Dylasau uchaf Project update - Final

Key results:

  • Improved lamb birth weights and colostrum density was seen from feeding higher quality silage pre-lambing.
  • No cases of common neonatal diseases (e.g., diarrhoea, navel infections) were noted.

Background: 

Dylasau Uchaf is a 300-acre upland farm with 800 ewes and 175 cattle. The farm aimed to improve lambing performance, focusing on optimising lamb weight and reducing mortality through strategic nutrition and health management, whilst making best use of conserved forage.

Purpose of the work:

  • To improve the utilisation of conserved forage in order to minimise additional bought in inputs while improving lamb weight and reducing mortality.
  • Manage ewe body condition, parasites, and infectious diseases to optimise lambing outcomes.
  • Improve colostrum quality and lamb birth weights by feeding better-quality silage pre-lambing.

What we did:

  • Managed ewe body condition pre-tupping to a score of 3.5-3.0 and pre-lambing to 2.5-3.0.
  • Conducted strategic faecal egg counts and targeted worming and liver fluke treatments.
  • Vaccinated against clostridial diseases and pasteurellosis, and tested for Toxoplasma gondii.
  • Analysed silages and targeted higher quality forage to twin-bearing ewes.
  • Supplemented with a commercial concentrate feed based on metabolic blood profiles indicating protein gaps.
  • Monitored colostrum quality using a Brix refractometer and lamb weights at birth.

Outcomes:

  • No ketosis or neonatal diseases such as diarrhoea, joint-ill, or watery mouth were observed in 2024.
  • Groups with a higher silage ME/CP ratio (11.5/13.7) have higher lamb weights. For example: Singles in good condition weighing 4.67 kg and twins in good condition weighing 4.28 kg.
  • Groups with a lower silage ME/CP ratio (10.4/11) have slightly lower lamb weights:   Twins in good condition weighing 3.71 kg.
  • Higher silage ME/CP ratios are also linked to better colostrum quality: Twins in good condition have 41% colostrum Brix with the higher silage ratio.
  • Lower silage ME/CP ratios lead to lower colostrum quality: Twins in good condition with the lower ratio have 32% colostrum Brix.
  • Concentrate feed provided closer to lambing (e.g., 0.3 kg one week before lambing) supports better lamb weight and colostrum quality: 0.3 kg concentrate results in 4.28 kg lambs and 41% colostrum Brix.
  • Less concentrate feed is linked to lower lamb weights and colostrum quality: 0.15 kg concentrate results in 3.71 kg lambs and 32% colostrum Brix.
  • While concentrate feed improves lamb weight and colostrum quality, higher silage ME/CP ratios have a more significant impact.

Table 1: The feeding history of different groups of sheep and their associated mean colostrum brix results and lamb weight results.

Group

Average Silage ME/CP

Concentrate feed 3 weeks prior lambing

Concentrate feed 1 week prior lambing

Average colostrum brix %

Average lamb weight

Single and twins thinner condition

11.5/13.7

0.3 Kg

0.3 Kg

37%

3.57 Kg

Twins good condition

11.5/13.7

0.15 Kg

0.3 Kg

41%

4.28 Kg

Twins good condition

10.4/11

0.35 Kg

0.6 Kg

32%

3.71 Kg

Singles good condition

11.5/13.7

0 Kg

0.2 Kg

35%

4.67 Kg

How to apply on your farm:

  • Monitor and manage ewe body condition using a standardised condition scoring system.
  • Analyse forages to establish quality and target feeding to ewes depending on body condition, multiple carrying ewes and stage of pregnancy. Supplement with concentrates to close energy and protein gaps where necessary.
  • Test for parasitic infections (e.g., liver fluke) and vaccinate for common diseases.
  • Use tools like a Brix refractometer to monitor colostrum quality and provide supplementation when needed.