Housing ewes
Francis Breen, Beef & Sheep Development Adviser, College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise
On many farms sheep production has changed from a low input extensive enterprise to a highly intensive enterprise with ever increasing input costs. One of the greatest contributors to rising input costs has been that associated with indoor wintering.
This practice has enabled producers, particularly those with sheep only enterprises, to;
- Push stocking rates closer to the summer stock carrying capacity.
- Reduce winter pasture damage
- Increase the amount of grass available in the spring
- Reduce lamb losses in some cases
- Make more prudent use of roughage and concentrates.
However as margins have reduced and the costs of over wintering have increased it is essential that the method of over wintering of ewes is carefully examined.
Methods of over wintering
Rented winter grazing
This is the cheapest option. With winter grazing at 50 pence per ewe per week this is equivalent to a ewe eating 35 KG of average silage per week at £15/t. However, there is no capital input required, straw, or need for waste disposal.
Purpose built / converted housing facilities
Even where over wintering facilities have already been constructed the use of grazed grass should be considered before housing of ewes.
In some cases housing may the only option. Whether this is in the form of a purpose built sheep house incorporating slats/wire mesh, polythene tunnel, converted barn or open yard this will significantly add to ewe cost over and above that of grazed grass. It is therefore essential to ensure the maximum benefit is being realised from this facility.
How do I ensure my housing is optimising ewe performance?
Ventilation
This is the most important aspect of any sheep house. The house must allow free air movement without draughts at sheep level. The house must have adequate inlets and outlets to provide a constant outflow of heat from the ewes.
Feed space
To ensure optimum ewe performance the following feeding space guidelines for feeding should be followed.
Table 1. Trough space requirements for ewe types using different feeding regimes
| Crossbred Ewe | Blackface Ewe | |
|---|---|---|
| Concentrate feeding | 46.0 cm | 46.0 cm |
| Silage to appetite | 25.4 cm | 20.3 cm |
| Silage ad-lib | 22.8 cm | 17.8 cm |
Floor type
Expanded metal is a good floor type which can be easily constructed, cleaned and dismantled if required. For wire mesh-flooring ewes will require 0.93 square meters per ewe.
Wooden slats are also a good floor surface but are slippery if continuously wet. Solid straw bedded flooring is only suitable if it is readily available and can be kept dry. A wet straw floor will result in lameness, reduced feed intake and dirty fleeces.
Management
Housed ewes do not require less management. Disease and disorders will spread much more rapidly in the housed situation. Good stockmanship is much more important in a housed flock.
Feed type and quality
The amount of feed required indoors can significantly add to the cost of over wintering. Table 2. shows the difference in concentrate levels needed for two different silages fed to a housed ewe, weighing 70 KG and bearing twin lambs. When feeding concentrates to 100 ewes, carrying twin lambs, over seven weeks the difference between silage 1 and silage 2 is an extra one tonne of meal.
Table 2. Level of concentrate feeding/(kg/day) needed for a housed ewe, weighing 70 KG and carrying twin lambs fed two different quality silages.
| Weeks pre-lambing | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | Total Feed (7 weeks) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Silage 1* | 0.17 | 0.21 | 0.26 | 0.40 | 0.47 | 0.50 | 0.56 | 18 |
| Silage 2* | 0.37 | 0.40 | 0.50 | 0.60 | 0.65 | 0.70 | 0.80 | 28 |
*Silage 1 = 66 D Value, 20%DM *Silage 2 = 61 D Value, 18 percent DM
Lambing indoors verses outdoors
Recent research carried out by the Agricultural Research Institute of Northern consistently demonstrated improved lamb birth weights and major savings in both labour input and concentrate feed costs in ewes lambing outdoors at grass compared to ewes lambing indoors.
Table 3. Benefits of lambing ewes at grass relative to those lambing indoors
| Benefit relative to lambing indoors | |
|---|---|
| Lamb birth weight (KG) | 0.3 KG increase |
| Concentrate supplementation | 80 percent reduction |
| Lamb growth rate | 4 percent increase |
| Labour inputs | 30 percent reduction |
| Lamb output at weaning | Similar |
The results demonstrated that outdoor ‘easy care’ systems of lambing can be adopted on any farm. Depending on prevailing weather and ground conditions, ewes can be turned out to grass from between six and three weeks prior to lambing. However it important that grass supplies are monitored closely. Excess grass can lead to problems with oversized lambs and lambing difficulties. Ewes should be grazed at a sward height of 3-4 cm At these levels zero concentrate supplementation is required. Lambing date for this research typically ranged from 24th March to 8th April.
Key Points
- Housing ewes indoors is the most expensive method of over wintering.
- Grazed grass (even if rented) is the cheapest source of feed. Assess all potential methods of over wintering and associated costs.
- The use of any over wintering facilities must comply with the EU farm Nitrates directive framework
- Ensure high levels of biosecurity if using rented winter grazing.
- If housing ewes ensure the facility is designed to achieve maximum ewe performance. Pay particular attention feed quality, feed types and evaluate relative cost comparisons.
- If lambing commences in March consider lambing outdoors
