Planning for a successful lambing
January 14, 2025
The College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE) is hosting a series of on farm events to help sheep farmers plan for a successful lambing. The events will focus on pre-lambing nutrition, lambing shed protocols, along with post-lambing and turn-out management.
The key to a successful lambing is thorough preparation and planning to ensure minimal losses. Research by Teagasc has shown that the first three days of a lamb’s life are critical. It has been noted 74% of lamb deaths occur in this period, with 43% in the first 24 hours. This preparation includes maintaining ewes in a correct body condition score, appropriate rationing based on a detailed silage analysis, providing good quality colostrum in a timely manner to lambs to increase survivability, and maintaining a hygienic lambing environment.
Wednesday 29th January, 7.30pm, Barbara Simms, 48 Ballydogherty Road, Poyntzpass, BT35 6SA.
Thursday 30th January, 7.30pm, Eric Garvin, 48 Ballyagan Road, Garvagh, BT51 4EJ.
Wednesday 5th February, 7.30pm, Nigel Kee, 15 Knockiniller Road, Douglas Bridge, BT82 8QW.
Thursday 6th February, 7.30pm, Louise Skelly, 50 Katesbridge Road, Katesbridge, BT32 5NQ.
These informative and practical events will be spread across four regions to allow as many farmers as possible to attend. Host farmers will provide an overview of their flock performance and management at lambing time and the steps that they take to ensure they have a flock of productive ewes and a healthy crop of lambs. CAFRE Beef and Sheep Advisers will also outline best practice and advice for during the busy lambing period.
Pre-booking is not required.