Sheep notes booklet - ag science (LC^M).docx

SHEEP -- LC AG SCIENCE Key Weights: - Lamb weights ​ - 3 --5 kg at birth​ - 30-40kg at slaughter​ - Ewe weight: 60kg - Ram weight: 80kg Reproduction - Gestation period: 149 days (5 Months)​ - Oestrous cycle: 17 days​ - Duration of oestrous: 36 hours​ - Ram (genes are use...

SHEEP -- LC AG SCIENCE Key Weights: - Lamb weights ​ - 3 --5 kg at birth​ - 30-40kg at slaughter​ - Ewe weight: 60kg - Ram weight: 80kg Reproduction - Gestation period: 149 days (5 Months)​ - Oestrous cycle: 17 days​ - Duration of oestrous: 36 hours​ - Ram (genes are used for quality), Ewe (quantity). Ram genes spread throughout more of the flock than the ewes, this is known as "the ram is half the flock" Digestion - Ruminant (4 stomach chambers, Rumen, Reticulum, Omasum and Abomasum) - Dental Formula: (0033/4033) x2 Terminology Ewe -- female sheep Ram -- uncastrated male sheep Weather -- castrated male sheep Lamb -- Baby sheep (\ - - - - - - - **General Management ** 1. Vaccination  - - 2. Dosing - - 3. Dipping - - - - - 4. Dagging - - - - 5. Docking - - - - - - 6. Foot bath, foot trimming and pairing - - - - 7\. Scanning - Scanning of ewes is carried out 80 days after the ram joined the flock. - Scanning aids in determining the feed requirement of ewes in late gestation. - Scanning also identifies barren ewes that can be culled from the flock.​ Fostering: Due to a lamb having 2 teat, twin lambs are desired for maximum output, but triplets can result in one lamb starving due to not having a teat to suckle. To prevent this some lambs may be passed to ewes with a single lamb. 1\. Fostering Crate Lamb is put in a fostering crate and allowed suckle ewe to encourage bonding and allow the ewe to accept the lamb.  2\. A Dog Ewe and lamb put in a pen with a dog outside, ewe will protect lamb and bond will develop between lamb and ewe 3\. Skin a Dead Lamb If one of ewes' lambs is still born, lamb may be skinned and skin of dead lamb can be tied around another lamb and reintroduced to ewe. Enviromental/sustainability schemes in sheep farming. - SBLAS (sustainable beef and lamb assurance scheme) - ACRES **The impact of sheep production on farm economics:** - - - Tagging and traceability - To ensure full traceability of all sheep, a farmer must register their flock, tag sheep, complete dispatch and movement documentation for all sheep and submit an annual sheep census.