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- Grouping animals into different physiological stages for the lambing season is a cost-saving exercise
- The process of lambing makes ewes more vulnerable, and in this regard a lambing season can make it safer for them.
- There is a greater likelihood of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) being spread in systems in which rams are left with the ewes for the entire year.
- The type of lambing season followed will depend on the farm’s location and the farming methods the producer practises.
- Fixed lambing seasons afford producers greater control over their farming enterprises.
Lambing and breeding seasons are rarely utilised in areas such as the Kalahari, Bushmanland, and Karoo regions with their expansive farming units and often shortage of grazing. In some areas the farming units are simply too large or vast to make use of more intensive camp systems and flock allocations.
The type of lambing season a producer decides to make use of should allow for the optimal utilisation of available land by means of the timely identification and culling of unproductive animals.
Improving flock fertility
Stephan Louw of Veekos in Upington says a lambing season offers several advantages. Flock fertility can be improved, pregnancy scans will be more accurate, and rams can undergo timely fertility testing.
Grouping animals into different physiological stages for the lambing season is a cost-saving exercise as it allows the producer to handle each group of animals individually and provide suitable nutrition for the specific production stage, rather than following a blanket approach and giving every animal the same nutrition. The producer’s marketing efforts will also be spot on, because with a good lambing season he/she will know in advance the number of and time at which lambs will be available.
The process of lambing makes ewes more vulnerable, and in this regard a lambing season can make it safer for them. As the time of lambing is then known, ewes can be moved to pens closer to the homestead early on. This simplifies supervision, leading to fewer losses as a result of predators, environmental factors, birth complications, and poor maternal abilities. Lambs housed in this way are easier to care for, and important management actions such as tail docking, dosing, and weaning can all be performed simultaneously.
There is a greater likelihood of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) being spread in systems in which rams are left with the ewes for the entire year. However, in a scheduled breeding season, rams are tested at least annually for STDs and fertility. The time between weaning and re-conception is also longer, which affords the ewes a chance to rest. Research has shown that ewes that get enough rest during this time exhibit higher fertility rates.
Different options
Louw says the type of lambing season followed will depend on the farm’s location and the farming methods the producer practises.
One lambing season per year: Rams and ewes a kept together for a set period in order to establish a lambing season five months later (for example in July). This system does, however, present some disadvantages. Ewe lambs bred for the first time and that fail to conceive can only be bred again 12 months later; a ewe that only lambs at two years of age is not profitable. Quite a few rams are needed for this system, as all the ewes on the farm must be mated at the same time of the year.
Two lambing seasons every three years: This lambing season system goes well with intensive systems and cultivated pastures. This system is not ideal for regions with poor grazing as lambs must be weaned early enough for the ewes to regain condition in order to lamb every eight months. For this system to be successful, high volumes of continuous, good quality feed are vital. The increased breeding pressure on the ewe also shortens her productive lifespan, especially if her nutritional needs are not met.
Monthly lambing seasons: In this system, ewes are divided into groups so that each group lambs in a different month. The seasonality of grazing can impede the system which requires meticulous management practices involving more labour and infrastructure.
One lambing season every six months: In this scenario the flock is divided into two groups to allow for a lambing season in July and January, for example. The benefits of this system include improved cashflow during the year along with less intensive lambing seasons. Ewe lambs that fail to conceive the first time can be bred again six months later. Rams of a different breed can be used during the last breeding season on ewes and ewe lambs destined for culling, so that these ewes can deliver one more cross lamb. Once these lambs have been weaned, the ewes can be marketed.
To read more about farming systems for sheep, click here.
Two lambing seasons per year, focussed on specific months: This system is similar to the previous system, but focusses on peak lamb marketing periods such as the Christmas season. Lambs should therefore be marketed towards the end of November and mid-December, when prices are usually at their highest. Prices tend to drop sharply in January. The second highest demand for lambs is around Easter. The system therefore demands that the maximum number of lambs be market-ready by December and April.
Fixed lambing seasons afford producers greater control over their farming enterprises, giving them the freedom to choose which production phase is most important, such as marketing during peak times, lambing when good grazing is available, or mating when grazing conditions are optimal. – Koos du Pisanie, Stockfarm
Email Stephan Louw at slouw@veekos.co.za for more information.
