Stages of Labor Stage 1
Cervical dilation
Stage 2
Head and feet in birth 2-6 hours for Stages 1 and 2
Stage 3
Lamb is delivered
1/2 to 2 hours
Monitor ewe until placenta is passed
42. Obstetrics- When to Assist Dont rush in, be patient, know your limits, seek qualified assistance
When to assist:
Ewe in Stage 1 for 2-3 hours without straining
Ewe in Stage 2 for 1/2 to 2 hours without progress
Membranes visible for 1/2 to 2 hours without progress
44. Obstetrics- Examination Gently restrain ewe
Clean ewes rectal-vaginal area and your arms and hands. Trim fingernails
WEAR OB GLOVES
Use mild soap as lubricant, insert hand in vagina, keep fingers close together
Identify cervix and extent of dilation
Determine presentation/posture of lamb(s)
45. Obstetrics- Examination If cervix is well-dilated break bag (chorioallantois)
If cervix is not dilated- wait.
If possible elevate hindquarters of the ewe
Attempt to correct abnormal presentations
Work gently between contractions
46. Obstetrics- Presentation Refers to placement of feet and head
Forwards or backwards are both normal presentations
Deviations from this should be corrected before pulling lamb(s)
47. Normal Presentations Forward
Diving position
Head between extended legs
Backward
back feet together
soles pointing up
tail between legs
49. Abnormal Presentations Head Back
Two Legs Back
Inverted-back first
Breech
50. Abnormal Presentations Inverted-feet first
Twins-normal and backward
Locked elbows
One leg back
51. Abnormal Presentations Four front legs, one head
52. Lamb Processing Keep ewe and lamb in jugs 24-72 hours
70% of losses occur on days 1 to 3
Clean around lambs nose
Clip/Dip/Strip
Weigh and record sex of lambs
Monitor until lamb nurses
Tag and paint brand
55. Grafting Lambs Make decision to graft soon after birth
Bad udders
insufficient milk
Triplets (farm vs range)
57. Grafting Techniques Slime graft
Fetal fluids and membranes rubbed on lamb
Wet graft
Immerse both lambs in saturated salt solution
Stanchion graft
3-5 days for acceptance
58. Grafting Techniques Lamb coat
Skin dead lamb
Tie hide on grafted lamb
Stocking graft
Cover ewes lamb 2-3 days
invert cover and place on orphan
Others (dog, chemicals)
59. Raising Orphan Lambs Keep orphans close, dry, warm and well-fed
Feed 4 -6 oz warm colostrum every 4-6 hours during the first 24 hours of life
Tube lambs if necessary
Be gentle
positive pressure in tube = lungs
60. Raising Orphan Lambs Switch to milk replacer after 24 hours
Warm milk, bottle fed- labor intensive, scours
Cool milk, gang milkers - reduce scours
Provide water and palatable creep feed early (start on roughage and move to pelletized concentrates)
Wean as early as 3-4 weeks
61. Moveem Out Move ewes and lambs out of jugs into mixing pens
5-10 ewes/pen
1-3 weeks
Pen ewes with multiples together
Facilitates nutritional management
Clean jugs thoroughly between ewes
Move ewes and lambs out on spring pasture or early wean lambs and place in feedlot
62. Pregnancy Diagnosis