BETTER Farm Sheep Programme

DAVID AND LINDA MCLAUGHLIN,

HILLHEAD, SHROOVE, GREENCASTLE,

Co. DONEGAL.

STAP Qualifying Event

HILL SHEEP FARM WALK

THURSDAY FEBRUARY 21st 2013

2

Outline of farm and Farming SystemFarm Details

This farm consists of three lowland blocks plus a significant (owned) hill

grazing. 1 - Home farm (Shroove) – all green land with adjusted area of 9.5

ha2 - Hill block (Shroove) consisting of about 20 ha (adjusted) of green landand approx. 85 ha. of heather-covered hill grazing3 - Out-farm (Ballymacarthur) with adjusted area of 18 ha. The out-farm(Ballymacarthur) carries a 17 cow suckler herd and followers plus thelowland ewe flock during the grazing season.

Two sheep flocks are managed on this farm:

1. Lowland Flock: 76 Ewes Texel-X, Belclare-X and Mules with Beltexrams

2. Hill Flock: 260 S.Blackface Ewes. Rams used: 3 S. Blackface, 2Belclare & 1 Blue Leicester

Hill Flock

The hill flock is confined essentially to the hill section of the farm. Theewes are lambed on the green-land paddocks of the hill block and theewes with twins and single male lambs are usually grazed on this green landuntil weaning. The lambs have access to the home farm after weaning inAugust

Replacements graze on the grassland section of the hill block fromautumn to spring; they remain on the hill for the summer period until joiningas 2-tooths.

Replacements for the lowland flock are now produced from the hill flock.

All ewes and replacements are identified with electronic tags – all lambsare tagged at birth.

Farm Plan – Key Elements

Hill Flock

Maintain the hill flock at 225 ewes + 55 ewe lamb replacements

Lambed 31 March onward

Target ewe output of 1.1 lambs reared per ewe to the ram

Produce crossbred lambs Belclare-X and Blue Leicester-X

– both for sale and as replacements for the lowland flock

Grass based production

3

BETTER FarmBETTER FarmSheep ProgrammeSheep Programme

Andrew Maloney99

John Doyle88

Brian Nicholson77

John Kelly66

Brendan O'Sullivan55

John Curley44

David Mc Laughlin11

Lowland FlocksLowland Flocks

James Lally33

Colm O'Donnell22

David Mc Laughlin11

Hill FlocksHill Flocks

3

2

1

9

87

6

4

5

4

BETTER FarmBETTER FarmSheep ProgrammeSheep Programme

Aim to increase the productivity and profitability

of the sheep enterprise

Developed a 3 to 5 year plan focusing on key

areas:

• Flock size

• Breeding policy

• Grassland management

• Parasite control

• Farm Layout

• Winter management

Increases in Productivity and Profitability of

BETTER Farm flocks

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Increases in output per ewe:

– Litter size + 0.14

– Percentage of ewes lambed +8%

– Lambs weaned per ewe joined +0.14

Progress toProgress to--datedateHill FlocksHill Flocks

57.0424.1119.83Gross Margin

15.2420.9122.88Total Variable costs

72.3145.0242.71Gross output

201120102009

Year

Financial performance (€ per ewe)

Significant improvements in profitability in just 2 years

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1.171.101.060.92Lambs reared per ewe joined

12.85.14.615.4Lamb mortality (%)

93.888.881.586.5Ewes lambed per ewe joined (%)

1.431.381.361.15Litter size

243240233223Ewes joined

2010/122010/112009/102008/09

Season

Flock ProductivityFlock ProductivityMc Laughlin's farmMc Laughlin's farm

• National average for Blackface flocks:

- 0.8 lambs reared per ewe joined

• Improve ewe weight and condition prior to joining

• Guard against ram infertility

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Scanning resultsScanning resultsMc Laughlin's farmMc Laughlin's farm

1.391.391.291.17Scanningrate

95.3%93.4%93.2%84.0%Pregnant atScanning

1.461.481.381.39Scanned

Litter Size

1151098476Twins

134116135118Singles

13161637Barren

262241235231No. Scanned

2012/132011/122010/112009/10Season

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Lamb PerformanceLamb PerformanceMc Laughlin's farmMc Laughlin's farm

23.126.726.224.3Twins

29.330.53127.9Singles

2012201120102009Birth type

Year

Lamb weaning weight (kg)

• Focused on improving lamb performance

- High levels of performance being achieved

- Better use of closed land

• Crossbred lambs heavier at weaning

- + 2 to 4 kg

- Higher sale value

9

86September

7 – 86August

7 – 86July

6 – 75.5 – 6June

64.5 – 5May

5 – 63.5 – 4April

53.5 – 4March

Set stockedRotational: post grazingMonth

System

Sward heights for target lamb performance (cm)

GrasslandGrassland

• Effective grassland management will:

- improve lamb performance

- reduce concentrate input

- Increase gross margin

•Measure/estimate and make appropriate grazing

decisions

• Prioritise grazing groups

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1

Source

Increasing demands when intake capacity is declining

Silage alone insufficient Concentrates needed

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Energy requirements 50 kg ewe with twins (in goodcondition, lambs growing at 225g/day)

Dry Early

& mid

preg

6-5wks(pre)

4-3 wks(pre)

2-1 wks(pre)

1 -6 wkspost

lambing

EnergyUfl /d

0.67 0.67 0.71 0.85 1.05 1.87

Increasing demands when intake capacity is decliningSilage alone insufficient Concentrates needed

Dry Mating 1st

15wksgest

Last 4wksgest

Earlylactation

Latelactation

CPg/day

95 150 112 196 390 300

Crude protein requirements 50 kg ewe with twins(in good condition, lambs growing at 225g/day)

Two typesof protein

•Rumen Degradable Protein (RDP)

•Digestible Undegradable Protein (DUP)

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Concentrates required in final 6 weeks (50 kgewe, good condition & carrying twins)

DMD ** Weeks pre lambing

Concentrates kg/hd/day

Min /ewe

* Total perewe in flock

6-5 4-3 2-1

72% 0.1 0.3 0.5 13 20

68% 0.2 0.4 0.6 17 25

64% 0.3 0.4 0.7 20 30

60% 0.4 0.5 0.7 23 33

56% 0.4 0.6 0.8 25 36

* Total per ewe in flock assumes mean lambing date 2weeks after start of lambing and feed requirementscounted from 6 weeks prior to start of lambing

** 30% more for ewes carrying twins

Silage quality = major effect on concentrate level

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Silage Quality2012

Crude Protein7 – 14

(Ave 9.7)

Other factorsDM

AmmoniaAsh

pH3.75 – 5.08

(Ave 4.3)

DMD52 – 80(Ave 64)

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Grass Silage/Hay UFL (per kg DM)

77%DMD 0.87

72%DMD 0.81

68%DMD 0.76

64%DMD 0.71

60%DMD 0.66

56%DMD 0.61

Good Hay (60 DMD) 0.69

Poor hay (52 DMD) 0.58

Silage/Hay energy levels

Only top quality silage hasenough energy for dry period /early / mid pregnancySeldom enough for latepregnancy

Soil contamination a problem• Spoilage• Listeria• Clostridia

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Mc Laughlin Flock Lambing

Hill Flock Lambing PatternsYear 2009/10 2010/11 2012/12Lambing commenced March 31st 2010 April 4th 2011 April 2nd 2012

% lambed in 4 weeks 90% 95% 95%+Duration of lambing 5 weeks 4.5 weeks 5weeks

Hill Flock Lamb birth weights (kg)Season 2008/09 2009/10 2010/11 2011/12

Single 4.4 4.9 4.7 4.8Twin 4.0 3.9 4.0 4.0

Mc Laughlin Flock Feeding and Grazing Regime

January - Scanning. (Feb. 9th 2013) ewes fed 2 -3 times per week on the

hill at rate of ½lb or 0.2kg./day. Singles and twins then separated. Ewes

with Singles: Fed on using the above regime until 5 days before lambing.

Ewes with Doubles: Fed 1/2lb. / 0.2kg./head every second day until March

1st and every day from then until lambing. They are then on grass only.

March 1st. Singles are then tightened up above the dipping pens, fed every

day until lambing and are then put to rested grass with no feeding.

May 1st. Ewes with single ewe lambs go back to hill on May 1 st as ground is

closed for silage. In the past the twins and single ram lambs were kept on

the grassland until weaning. With the higher number of twins in 2012 and

2013 this plan had to be revised and will need further adjustments.

Weaning takes place around mid August and the plan in recent years was to

sell heaviest lambs off the ewes with lighter lambs being grazed for a

limited period.

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Anthelmintic resistance is a problem nationally:Anthelmintic resistance is a problem nationally:•• 95% of flocks resistance to bendzimadazole95% of flocks resistance to bendzimadazole•• 48 % of flocks resistance to levamisole48 % of flocks resistance to levamisole•• New evidence for resistance toNew evidence for resistance to moxidectins/avermectinsmoxidectins/avermectins

Resistance on Better Farms:Resistance on Better Farms:•• 3/3 of flocks resistance to bendzimadazole3/3 of flocks resistance to bendzimadazole•• 2/3 of flocks resistance to levamisole2/3 of flocks resistance to levamisole

FlukeFluke•• Mild winter means risk of infection with fluke is high on farmsMild winter means risk of infection with fluke is high on farms

with history of flukewith history of fluke

•• Need to be vigilantNeed to be vigilant -- monitor sheep now for signsmonitor sheep now for signs

•• May need to administer flukicide more frequently thanMay need to administer flukicide more frequently thanpreviouslypreviously

•• Need to take steps to minimise infection for next seasonNeed to take steps to minimise infection for next season

•• FlukicidesFlukicides ––efficacy depends on age ofefficacy depends on age of fluke..choosefluke..choose the rightthe rightproductproduct

Vaccination programmeVaccination programme•• Proactive approach to minimise lossesProactive approach to minimise losses•• Flock historyFlock history

Abortion issues on FarmAbortion issues on Farm•• Need to determine causeNeed to determine cause

•• Submit samples to veterinary labSubmit samples to veterinary lab

Flock Health IssuesFlock Health Issues

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Flock Health – McLaughlin Flock

Clostridial Diseases: Ewe lamb replacements are given two Heptavac-P

injections 4-6 weeks apart in September. Hogget ewes are also

given a booster in September. All ewes are given a booster 4

weeks before lambing.

Stomach Worms: Lambs are dosed for Nematodirus at 5 weeks (Systamex)

Hill lambs dosed again at shearing but lambs kept on the

grassland may be dosed more often (Noramectin/Levacide).

Ewes are dosed on April 1st prior to lambing (Ivomec).

Faecal sampling also used.

Liver Fluke: Flock dosed pre-mating with Triclabendazole (Tribex)

Dosed again at Christmas with Closantel (Flukiver)

Dosed at shearing time with Closantel or similar.

Lameness: All sheep are foot bathed regularly – every time they are in the

yard which is about every 2 weeks. Problem individuals are

treated with an antibiotic.

Orf: Had not been a major issue until 2012 when all the pet lambs

had severe orf. Slight trace in lowland flock. All lambs

scratched with Scabivax in 2012. For 2013 the lowland ewes

have already been scratched with Scabivax.

Ticks: Pour-on used in lambs (Vector or equivalent).

Ewes are dipped on this farm.

No anthelmintic resistance detected on this farm to date.

BETTER FarmBETTER FarmSheep ProgrammeSheep Programme

Andrew Maloney99

John Doyle88

Brian Nicholson77

John Kelly66

Brendan O'Sullivan55

John Curley44

David Mc Laughlin11

Lowland FlocksLowland Flocks

James Lally33

Colm O'Donnell22

David Mc Laughlin11

Hill FlocksHill Flocks

3

2

1

9

87

6

4

5