Pre-Lambing Preparations

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Framed and shielded by the Sperrin Mountains, just outside the town of Claudy, is Harry Donaghy’s, tidy, well managed sheep unit of 220 mule, Suffolk cross ewes and 240 Lanark type Blackface ewes. With the common grazing provided by (parts of) the Sperrins combined with some lower lying grazing, the setting seems the perfect environment to ensure the thrive of this mixed flock, with a lambing percentile of 190. Due to be scanned within the next week, twin and triplet bearing ewes will be housed, and fed Thompsons’ Ewelac Nuts, with some home-grown silage. 

With lambing time kicking off at the end of March, Harry likes to ensure that those ewes carrying twins or triplets can gain the extra nutrients they need from concentrate feed at this crucial stage in their pregnancy. For Harry’s flock, this means 0.5 kg from 6-8 weeks before lambing, increasing to 1kg in the final 2-3 weeks before lambing. Over the years Harry has seen the benefits of feeding Ewelac Nuts, with their quality raw materials, high level of Vitamin E and the newly included AvailaZS performance minerals, which all go towards ensuring that ewes lamb down, with good amounts of quality colostrum, safeguarding both early lamb vigour and follow on growth. Post lambing, half of the lambs will be finished on Thompsons’ Intensive Lamb Finisher Pellets and sold through the mart at Plumbridge and the other half will remain within the flock to carry on the successful sheep system, that suits the manpower, the environment and the sheepdogs, to a tee.

A Natural Fit For Ewes

Vitamins and minerals play a multitude of key roles within the body, and an adequate dietary supply is an essential component of any ration. For pregnant ewes in particular, two essential micronutrients - selenium and vitamin E – are well documented to enhance lamb vigour at birth and reduce the risk of mortality. For over ten years, Thompsons have been working in partnership with ZINPRO to deliver superior mineral nutrition across our product range. Backed by an extensive body of peer-reviewed scientific research, the Availa range of trace minerals from ZINPRO are proven to deliver superior:

1 Solubility

2 Stability

3 Absorbability

4 Metabolic availability

The Thompsons’ Sheep Range contains both Availa-Zinc and Availa-Selenium (as Availa ZS) in selected rations, providing pregnant and lactating ewes, with an enhanced supply of these two essential trace elements. Research by Zinpro has demonstrated a vast array of benefits for ewes and lambs when ewes are fed Availa-Zinc and Availa-Selenium during pregnancy and lactation, including:

1 Enhanced immune function

2 Improved colostrum quality

3 Increased milk production

4 Greater lamb vigour and lower mortality

5 Improved lamb weight gains

Colostrum quality and lamb vigour are vital in any system and the new Availa ZS in Thompsons’ rations is a positive enhancement backed up with sound research.

 

Posted 03,02,25 by allison.

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