Getting sheep shape at Pyramid Farm
The vineyards at Pyramid Farm in Marlborough’s Avon Valley have never been run of the mill, with plantings that follow the natural contours of the land, 250 metres above sea level.
That’s what Matt Wyeth, Masterton, achieved this year with 1400 ewes of his 6500 Highlander flock.
Admittedly, the mob of 1400 were those ewes scanned as triplet-bearing but nonetheless the survival to slaughter is impressive.
It was achieved with short-term housing of ewes, and strategic grain feeding, a system he saw on a trip to the UK last year.
“There are a lot of things in farming that are beyond our control, but this was something achievable – making the best of exceptionally fertile ewes.”
He thought 250% might be achievable, well above 1000ha farm’s five-year paddock average of 180% for ewes scanned with triplets, but the result beat even that expectation.
His original plan was to build his own grain feeding equipment but an internet search led him to Australian company Advantage Feeders.
“Their Next Generation Feeders have adjustable slides with large capacity bins.
“They looked like they would fit the bill so we ordered three.”
A high-protein, grain-based, custom-made pellet was offered to the triplet bearing ewes from about three weeks before lambing at about a kilo a day.
Intake is limited by stock having to lick the feed through the adjustable slide mechanism: they can only eat so much before their tongue dries out.
Ewes were housed five days prior to lambing with continued access to the feeder, and lucerne hay.
Once lambed they were returned to the paddock where lambs quickly learnt to use the feeders, eating about 130g/day.
“The lambs grew noticeably faster with the early rumen development.”
Weaning was at just 50 days compared to the traditional 90-100 days.
“The weaned lambs went ahead really well on grass with an average weight gain of about 280g/day. We also achieved significant labour savings only having to handle the lambs once.”
Weaning earlier meant more high quality feed available for lamb finishing as ewes went back onto harder hill country immediately after weaning but the ewes also benefited because of the shorter lactation. Consequently he’s “confident of a very good result” from this year’s mating.
