New Technology
Easier-care sheep system
The Beef and Sheep Technology team at CAFRE are focussed on keeping Northern Ireland’s beef and lamb producers at the cutting edge of technological advancements. Through a “can do” approach we are striving to build sustainable production systems which are simple, able to make efficient use of inputs such as feeds, fertiliser and labour and have a strong market focus.
Dr Steven Johnston and Dr Norman Weatherup are currently progressing with a range of technology projects within two key development areas
- Replacement beef heifer breeding and rearing strategies
- Easier-care sheep system
Development area
Easier-care sheep systems
Objective
To assess easier-care concepts in lamb production and build systems at farm level which maximise the efficient use of inputs and labour.
Key technologies
- Breeding more efficient sheep using modern genetic performance information and management records.
- Introgressing easier-care and wool shedding genes into the Northern Ireland flock to reduce labour and improve animal welfare.
- Managing the build-up of worms resistant to anthelmintics on Northern Ireland farms through the use of the FECPAK, faecal egg count reduction test and breeding sheep with a genetic measure of their resistant to worms.
Resource
In line with our message to industry, the flock structure at CAFRE is currently undergoing change to reflect the need for simpler more market focused production systems. College policy is to develop two self-contained mature ewe flocks at the college’s hill farm, one containing 600-800 composite ewes and the other 400 pure-breeding Blackface ewes. The homebred replacements for each flock will join their respective flock at tupping time at 18 months of age. The Blackface replacements will be grazed at the college’s lowland farms during the winter, returning to the hill in spring to manage the heather moorland. The composite ewe lambs will be grazed at the college’s lowland farms, with a proportion mated and rearing lambs before returning to the hill.
Breeding more efficient sheep using modern genetic performance information and management records.
When assessing performance, many in the industry have focused on growth and carcase traits with great success. At the college’s hill farm the traditional two heft approach to Blackface breeding was replaced with a five family breeding policy and maximum use made of homebred rams. This allowed breeding decisions to be based on Estimated Breeding Values and the Hill-2 Index. The Hill-2 Index combines information on different EBVs into a single figure, using appropriate economic weightings. High indexed Blackface rams will produce daughters which have greater maternal ability, will live longer, will produce and rear more lambs and produce heavier lamb carcase weights.
Results indicate that the average carcase weight of entire male lambs has improved by 1.4 KG from 2004 to 2007. In addition the proportion of lambs grading R2, R3 and U3 has improved markedly from 48 percent to 87 percent (see Table 1).
Table 1. Average Hill-2 index for all lambs born and slaughter data for entire male lambs
| Hill-2 Index | Carcase weight (kg) | percent male lambs grading R2, R3 and U3 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | 123 | 18.1 | 48 |
| 2005 | 148 | 18.7 | 53 |
| 2006 | 186 | 19.2 | 81 |
| 2007 | 199 | 19.5 | 87 |
Signet Sheepbreeder performance recorded Blackface ewes and lambs at Greenmount Hill Farm
By keeping a few simple records further strengths and weaknesses can be identified within flocks and production benefits gained. Table 2 highlights the variation that occured between the five families in the CAFRE Blackface flock in 2007. This highlights the importance of maternal traits to economic performance.
Table 2. Breeding, lambing and finishing results from five Blackface families in 2007
% pregnancy rate |
Lambing % per ewe to ram |
Lamb mortality at birth (%) |
Carcase wt (kg) | % R2, R3 and U3 | Daily carcase gain (g/day) |
Value of carcase (£) |
Value of male lamb sales per 100 ewes (£)* |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Orange | 83 | 131 | 4.4 | 19.4 | 87 | 52.1 | 56.36 | 3160 |
| Blue | 81 | 123 | 4.4 | 19.4 | 95 | 52.2 | 57.30 | 3016 |
| Green | 93 | 159 | 2.2 | 19.6 | 70 | 53.4 | 56.62 | 3952 |
| Yellow | 82 | 138 | 3.9 | 19.5 | 88 | 52.4 | 57.16 | 3395 |
| Red | 75 | 130 | 5.5 | 19.5 | 95 | 52.9 | 57.53 | 3160 |
| Average | 83 | 136 | 4.1 | 19.5 | 87 | 52.6 | 57.00 | 3336 |
* Assuming a standard 10 percent mortality from birth to sale, 50 percent of the lambs were born male and all female lambs were retained
The Green family has the highest pregnancy rate, produces more lambs per ewe to the ram and also delivers the heaviest carcases. However, only 70 percent of the male lambs from the Green family grade R2, R3 and U3 compared with an average of 91percent for the other families. These relatively poorer carcase classification results reduced the value of each lamb by a total of 47 pence when compared with the average value of the lambs from the other families.
However, the higher number of lambs produced resulted in an increase in income per ewe to the ram of £7.69 which is more than 16 times the effect of conformation and underlines the relative economic importance of fertility and conformation.
This project illustrates that within breed variation can be exploited through using performance records to implement culling and selection policies.
Introgressing easier-care sheep genes into the Northern Ireland flock to reduce labour and improve animal welfare.
Easier-care is the current “hot topic” in the sheep industry and is being associated with almost every breed and system. However, easier-care traits must be combined with productive traits to result in efficient and productive animals and systems. Work at CAFRE is progressing to assess easier care concepts and simultaneously build systems appropriate at farm level. Easier care measures and targets include
- Monitoring lambing intervention. The objective is to reduce lambing intervention to less than 2 percent which will provide the industry with the confidence to lamb ewes outdoors
- Weaning 1KG of lamb per KG ewe liveweight while feeding the ewe less than 50 KG concentrates and without creep feeding the lamb
- Maximising lamb production from grass/clover, which will require lambs to achieve a finished condition at 17-19 KG carcase weight
A group of local sheep breeders, managing over 2500 ewes are currently involved in assessing wool shedding sheep. These sheep do not require shearing, crutching or tail docking, because the life cycle of the wool fibre is much shorter than traditional wool producing breeds. In some cases the cycle may only last a few months with the sheep moulting or shedding their coats seasonally.
Woolshedding ewes produced by the introgression of Wiltshire horn genes
Findings suggest that depending on what breed you use to cross, it takes anywhere from one to three generations to remove wool to the point where the sheep no longer require shearing. The first generation may shed part of their fleece, but will probably still require shearing. Most of the second generation ewes will shed their wool with limited shearing required. Group members are currently assessing the impact introgressing wool shedding genes into their flocks has on shearing requirements, plus general production measures focused on fertility, lambing difficulty and lamb growth rate.
Managing the build-up of worms resistant to anthelmintics on Northern Ireland farms through the use of the FECPAK, faecal egg count reduction test and breeding sheep with a genetic measure of their resistant to worms.
A survey of 8 sheep flocks in Northern Ireland by AFBI in 2006 found that only one very extensive hill farm (CAFRE Hill Farm) had no evidence of resistance to any wormer. The remaining 7 farms showed evidence of resistance to at least one group of wormers and one farm showed evidence of resistance to all three available wormer groups. This data suggests that many farmers could be currently wasting their resources drenching lambs for worms.
Dr Steven Johnston and Michael Graham (CAFRE Farm Manager) discuss the use of the FECPAK to monitor worm burdens in the lowland sheep flock at Greenmount
To promote the correct use of wormers, FECPAKs are now available from local Agricultural Development Centres. These kits can be used to monitor worm burdens and to help farmers decide when to drench.
In addition to monitoring worm burdens using the FECPAK, CAFRE is collaborating with AFBI to offer a test which can determine the effectiveness of a wormer. The Faecal Egg Count Reduction Test (FECRT) will provide a measure of the efficiency of the wormer used. This information is extremely valuable to producers who may be concerned that their lambs continue to demonstrate poor thrift, even after dosing. By integrating these simple technologies into a workable and practical drenching plan, farmers have the opportunity to reduce the build-up of wormer resistant worms on the land as well as saving money and time.
Contact Us
Dr Steven Johnston
Senior Beef and Sheep Technologist, CAFRE, Greenmount Campus
22 Greenmount Road,
Antrim,
BT41 4PU
Senior Beef and Sheep Technologist, CAFRE, Greenmount Campus
22 Greenmount Road,
Antrim,
BT41 4PU
Dr Norman Weatherup
Beef/Sheep Technologist, CAFRE, Greenmount Campus
22 Greenmount Road,
Antrim
BT41 4PU
Beef/Sheep Technologist, CAFRE, Greenmount Campus
22 Greenmount Road,
Antrim
BT41 4PU
