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ROUTINE
MANAGEMENT
(Completed as Needed)
- Trim Feet
- Treat for Internal
Parasites
- Identify Cull Ewes
-- Mark ewes when something is noticed that would result in that ewe being culled so they can be easily sorted out.
- Watch Ewes Closely
-- Sort off thin ewes and give extra feed
-- Treat sick ewes
- If a Sheep Dies, Find Out
Why
--Often the most important sheep in your flock is the first one to die. If you do not know why it died, you cannot correct the problem. It is always wise to have a necropsy done by your vet in the case of death by unknown causes.
PRE-BREEDING
(Fall)
- Sort, Bag, and Cull Ewes
- Breeding Soundness on Rams
- Cull Rams
- Buy Rams (& Ewes)
- Keep Rams Out of Ewes
PRIOR TO
BREEDING
(14 days prior turning out rams)
- Begin Flushing Ewes
-- Flushing affect can be achieved by turning ewes on high quality pasture or by supplementing diet with 1/4 lb of grain per head per day.
- Increase Rams' Plane of
Nutrition
- Vaccinate new ewes for Vibrio & EAE (If called for in flock health program)
BREEDING SEASON
Have Rams in Good Shape
-- They should do their year's work in about 30 or 40 days.
-- Use more than one ram per breeding group. You are taking a chance if you use only one ram .
-- Use 1 mature ram or 2 ram lambs per 35 ewes. Can use fewer rams if rams are highly fertile.Breed Ewe Lambs Separate From
Older Ewes
Continue Flushing
-- Flushing should continue until ewe is bred.
Do Not Winter Rams With
Ewes
-- Leave rams in no longer than 60 days - 40 days would be more desirable. During a 40-day breeding every ewe should have had the opportunity to cycle and be bred
twice.
EARLY PREGNANCY
(One Month After Breeding)
Stop Flushing -- Prevent
Weight Loss
-- Precautions should be taken to prevent a sharp weight loss during the first two to three weeks after breeding. This is the time period when the fertilized egg attaches to the walls of the uterus and this process could be adversely affected by improper nutrition.
Watch Ewes Closely
-- Watch to see if ewes are still cycling.
MID-PREGNANCY
(1 to 4 Months Post-Breeding)
Maintain Ewes in Thrifty
Condition
-- Nutrition should be adequate to support placental development. Feed poorer quality roughage during this period saving better quality forage for lactation.
Condition Score Ewes
-- Thin ewes should be sorted off and fed extra so they can catch up.
Vaccinate For Vibrio & EAE (If called for in flock health program)
-- Second injection on new ewes should be given 60 to 90 days after the first and the annual booster in ewes vaccinated in previous years should be given in mid-pregnancy.
LATE PREGNANCY
(Last Month)
- Supplement Ewes
-- High Producing Ewes - Starting about 6 weeks prior
to lambing, feed about 2 lb of grain/hd/day and be at 1 pound/hd/day
at lambing. Low Producing Ewes - Starting about 3 weeks
prior to lambing, feed about 2 lb of grain/hd/day through lambing.
- First Enterotoxemia
Injection in New Ewes
Injection should be 4 to 6 weeks prior to lambing.
- Shear Ewes
About 1 month to 2 weeks prior to start of lambing.
- Treat Ewes for External
Parasites
Make sure product can safely be used on pregnant
ewes.
PRIOR TO LAMBING
(2 weeks Prior to Lambing)
Give All Ewes
Enterotoxemia Injection
-- Second injection on new ewes (2 weeks after first
and 2 to 4 weeks prior to lambing).
Treat for Internal Parasites
-- Make sure product is safe for pregnant ewes.
-- May want to treat when moving ewes out of jugs.
Bring First Lambing Ewes to Shed - Expect First Lamb
Early
-- Normal length of pregnancy is 147 days, however,
should expect first lamb one week early.
LAMBING TIME
(About 140 Days After Rams Are Turned Out)
- Be There/Keep Records
- Brand Ewes and Lambs With
Lambing Number
- Clip, Dip & Strip
-- Clip umbilical cord about 1 to 2 inches from lambs
body and Adip@ the remaining stump in strong (7%) tincture
of iodine. Check ewe to make sure both teats are fully
open and functioning.
- Make Sure Lamb Nurses
Lamb should receive colostrum within 1 to 2 hours
after birth.
- Warm Up Chilled Lambs
AFTER LAMBING -
IN JUGS
(Birth to 3 days of age)
- Number of Jugs
-- Need one jug for every 10 ewes.
- Length of Stay
-- Remove lambs from jugs as soon as all are doing
well. The normal recommendation is to move ewes and lambs
to mixing pens on the 3rd day after lambing. Many
producers, however, feel that it is more desirable to
move ewes and lambs to small mixing pens (3 or 4 ewes and
their lambs) as soon as possible (24 hours).
- Check Every Lamb Twice
Each Day
Watch for signs of pneumonia, scours and starvation.
- Provide Place for Bum
Lambs
AFTER LAMBING -
IN MIXING PENS
(3 days to 1 month of age)
- Group Sizes - Keep Small
-- Four to 10 ewes and their lambs (no more than
about 10 lambs per pen).
- Keep Ewes With Singles and
Twins Separate
-- Ewes with twins will need more attention and feed.
- Check Every Lamb At Least
Once Daily
-- Watch closely for signs of pneumonia and
starvation.
- Provide Shelter for Lambs
in Extremely Cold Weather
-- One of the main causes of death is pneumonia. Some
producers have the first set of gathering pens under
shed.
LATE LACTATION
(1 Month After Lambing)
- Vaccinate Lambs for
Enterotoxemia
- Watch ewes and Lambs For
Signs of Internal Parasites And/Or Coccidiosis
- Date to Weaning Lambs
Depends on Management Objectives
-- Thirty days to 6 months of age (As a general rule
lambs can be weaned at 60 days of age or 45-50 lbs. With
minimal problems.
-- Wean ewes from lambs (If lambs are allowed to stay in
familiar surroundings where they are accustomed to the
feeders, etc. there will be less weaning stress on the
lambs).
AFTER WEANING
- Time of Rest for Ewes
- Time to Adjust Ewes
Condition So They Can Affectively be Flushed Prior to the
Next Breeding Season
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