Industry research suggests 12 weeks is the optimum weaning age, but other factors need to be considered when looking to wean. If ewes are lean, grass crop is low or lambs aren’t gaining weight, early weaning is proven to be beneficial.
This is likely due to competition for grass impacting both the ewes and lambs. Your main consideration shouldn’t just be finishing and getting lambs away, you should also take the ewe’s body condition into account to ensure they are fit for mating. Ewe condition is known to have a significant impact on conception rates and the following years lamb crop.
When to wean?
Weaning should align with two factors, the development of the lamb’s rumen and the lamb’s efficiency of converting feed into growth.
A lamb’s rumen is fully developed at 4 weeks old, however removing nutrient dense milk at this stage will affect lamb growth.
At 12 weeks old the contribution of milk in a lamb’s diet is small, but still very nutritious. Young lambs must have the best grass or feed in order to replace declining milk supply.
Stocking rate, grass availability, and sheep breed also matter. For example, hill ewes should be weaned early as grass quality declines quickly in autumn.
Body condition score at weaning
Assessing the body condition of ewes at weaning allows you sufficient time to get your flock in prime condition before tupping.
Over fat and over lean will underperform, therefore condition scoring at weaning is vital. You should condition score your ewes into thin, fit and fat groups. Turning fat ewes onto poorer pasture and thin ewes onto high quality forage. It takes six to eight weeks on good grazing to gain 1.0 body condition score (BCS).
The target condition for tupping – 2.5 for hill ewes and 3.5 for lowland ewes.
Don’t forget to investigate what could be causing thin ewes. It’s the perfect opportunity to undertake faecal egg counts to identify worm burden, or even consider fluke, Johne’s or Maedi Visna as the cause of the ewe’s condition. Discuss the results with a vet and take appropriate action.
Vaccinations and treatments at weaning
Vaccinations and interventions should be considered pre and post weaning:
-Vaccinate against clostridial diseases and Pasteurella if not done before – give first dose two weeks pre-weaning and second dose four weeks later.
-Administer trace element supplements if needed.
-Reserve aftermath grazing for weaned lambs.
-Carry out faecal egg counts – check whether lambs need worming – use an effective product and dose correctly to the weight of the heaviest lambs in the group.
Weaning also gives you opportunity to check each ewes’ teeth, teats and toes, marking any problem animals to cull.
How can Herdwatch help?
Sheep by Herdwatch can help farmers keep detailed records of their flock’s performance, including lambing data, medical treatments, and breeding history. The ease of access reduces the amount of time spent doing paperwork and allows for more time efficient farming practices.
Keep track of the health and well-being of your ewes and lambs with Herdwatch by monitoring factors such as weight, breeding and performance records in the app. Farmers can quickly identify any potential health issues and take action to address them.
To join over 22,000 Farmers using the Herdwatch App get in touch today or simply download the Free App from the App Store.
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