Author Topic: breeding ewe lambs (Read 3871 times)

Connor · « **on:** September 25, 2014, 09:51:56 pm »

Hi i have 4 ewe lambs due to go to the tip this week they are texel cross and are good strong lambs the tip is a Dorset one any advice on tipping ewe lambs and what to give them to hold the lambs they have got heptavac-p
thanks

Foobar · « **Reply #1 on:** September 26, 2014, 08:15:02 am »

http://www.eblex.org.uk/wp/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/BRP-plus-breeding-from-ewe-lambs190314.pdf

I trust that you haven't flushed them.

Marches Farmer · « **Reply #2 on:** September 26, 2014, 09:52:46 am »

In my experience ewe lambs tupped in their first year don't grow as big a frame as those left to finish growing their own frame before starting to grow lambs. Most of our ewes produce lambs for 6-10 years and I don't think pushing them young pays in the long run.

Me · « **Reply #3 on:** September 26, 2014, 11:25:48 am »

If you manage your ewe lambs right they are fine and make better shearlings for the lambing. The key things are to get them well up to weight pre-tupping, care for them well during pregnancy and wean early. If you treat them like the ewes and leave the lambs on them until 16 weeks you are likely to restrict their growth and will gain nothing in the long term.

Foobar · « **Reply #4 on:** September 26, 2014, 01:17:59 pm »

My ewe lambs do fine. Look after them in their first winter, don't over feed pre-lambing and wean early. They make much better mothers than if lambing as a (stupid) shearling.

Womble · « **Reply #5 on:** September 26, 2014, 01:25:50 pm »

Quote from: Me on September 26, 2014, 11:25:48 am

care for them well during pregnancy

Can you give any more details on what that means in practice though? Obviously overfeeding is bad as you don't want large lambs, but how do you judge how to strike the right balance?

Marches Farmer · « **Reply #6 on:** September 26, 2014, 01:53:25 pm »

Quote from: Womble on September 26, 2014, 01:25:50 pm

Quote from: Me on September 26, 2014, 11:25:48 am
care for them well during pregnancy

Can you give any more details on what that means in practice though? Obviously overfeeding is bad as you don't want large lambs, but how do you judge how to strike the right balance?

Exactly. I think it's very hard to do without experience of your particular breed, quality and quantity of feed, estimation of the quality of your grazing, taking into account the weather conditins through the Winter.....

Foobar · « **Reply #7 on:** September 26, 2014, 02:40:14 pm »

They need to keep growing (I think it says this in the doc), so regular weight checks to ensure that they are growing and not just sitting at a maintenance level (like ewes would be).

novicesmallholder · « **Reply #8 on:** September 28, 2014, 12:36:50 pm »

Personally I wouldnt put ewes to the tup until they are shearlings, give them time to mature and grow.

Porterlauren · « **Reply #9 on:** September 28, 2014, 03:57:33 pm »

Nothing wrong with lambing ewe lambs. But just remember any lamb reared by a ewe lamb is a bonus. Accept it for what it is, you will lose more than with older ewes, but the experience for the sheep, is a valuable one, that stands them in good stead as a shearling.