Displaying items by tag: sheep

Sheep farmers have had better lambing than expected this year, with percentages up, though the lamb crop was smaller overall due to fewer ewes mated.

The 7250 bales of North Island wool on offer saw a 72% clearance with most types easing further.

Drench resistance is real, already widespread on sheep farms and heading in the same direction wherever cattle are farmed, says Beef and Lamb NZ.

Strains of the helicobacter bacteria, which live in the stomach, are now believed a possible cause of abortion in ewes, following MPI investigations.

The double auctions in the South and North Islands attracted more interest yesterday.

Reducing ewe mortality rates on farm by 2% could result in at least $28 million a year savings to the industry, says Kate Griffiths, at the Institute of Veterinary, Animal and Biomedical Sciences, Massey University.

Treating twin-bearing ewes with anthelmintics has positive results for both the ewe and lamb, as shown by a recent study, says Clive Bingham of Zoetis NZ.

The South Island sale of 8565 bales comprising a wide range of wool types saw good support with 78% of the offering selling. 

For a high-yielding 80kg ewe -- dairy or with multiple lambs – to produce at least 3kgMS/day, her voluntary intake of high-energy feed must be near 3kgDM/day.

Field studies are currently underway to find out if there’s a relationship between drenching pregnant sheep with long-acting drenches and lamb mortality.