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Suffolk ewes on grass too fat for going in lamb

  • 03-10-2016 08:34AM
    #1
    derferjam
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 197 ✭✭


    Hi
    I was wondering is there such a thing as ewes being too fat to go in lamb?

    The breed is a comercial flock a bit of everything with purebred rams only.

    I'm only feeding them grass and at the moment they are just gone on to a tick sward of grass with hefiers.

    Due to put rams into flock late oct.. early nov

    Should I get em off the tick grass and onto shorter sod


Comments

  • #2
    Username John
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,237 ✭✭✭Username John


    derferjam wrote: »
    Hi
    I was wondering is there such a thing as ewes being too fat to go in lamb?

    The breed is a comercial flock a bit of everything with purebred rams only.

    I'm only feeding them grass and at the moment they are just gone on to a tick sward of grass with hefiers.

    Due to put rams into flock late oct.. early nov

    Should I get em off the tick grass and onto shorter sod

    4 weeks til going with ram?

    Tis a bit late now for flushing em is it? You could try squeezing em up for 2 weeks maybe, but I wouldn't be too hard on em regardless of weight from 2 weeks before ram... But that just be me...


  • #3
    Jonny303
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 635 ✭✭✭Jonny303


    Our ewes last year were far too fat going to the ram.

    Not sure if it affected conception rates but it certainly affected when coming to lamb.

    Had them on very lean rations coming up to lamb as afraid they would be too big, resulting in poor milking when we did lamb.

    Different ewes this year, in far better condition.


  • #4
    derferjam
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 197 ✭✭derferjam


    Username John wrote: »
    4 weeks til going with ram?

    Tis a bit late now for flushing em is it? You could try squeezing em up for 2 weeks maybe, but I wouldn't be too hard on em regardless of weight from 2 weeks before ram... But that just be me...
    My thinking was to put em on the field so as to tidy it up before winter.
    The sheep are in fine condition was just wondering would I be looking for trouble if they got too heavy. I know you may ask what is too heavy?


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