Weaning is a very joyous process. All the hard work of all the previous stages is now measured in the weaning percentage. Weaning should be managed correctly to prevent losses and gain calm and continuous growth.
Providing creep feed makes it possible to wean trips and twins and singles at the age of 60-80 days. When creep feed intake reaches about 220 g/day weaning is successful. The weaning of trips on 40-50 days needs rectifying of the lambing ration. From day 40, bring down the energy from 10.2-8 MJ and the protein from 16-13%. Sometimes the trips cause permanent udder and teat damage to the ewes which then must be culled.
Normally weaning at 100 days is acceptable. (Weaning in the past- 4-5 months is not acceptable) Sometimes early weaning is necessary in which case lambs can already eat and thus no adaption is required. Where multiple lambing systems are practised, the trips are weaned at 40 days, twins at 60 days and singles at 80 days.
The weaning selection must be carried out, and 15-20% poor growers and off-type lambs must be marketed. Weigh Lambs as well as the ewes and calculate the efficiencies. (Kg life weight weaned). The poor performers (ewes with their lambs) can be culled for marketing or put in another production system, like 2nd flock for cross-breeding (cross-breeding can only be practised with success when the weaning% is above 120%). Wean with a few old ewes – the ewes keep the lambs calm and lead them to water and feeding troughs. Cull all of those that are off type (skin development, too small for their age) and so on, and market them immediately. Keep the “limited” fodder for the replacement lambs which remain.
Weaning (selection into groups):
Three weeks before weaning, old ewes should be identified and can be fattened for sale. Draft 15% of ewe lambs for reproduction purposes. Draft 20% of lambs if you are farming with wethers. Not more than 300 ewe lambs should be placed in a group. Wether lambs must not run with ewe lambs after weaning.
Put a few old ewes with weaners for serenity and tranquillity. Do not keep more than 300 ewe lambs in a herd. Continue with creep feeding at a certain water point. Collect the lambs daily at one water point.
Weaning to maiden ewe:
Sufficient feed provision for the winter should be done. Follow the growth table for maiden ewes (Management of ewe lambs). The target should be to replace 40% of ewes every year. Sell all ewes which do not conceive together with old ewes.
Increasing fertility:
Allow the ewe to be able to provide for her lamb. Weaning to first mating is a very important time (Ovary development). Provide sufficient feed to ewes with twins as well as their lambs. Always purchase rams born from multiple birth pairs. Cull poor mothers or ewes that do not conceive. Cull ewes not raising their lambs. Cast ewes with poorly grown lambs. Leave the lamb with the ewe after weaning, remove both after two weeks and slaughter both the ewe and lamb. Use rams with a high libido, they tend to mate ewes more times which means cell separation is higher. The use of teaser rams for nine days before the mating period may increase ewe fertility. Flush feeding has a positive effect on ewe and ram fertility.
Growth curve wean to young ewe objective:
- Know the mating mass.
- Follow the growth table schedule.
- Provide a well-balanced ration (feed).
- Weighing lambs monthly.
- Monitor daily weight gain.
- Adjust the ration if necessary.
- Culling weak growers and market or selling them.
Creep Feed to Improve Weaning Success
Follow the following steps to improve weaning success:
A. Creep Feeding
- Important to increase the weaning weight (+4 kg).
- Helps to improve the development of secondary wool follicles.
- Create opportunities to wean early if necessary.
- Lambs experience less stress when weaned.
- Feedlots experience better growth and lambs are better adapted.
- Production of meat and wool is higher and reproduction over the lifespan is favourable as well.
- Although creep feed is important for increasing growth, a ruminant stomach must be allowed to develop and therefore the provision of lucerne or veld is important to ensure a well-adapted ewe.
- In some cases, with intensive lambing systems as well as during internal droughts and predator-stricken areas, the lambs are kept in feedlots where only high energy and protein are provided which leads to poor stomach development.
- When these lambs go out on natural veld they are not adapted, and their growth target is not achieved, with poor egg cell development and lower reproduction rate. Wool production is also negatively affected.
Should I stop giving creep feed if it rains?
- Keep going, the green pasture is protein and the microorganisms take 21 days to adapt and the creep feed acts as a catalyst for adjusting the rumen.
- The creep feed contains +/- 80% energy and 18% protein, therefore lambs will react well.
- The ewe lambs are now at the beginning of their reproduction cycle, egg breeding occurs with weight gain, “reproduction machine” is in process.
- Ram lambs go into their growth programme for future studs and herd rams.
- Wether lambs should gain maximum weight before selling to a feedlot or entering your system.
- Poor achievers need to be identified and sold early, weighing, measuring and record-keeping!
- 15-20% of all lambs are already culled and sold at weaning day, after weighing at 80 or 100 days.
B. The Importance of Fibre for Lambs
The sheep is a ruminant and even though creep feed is a type of “concentrate” that gives rise to increased growth, the ewe lamb must be exposed to sufficient fibre for the digestive system to develop. The fibre and the creep feed contribute to the maximum development of the rumen and the capacity for the “storage” of fibre, which must be chewed and digested. Although the supply of fibre slows down the mass gain of the ewe lamb, it will have the following benefits:
- The rumen will develop storage capacity for grass and bushes.
- The lamb will chew to start the desired digestion process.
- The ewe lamb will use the veld more readily when she returns to the field.
- The ewe lamb will then be better adapted to enter the reproduction phase.
Due to increased predator losses, it has become practice to place the ewe lambs in a temporary feedlot system.
Practical creep feeding pen or system.
C. Benefits of Creep Feed
- Lambs’ adaption to feedlots is better if they have creep feeding.
- A better price can be negotiated.
- If creep feed was not provided lambs can lose up to 4kg in body weight in feedlot.
- To regain the 4 kg about 20 kg of nutrition is needed.
- A high weaning% increases meat income and has selection benefits:
- Selection for growth potential.
- Selection for quality and quantity of wool.
- Weigh lambs Monthly:
- Weight gains up to 1st mating promote egg cell development, which is responsible for the lifetime reproduction of the ewe.
- It takes 180 days to develop into adulthood and until ready for fertilisation by the male sperm.
- Weight decline with inbreeding reproduction, and feeding corrections after first MATE will not be able to compensate for the mismanagement.
- Before mating, young ewes are selected according to quality and breed standards.
- Poor growers are sold.
- Ewes with poor-quality wool (quantity and quality) are sold.
D. Post-Weaning
- Increase the creep feed ration to 350 grams/day. The weight gain is important for the ewe lambs which begins with their reproduction cycle, and for the ram lambs going for their growth programme towards possible breeding rams in the future. The poor performers of both will be marketed for meat. The other option for ram lambs is to sell to a feedlot.
- A high weaning percentage increases meat income and improves selection. Weigh lambs regularly – lambs must maintain a daily growth rate for egg cell development.
- Under intensive and semi-intensive conditions young ewes must be mated at 12 months of age while in extensive conditions mating will be at 18 months.
The 12-month growth cycle of lambs. Growth tables for weaners to mating age: 12 months mating.
|
Programme |
Date |
Days |
Age Days (Months) |
g/day |
Daily Goal (kg) |
Monthly Goal (kg) |
kg |
|
Born |
25 Aug |
||||||
|
Weaned |
4 Dec |
100 |
21.5 kg |
35.75 |
|||
|
Adjusted |
15 Jan |
42 |
10 kg |
38.39 |
|||
|
Weight |
1 Mar |
44 |
186 (6) |
188 |
85.2 |
3.78 |
35.75 |
|
1 Apr |
31 |
217 (7) |
188 |
85.2 |
2.64 |
38.39 |
|
|
1 May |
30 |
247 (8) |
188 |
85.2 |
2.26 |
40.95 |
|
|
1 Jun |
31 |
278 (9) |
188 |
85.2 |
2.64 |
43.59 |
|
|
1 Jul |
30 |
308 (10) |
188 |
85.2 |
2.56 |
46.15 |
|
|
1 Aug |
31 |
399 (1) |
188 |
85.2 |
2.64 |
48.78 |
|
|
25 Aug |
25 |
364 (12) |
188 |
85.2 |
2.13 |
50.91 |
|
|
Days |
222 days |
||||||
|
Mating |
1 Sept |