LambGrowthLactationL9

• During the first 3 weeks of lactation the young lambs are solely dependent on milk for nutrition, from this period onwards the lambs start to increase it's intake of herbage
• What's milk production affected by?

  Level of dam nutrition in pregnancy and lactation, ewe condition/nutrition, number/size of lambs, quality of feed, breed/genetics
• In early lactation the mammary gland has priority over other tissues, but as lactation continues this declines
• Milk production will peak at weeks 3-4 of lactation and will cease by the end of the third month unless feeding levels are very high and the ewe is gaining weight
• High levels of feeding in the mid to late lactation will NOT allow the ewe to maintain peak production but it will slow the decline
• If we underfeed the twin rearing ewe the peak and/or total milk production will decline. The same principle holds for singletons, etc
• Poor levels of nutrition in late-pregnancy and in lactation will result in a lower peak milk production and lower total milk production especially in pooer condition ewes = lighter lambs at weaning and lower lambing survival
• Does a twin bearing ewe produce twice as much milk as a single bearing ewe?

  No, therefore it's very important that multiple-bearing ewes are fed to their requirement to ensure they're producing as much as possible
• To achieve high growth rates, what should a multiple born lamb do compared to singleton lambs? What restricts it's intakes?

  Eat more pasture; rumen size
• What do ewes require to maximize milk production during lactation?

  High pasture allowance levels, high quality pasture - ideally with a high legume content
• Poor feeding levels during lactation (and/or in pregnancy) results in poor condition/ weight at weaning. This will impact reproductive performance the following year than those whose nutrition allowed them to be in good condition at weaning
• How can 'alternative herbages' (herb/clover mixes and lucerne) be utilized during lactation?

  Ewes can wean more kg of lamb, increase ewe weight/condition
• What factors can affect weaning weight?

  BW, breed effects, sex of lamb, genetics, dam/lamb health status, weather, husbandry practices, mid-pregnancy shearing, age at weaning, etc
• What factors can affect timing of weaning?

  Average parturition date (age of lambs), feed supply/quality, stock density, lamb weights, husbandry factors (shearing/drenching), external factors (costs)
• Lambs should be 25-30kgs at weaning. Although under optimal feeding conditions they can be weaned as light as 18 kgs
• If weaned early and fed well they will reach slaughter weights faster than lambs kept on their under poor feeding conditions - as the mothers starts to compete with lamb
• What is skim-draft weaning?

  Weaning some lambs directly off their dam while others stay with their dam
• What does skim-draft weaning do?

  Allows for heavy lambs, saves feed for other stock, ewes can gain condition