Raising them

Raising them

• 1.
  Raising ‘em Charlie Sasscer UME-Prince George’s County Photo credits: Susan Schoenian
• 2.
  735,000 570,000 425,000 340,000 285,000 250,000 230,000 200,000 165,000 151,000 <24,000
• 3.
  Breeding Season Gestation Lambs withEwes Recovery Sheep Year
• 4.
  Breeding Season Rams areadded in with ewes in the middle of October Sheep are short day breeders Fertility is high in the fall Estrus cycle lasts an average of 17 days Most ewes will conceive in the first cycle Rams rotated out after the second cycle to cover any open ewes
• 5.
  Fall grazing andwinter housing
• 6.
  Supplementation and Vaccination In late-February, grain is added to the hay diet  Supports fetus and mammary development  4 weeks prior to lambing, ewes receive clostridium perfringins type C and D (overeating disease) and tetanus vaccine
• 7.
  Pre-lambing shearing orcrutching  Drier, cleaner environment for lambs  Increase lamb birth weight  Improve fleece quality  Better access to feeders  Greater housing density = warmer housing  Easier access to teats
• 8.
  Lambing  152 daygestation  Middle of March  First time ewes lamb 3 weeks later  Ewes lamb in larger pen or out on pasture  Strive for little to no assistance  Twins or triplets desired
• 9.
  Jugging  Born lambsare put into a 5x5 pen called a jug  Navel cords shortened, dipped in disinfectant  Lambs and ewe bond  Weighed and ear tagged  Records taken: DOB, sex, weight, tag number  Tail docking and castration  1-3 day stay at the Jug-Inn
• 10.
  Comingling  4 ewesand their lambs are mixed in a larger pen.  Lambs learn how to recognize their mothers  1-2 weeks later, ewes and lamb groups are combined  Ewes with triplets are penned separately for additional supplementation
• 11.
  Creep feeding Soybean meal Crackedcorn Fresh water High quality hay Minerals
• 12.
  Spring turn-out
• 13.
  Lamb vaccination andpre-weaning health  6-8 weeks of age  Clostridium perfringins type C & D (overeating disease) and clostridium tetani (tetanus)  Booster 4 weeks later  Coccidia treatment  Tapeworm treatment
• 14.
  Weaning  90 daysold  Weights taken  Ewes moved to different pen to be fed for drying off  Ram lambs separated from ewe lambs by 3-4 months of age
• 15.
  Stocker lambs  Lambsgrazed with optional grain supplementation until they reach desired weight or market
• 16.
  Ewe recovery  Grazegrass to retain condition  Mineral only supplementation  Cull ewes with poor reproductive performance  Replacement ewes bred at about 7 months or 2/3rd of mature size (approximately 100 lbs)  Raised in separate group  Breeding season begins again in mid-October
• 17.
  Feeder lambs
• 18.
  Questions?