[Hillview Farm]

Just Wondered what everyones lambing percentage's have been in the past and with what breeds?

[mowhaugh]

Averages out at about 150%, from 120% on our hardest hill, 150 % on better hill both lairg type cheviots, to 200% in our cheviot x texel x milk sheep ewes.  We can no longer get the texel x milk sheep tups and have bought berrichons instead, but just used them last year so no females to the tup until next year.  Kerry Hills 150%.

[clydesdaleclopper]

My Gotland x Shetland were 200% this year. Previous time was 150%.

[Ladygrey]

My shetlands are 180-190%, although the person we bought our latest ewes off was 200%!!

[daveh]

With a whole one year of experience, 150% from 4 Castlemilk Moorit ewes.


Regards, Dave

[lachlanandmarcus]

150-160% from our Shetlands on exposed hill (but parks not moor). Happy with that esp as no interventions or losses and they seem to produce 2/3 ewe lambs!!

[devonlad]

last year 150% with wilts horn- some were first timers. next year planning on 250% 

[moony]

105% on our fell land (Herdwicks & Swaledales) which is nearly perfect as we only want singles for there. Percentage reaching maturity varies greatly depending on many factors. Last year it was around 90%.

Averaged just below 150% lambs reaching market age on our other pasture with most hoggs having singles and the majority of the mature ewes having twins. Carry a complete range of breeds.

[Hillview Farm]

Do shearlings scan at a lower %?

[Tim W]

How is this being calculated? 

Usually it is ewes to the tup/lambs sold or retained

In which case I would do about;

ewe lambs @ 70%
mature ewes @ 160%
This is with no feeding/bringing in/fostering/helping at all

I have done 179% (and 130% or lower) depending on weather/other disasters

[Rosemary]

Depends what you mean by lambing %. The most important overall performance indicator is the number of lambs weaned as a % of the number of ewes put to the tup.

But people use "lambing percentage" to mean different things.

[Brucklay]

From my Castlemilks and shetlands - mostly first timers we got 150% with a slightly higher number of ewe lambs to ram lambs. Supliment with hay, a wee bit of hard feed and a link - no help need at lambing - weaning % we had one still born

[Hillview Farm]

I understood it as the amount of lambs produced through to weaning.

So it's ewes put to the tup devided by the number of lambs time 100 I do believe

[GeorgieB82]

With my "Heinz 57" Welshies I usually achieve 170 - 190%

[Rosemary]

I understood it as the amount of lambs produced through to weaning.

So it's ewes put to the tup devided by the number of lambs time 100 I do believe

Folk use "lambing %" to mean different things - no of live lambs born as a % of ewes lambed for example, but this doesn't account for the number of barren ewes, conception rates, foetal losses, and neonatal lamb losses.

We had 11 ewes to the tup; 9 got in lamb (first time we've had barren ewes), 15 lambs scanned, 15 born live and 15 weaned - so 136% lambs weaned to ewes to the tup, 167% lambs weaned to ewes scanned in lamb. The 136% was a bit disappointing but it was good to not lose any lambs between scanning and weaning.

With small numbers, small changes make more significant differences to %ages.