Tips for successful lamb rearing

Weaning lambs

Taper off the feeding of milk so that the rumen has time to replace the loss of energy from milk with roughage and concentrates. Take plenty of time over this (20 days) to prevent stressing the lambs. Provide tasty and good roughage. Feed it immediately and ensure that it stays fresh. It is better to put a little in the feed bin each day, rather than filling the bin each week. The earlier the animals start taking it, the better. This can be encouraged by moistening any dry pulp. It is sweet which encourages take-up.

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Losses

Everyone must aim to reduce this below 10%. Every business is required to make a list of points related to animal raising which require attention. These might include: administration of colostrum, accommodation, type of milk and of course the cause of any losses which occur. Set to work to deal with these issues, and call in the right people to assist, such as your feed merchant, the vet, your colleagues and of course the Alpuro Breeding representatives.

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Hutches

Larger pens are generally more difficult to supervise, which can lead to a rise in losses. Monitoring is therefore very important with this type of accommodation.

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Feeding machinery

A feeding machine saves time but it also helps with monitoring.

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Ventilation

Ventilation is something everyone needs to consider. A cool and fresh stable isn't a bad thing, but the lambs must have dry bedding (dry means you can kneel on it without your trousers getting wet).
Prevent draughts at all costs.

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Knowledge

Ensure that you are always aware of the latest advances in the raising of lambs. Read the journals and consult your feed merchant, vet, your colleagues and of course the Alpuro Breeding representatives. A good understanding and evaluation of all this information will do a lot to reduce your losses.

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Perfect rearing

At Alpuro Breeding we often say that perfect animal husbandry doesn't exist. There is always something you could improve, and other things you can't influence, like the weather. It will always be best to take an individual approach to every business, as long as that approach gets the desired results.

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