Fall Lambing Considerations

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Experienced Polypay producer, John Anderson of Lambshire Polypays in Ohio, shares some sage advice and techniques on how he successfully lambs in the fall without the use of CIDRs or other artificial methods. John lambs exclusively in the fall now after nearly 40 years of accelerated lambing using both the STAR system and three times per year. Why lamb in the fall? There are many benefits to lambing in the fall. Fall born lambs often bring better prices at market than those born in the spring. Pasture lambing in the fall can match fall forage growth. In many parts of…

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 Using CIDRs for Precision Management

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The use of estrus synchronization has many benefits. The timing and length of the breeding season is directly related to the timing and length of the lambing season. A more concise breeding season will result in a more concise subsequent lambing season. This can improve labor efficiency (minimize the number of nights you have to check the barn), improve uniformity of the lamb crop, increase average age and weight of the lamb crop, and allow for more grafting opportunities if needed. Additionally, if we know within a few days when the majority of lambs will be born, we can better…

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Economic Impacts of Udder Diseases

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Sheep GEMS News Brief 9 – January 2025 A nationwide survey conducted in 2011 by the USDA APHIS estimated that 14% of U.S. ewes (402,000 head) are culled each year. Of ewes culled, 56% are removed for old age. Culling for age is a good thing as these ewes have been productive for years, but we have limited resources and need to make room for younger, genetically superior females. The flip side is that 44% of cull ewes leave the flock early, which is not a good thing. The most common reasons for culling ewes prematurely are failure to lamb…

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Size Matters

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From the perspective of a long-time, full-time farmer, this article will address the topic of mature ewe size. As we seek to improve the growth and performance of our lambs, we are also producing larger adult animals. The harder we push for improved growth and performance, the faster we accelerate the trend toward bigger ewes. Big sheep catch our attention. We may have an inborn human preference for bigger animals. The bigger sheep seem superior to the small ones. They win lots of ribbons at the sheep shows. A majority of my seed stock customers purchase the biggest animals in…

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Producer Profile: Tom Perkins, Con-O-Creek Farm, PA

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“I do what is best for the grass and that is good for the sheep too.” says Tom Perkins, who grazes his sheep 365 days a year on his farm in Fombell Pa. ‘Big Tom,’ as he is known, runs his 150 registered Katahdin ewes on 70 acres of owned land and eight acres of leased ground. On Big Tom’s Con-O-Creek Farm, he has created a unique system utilizing both fields and barn for optimal production. Big Tom grew up on his family’s farm milking cows until the mid ‘80’s when the farm was transitioned to a beef cattle operation.…

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Efficacy of a Novel Herbal Dewormer on Katahdin Lambs

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Introduction: Most shepherds are familiar with the need to deworm their sheep and the added stresses that go along with it. Over time, the Barber Pole Worm and other economically devastating parasites have become more resistant to conventional dewormers, creating a quickly growing need for alternative deworming practices. An effective herbal dewormer could be a solution available to sheep farmers, especially those using organic practices. During the summer of 2022, for our senior capstone study at the University of Maine, we tested the novel herbal dewormer Early Bird to evaluate whether it was an effective option. Early Bird is a…

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Genetic Diversity within Breeds

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Sheep GEMS News Brief 8 – Early December 2024 The genetic diversity available within each sheep breed gives us tremendous opportunity to make genetic improvement. That snapshot of the genetic diversity currently available is extremely valuable since it provides a benchmark for comparing the consequences of selection over time in individual breeds. To establish that starting point, we used both pedigree- and molecular-based information to assess genetic diversity in the four breeds involved in Sheep GEMS. For each of the breeds we evaluated—Katahdin, Polypay, Rambouillet, and Suffolk—we found substantial genetic diversity. That coincides with low inbreeding levels. So, what do…

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NSIP Katahdin Percentile Report

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EBVs of different animals can be directly compared with each other, but how do they compare to the rest of the sheep in NSIP? The Percentile Report, generated by NSIP, is a tool that allows you to evaluate individual animals, set breeding goals, help with marketing and sales, as well as to understand what is available in the breed. As a producer you need to know how to read the Percentile Report, explain it to customers and know what data goes into calculating the percentiles. Note: This article uses the NSIP Katahdin Percentile Report that was generated on 12/18/2024. Percentile…

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Considerations for Winter Feeding Hay and Water

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We all know that we need to calculate how much hay to put out for our sheep to make sure that they have adequate nutrition over the winter. But, remember that sheep like to do things at the same time, so make sure you put out hay in a manner that allows everyone to eat at the same time. Our flock of 160 ewes requires two 4x5 round bales of hay per day to meet their nutritional needs, We put out eight bales at a time though, and only feed every four days. This way everyone has access to feed…

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Stop Making Excuses

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When the breeding season starts, there is an implied contract between shepherd and ewe. Your commitment to keep her around for another production cycle means her commitment to return her annual costs plus some in lamb production. To do this, she must get pregnant, lamb, and wean a litter that is a relatively high percentage of her own body weight. Getting pregnant is the first step. Ewes that breed and conceive early in the season have a greater chance of weaning a heavier litter. They also contribute to a shorter lambing season, improve lamb crop uniformity, and reduce shepherd fatigue.…

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