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Key nutritional factors to consider for sheep at weaning time

Announcement posted by Virbac Australia Pty Ltd 09 Sep 2016

As we head into this critical time of year – weaning time, sheep producers are being reminded of the importance nutrition plays in managing stress and easing transition for both ewes and lambs.

Terrance Loughlin, Sheep Product Manager for Virbac Australia says one of the most important factors for sheep producers to consider during this time is managing trace minerals in weaners.

2015 Farmer of the year finalist, Mr Paul Routley, agrees a trace mineral top up at weaning time is critical in keeping his lambs healthy and balanced, and he is a big supporter of MULTIMIN (Copper-Free) to help achieve this.

Paul and his wife, Dalles Routley, run ‘Almondvale’ near Urana in the Riverina with their family. On their 2230 hectares, the Routleys run about 1300 hectares of cereal and pulse crops, and the balance is for 500 poll ewes joined to White Suffolks for prime lamb production, 1500 poll stud ewes joined to Bond and Poll Merino rams, and 650 stud White Suffolk ewes joined to White Suffolk rams.
 
“We’ve been using MULTIMIN (Copper-Free) for many years,” says Paul. “We always like to give our prime lambs a shot at marking, and our self-replacing lambs get a shot at weaning, just to keep them balanced.”

“Most of the time, we can get half to two thirds of our prime lambs off as suckers straight from their mothers. Last year we sold lambs at 15 weeks old at an average of 25.8 kg carcass weight.  MULTIMIN (Copper-Free) helps give them a real boost there,” says Paul.

Latest research into mineral science has found that livestock exhibit performance benefits as a result of a rapid and balanced trace mineral top up, even in areas absent of trace mineral deficiencies.

MULTIMIN (Copper-Free), delivered by a simple injection, provides a rapidly absorbed, and much needed top-up of zinc, manganese, and selenium that will help weaners transition off their mothers reducing the effects of stress and ensuring they have a strong immunity.

“By keeping lambs balanced with MULTIMIN (Copper-Free), you can keep the animal healthy. If they are healthy and balanced when they are weaned, they’ll stay on that plane of growth and they will utilise feed that they’ve got, far better than if they’re sulking and sitting in the corner,” Paul said. 

The economic losses associated with weaning, and the effects of separation stress during weaning, which can see lambs food intake drop and subsequently reduce mineral intake from pasture and other sources, can have a dramatic impact on early growth performance which can have a flow-on effect for the lambs long-term growth potential.

Paul who is also the President of the Australian Bond Sheep Breeders Association and NSW President of the White Suffolk Breeders Group, says there’s no question about the benefits of trace mineral top up at weaning with MULTIMIN (Copper-Free).

“I spend a lot of time judging at sheep shows and mentoring agricultural students and I always recommend MULTIMIN for weaners. It’s a very, very good investment.”

“There’s a lot of people that run sheep and there’s people that live and breathe sheep. For me, there’s nothing better than going out and seeing a mob of sheep healthy and running around happy.”

Mr Loughlin highlights the other key factors for sheep producers to consider during weaning include monitoring weights and condition scores, managing the available food on offer (FOO) and the use of supplementary feeding as required.

“Condition scoring sheep is an easy and accurate method of estimating the condition or ‘nutritional wellbeing’ of your sheep flock. It requires an assessment of the amount of muscle and fat covering the backbone and the short ribs of each sheep and gives a picture of the sheep’s store of energy,” says Mr Loughlin.

Condition scoring a mob at key times throughout the year gives producers important information to make better management decisions in order to reach condition score targets for joining, lambing, weaning and selling.

For optimum production and profitability, weaners should be no less than a score of 2 and ewes should not be allowed to fall below 2.5 by weaning. Weighing weaners on a regular basis also allows you to assess the growth rates, and distinguish animals that need drafting off for special treatment and the need for supplementation.

With monitoring the available food on offer, the close association between growth rate, bodyweight and mortality risk means that supplementary feeding may be a cost-effective option in weaners.

“Small increases in weaning weight can greatly improve weaner survival,” says Mr Loughlin.

“For instance, studies have shown a 14 kg weaner has a 34% lower risk of death than a 12 kg weaner, and a 20 kg weaner has a 22% lower risk of death than an 18 kg weaner.”

Where supplementary feeding is being used, care must be taken to ensure the provision of a balanced diet that is economically feasible.

“To maintain good rumen function and assist good animal health, supplementary feeding should satisfy the animals need for protein, energy, roughage and minerals,” says Mr Loughlin.

“A high energy diet based on grain may require the addition of roughage, such as hay, to ensure good rumen function. Where cereal grains are used ground lime stone should be added at the rate of 1%.”

For weaners, Mr Loughlin advises early selection of paddocks is a critical component of managing weaner performance and explains that ideal weaning paddocks should include high quality feed.

“For mixed perennial pastures short green feed should be 1,200 – 1,500 Kg DM/ha, ideally with improved pasture species and 20% legume.  Annual clover based pastures should be around 2000-2500 Kg DM/ha food on offer and in the cereal zone consider a special purpose fodder crop or good quality stubble.”

“They should also have low grass seed infestation, such as barley grass or corkscrew and good quality, easily accessible water,” he added.

For Paul and Dalles Routley, running a high quality registered sheep breeding stud means their prime lambs and self-replacing lambs have to be at their nutritional best.

“Our weaners just bounce away, and the growth post-weaning, its right where we want them going year after year,” says Paul.

To purchase MULTIMIN (Copper-Free), visit your local agricultural merchandiser. For more information, visit Virbac Australia’s website www.virbac.com.au
 
Ends.
For more information contact:
 
Adam Arndell
C7EVEN COMMUNICATIONS
(02) 6766 4513 / 0403 372 889
adam.arndell@c7even.com.au