Pippa Middlemas of North East-based Clevedale Vets, offers some practical tips on how to make lambing time a success.

Interrupted supplies of some of the standard sheep vaccines mean that orders will need to be placed in plenty of time, to ensure product delivery, says Mrs Middlemass. She also reminded flock keepers to plan ahead to re-start primary vaccination courses, where programmes have lapsed. This will particularly apply to the prevention of pasteurella and the clostridial diseases.

Correct feeding of the pregnant ewe is an essential element of viable lamb production, she stressed.

“Monthly ewe body condition scoring will highlight any ewes that are failing to achieve the correct body weight. Each ewe should be allocated sufficient feeding space to avoid jostling, which can lead to abortion.

The Northern Farmer: Pippa Middlemas offers advice at lambing time

"Due to the growing foetus, she will be in a state of reduced rumen capacity. This will limit intakes, so she must be able to consume enough food to meet her energy requirement. Otherwise, she is at risk of a metabolic disorder such as twin lamb disease.

“Bodyweight can be manipulated by moving ewes between groups. A thin ewe carrying twins, for example, could be transferred to the triplet group. Likewise, it can be advantageous to put an overfat ewe with twins into the singles pen.

“As soon as the ewes are moved to individual pens, they must have constant access to high quality food and water. They will need to remain on a high plane of nutrition, to supply enough milk for their lamb or lambs.”

The Northern Farmer: Pippa Middlemass of Clevedale Vets

Blood testing and forage testing also have a useful role to play, she added.

“Blood profiling will give a clear picture about whether the feeding strategy is meeting ewe energy and protein demands. The best testing time is two or three weeks pre-lambing.

"About four to six individuals should be tested from each management group, depending on flock size. The aim is to select average weight ewes, because a hands-on assessment should be sufficient to determine whether thinner females will need supplementation.

“Blood results will be even more informative if the results are used in conjunction with forage analysis. It will indicate any nutritional shortfalls, which may to be rectified elsewhere in the diet.”

Good hygiene protocol at lambing time is also paramount and she has some advice about how to reduce infection, with good colostrum management another key aspect.

The Northern Farmer: Portrait of lovely lamb staring at the camera in cattle barn. In background flock of sheep eating food..

“I recommend the use of a powdered disinfectant that includes a desiccant, to reduce bedding moisture levels. It will help to minimise the bacterial load at the height of the lambing period, when there may not always be time to fully muck out pens between animals. By contrast, a liquid product may increase humidity in the building and bacteria thrive in a moist environment.

“Navel treatment with iodine should be part of the routine, but in my opinion, navel dipping is far superior to spraying. A lamb’s navel is similar to a drinking straw, with the open end exposed to the environment providing a portal for bacteria to enter the abdomen. The aim is to dry up the navel with the iodine product, to prevent bacteria entry.

“Spraying will not always treat the entire surface and that leaves the lamb open to infection, whereas iodine navel dipping will give 360-degree cover and rapid drying. Ideally, the procedure should be repeated every 12 hours or so, until the navel has fully dried out. Male lambs urinate close to the navel so the treatment may require greater repetition.”

Unthrifty lambs are at the highest risk of infection and therefore extra hygiene precautions will need to be taken, she said. It is important to avoid spreading bacteria from one sickly lamb to another, so feeding equipment should be thoroughly washed regularly with hot, soapy water. It should also be sterilised between individuals with the cold-water sterilisation products used for babies.

Mrs Middlemass reminds producers that detailed recording will assist producers to pinpoint any management areas, which may need to be tweaked for future lambing periods.

“I find that having a whiteboard in the lambing shed is ideal for keeping track of events. It is a busy time of year and, on many farms, several people may be involved, so everyone should have instant access to accurate, up to date information on progress.

“Simply recording the number of dead lambs is inadequate. A distinction should be made between lambs born dead and those, which die thereafter, with causes given, if known. Analysing the data post-lambing is useful and, more importantly, point to what might be done to improve future performance.

“Only about one third of my clients use electronic identification systems for their flocks. It can help to keep track of performance, but like any other recording method, the results must be studied and action taken, to avoid repeating the same mistakes the following year,” said Mrs Middlemass.