increase font size
Ensuring rams are in peak condition prior to mating will help maximise their performance.
Ensuring rams are in peak condition prior to mating will help maximise their performance and their contribution to the genetic improvement of the commercial flock.
Beef + Lamb New Zealand's Sarah Powdrell says, well before mating, rams should be fully vaccinated for all conditions of local significance - including salmonella and clostridial disease and be treated for any trace element deficiencies.
Selenium is particularly important as deficiencies can result in sperm defects.
Rams should be shorn at least eight weeks before mating. Crutching maybe also required closer to mating to clear the testes of wool, ensuring they don't get too hot.
Like ewes, rams should be at a Body Condition Score of 3-3.5 and on a rising plane of nutrition going into mating.
For rams that have been in the team for more than a year, they should be checked for abnormalities in the scrotum and testes and vet-checked for scrotal mange. The latter can render rams infertile by increasing the temperature of the testicles.
Feet and mouths should also be checked to ensure soundness and mobility. Foot abscesses can elevate a ram's body temperature and cause infertility for up to two months.
After mating, a second health check should be carried out and any issues addressed. Young rams or older rams with a sub-optimal body condition score may need a drench.
"Best practice is to carry out a faecal egg count to determine whether drenching is necessary," Powdrell explains. "In principle, rams should not need drenching if ram ratios, preparation, management and feed during mating were optional."
After mating, rams should be fed so they return to their pre-mating body weight within six wees.
"Don't forget about them. They are one of your farm's best assets so look after them so they can do the best for you."
Milton dairy farmer Chris Wills says he began using probiotics in spring 2023 to address somatic cell count (SCC) grades when cows transitioned from their winter barn to lush spring pasture.
Treat your farm boundary like a border. This was one of the messages delivered to farmers at a recent Beef + Lamb New Zealand Protect Your Patch workshop in Lincoln.
Feeding infected milk is high risk for spreading diseases such as M. bovis.
To ensure optimal growth, health, and wellbeing of calves, feeding strategies should be considered carefully.
Another milestone has been reached in the fight against Mycoplasma bovis with the compensation assistance service being wound up after helping more than 1300 farmers.
Wool farmers are hoping that efforts by two leading companies to develop a more efficient supply chain would eventually boost farmgate returns.
Acclaimed fruit grower Dean Astill never imagined he would have achieved so much in the years since being named the first Young Horticulturist of the Year, 20 years ago.
The Ashburton-based Carrfields Group continues to show commitment to future growth and in the agricultural sector with its latest investment, the recently acquired 'Spring Farm' adjacent to State Highway 1, Winslow, just south of Ashburton.
New Zealand First leader and Foreign Affairs Minister Winston Peters has blasted Fonterra farmers shareholders for approving the sale of iconic brands to a French company.
A major feature of the Ashburton A&P Show, to be held on October 31 and November 1, will be the annual trans-Tasman Sheep Dog Trial test match, with the best heading dogs from both sides of the Tasman going head-to-head in two teams of four.
Fewer bobby calves are heading to the works this season, as more dairy farmers recognise the value of rearing calves for beef.
OPINION: The Greens have taken the high moral ground on the Palestine issue and been leading political agitators in related…
One of the most galling aspects of the tariffs whacked on our farm exports to the US is the fact…
