SHEEP MATTERS Aug-Sept 2017

SHEEP MATTERS “In With A Bang, And Out Like Fools!”

Get Ready For Tupping 2017 INSIDE TECHNICAL FOCUS ON R&D and TECHNOLOGY Understanding EBVs for better performance FEEDING THE FACTS Using BCS to plan ewe nutrition PERFORMANCE Making sense of liveweight and deadweight prices Getting to grips with costs MARKETS Are you producing what the market wants?

Auction market updates BREXIT barometer

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE THE BIGGER PICTURE Unlocking maximum value in the industry for a sustainable future

AUGUST & SEPTEMBER 2017

SPOTLIGHT ON NOW ON THE FARM The ram MOT Industry updates Event watch

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Foreword from the Editors Welcome to this first edition of “SHEEP MATTERS” a new subscription based publication for the UK sheep industry.

The aim of this publication is to help anybody with an interest in the sheep industry to keep aware of, and up-to date with, new developments in markets, consumer trends, research and technology and to help them consider how to make changes to their businesses to innovate and grow.

The sheep industry will face unprecedented challenges over the coming years and will need access to innovation, learning and new skills. We are looking to address these knowledge gaps where they exist. Our aim is to not replicate what others are doing in the sector but to complement it by providing information in a single publication that is digestible, engaging, relevant and timely.

We will provide a well balanced range of articles

covering markets, prices, trade and performance analysis. Scientific research, technology and technical updates will be provided in an easy to understand format.

We will also highlight farmbased best practice as well as produce a regular feature that takes a wider industry view. As Editors we will invite articles from leading industry experts or those at the “farm face” to bring you this information.

Our approach is to present our content in a thought provoking and stimulating way. We want to encourage the reader to reflect on “what it might mean for them”. We encourage our readers to consider further or followup on any of the issues presented using our unique QR codes; to access further resources and information.

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We hope that you enjoy reading this edition and would welcome any comments or feedback you might have!

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SHEEP MATTERS is published 8 times per year with up to two additional supplements. It is available to subscribers in print and digital format.

SHEEP MATTERS is published by GORSE services limited.

Registered office 19 Fenkle Street, Alnwick, Northumberland, NE66 1HW. Editors Emma Green Tel (07557) 119947 John Hutchins Tel (07469) 709607 Subscriptions http://www.sheepmatters.co.uk info@gorse-services.com Advertisements John Hutchins Tel (07469) 709607 john.hutchins@gorse-services.com Disclaimer The publication may not be copied or reproduced without the prior written permission of the Publisher and it may not be circulated or distributed outside of the address to which it was sent by the Publisher. Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of information published, the Editor and Publisher cannot accept any responsibility whatsoever for errors, omissions or claims made in fact or opinion in either editorial or advertising copy, or for any loss no matter how caused.

Views expressed and information contained in SHEEP MATTERS are not necessarily those of GORSE services limited. © GORSE services limited 2017 all rights reserved.

Designed by Blue Tongue Design Ltd. Printed by Bang On Print & Design Ltd. ISSN under application.

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Making sense of liveweight and deadweight pric Focussing on price alone misses the bigger picture.

Can you afford to just focus on the income generated from lamb sales and not consider the costs and profitability of producing those animals?

The way to maximise financial returns to your business is to produce and sell the type of lambs that buyers want and are willing to pay for. The most profitable farmers match their production to market demand by adopting appropriate breeding, feeding and health strategies.

‘Do you fully understand the true costs of producing lambs that do not meet market specification?’

R3L

R3H

19 kg

19 kg

£83.94

£82.86

Deadweight marketing commentary Moving beyond the third week of May, the data reported are for New Season Lamb from a sample of abattoirs in Great Britain with 448,353 animals being reported during June and July. This represents approximately 21.4% of the national stock being slaughtered during this period and is therefore indicative of prices and quality being achieved.

The average price paid has continued to drop from the highs seen in early June with this SQQ price per kilo now reflecting the price reported for the specific R3L category. Prices for conformation R and above, with fat class 2 or 3L continue to attract a premium over the same shape animal with fat class 3H. This reflects the continued demand for leaner types. Using our spot price, a typical 19kg carcass would achieve a price of £83.94 at R3L versus £82.86 at R3H, obtaining a premium of £1.08 for the leaner animal. Can you afford to not meet R3L or better specification?

Using our analysis, over the 13 week period of the current NSL marketing period, the premium paid for producing the leaner lamb has averaged £1.35 per animal. Why would you not produce the leaner animal to achieve this premium? What is the true cost (direct and indirect) to your business of producing the fatter animal?

AUGUST & SEPTEMBER 2017

ices Whether you are marketing liveweight or deadweight, market prices are widely reported in the farming community and press but what does this actually mean for you? How do prices per kilo translate into a price per animal?

How does this relate to your costs of production?

These infographics have been designed to specifically highlight the price (before abattoir, mart or Levy deductions) that you would receive for a representative animal that meets a specific grade requirement.

The data reported in this article are GB weekly average prices from AHDB Beef & Lamb with the spot prices used in the infographics taking data from the week ending 12 August 2017.

‘Can you afford to lose £1.08 per 19 kg carcass by not producing lambs to meet R3L or better specification?’

SHEEP Ma(ers - September 2017 edi7on - Liveweight and deadweight price ar7cle

Standard

Medium

Heavy

38 kg

42 kg

47 kg

£71.59

£81.94

£91.46

Liveweight marketing commentary The average number of New Season Lamb sold in auction markets has risen to over 117,000 per week during the first two weeks of August. As a consequence the average SQQ price continues to drop from the highs seen in early June and this drop is reflected across prices for all other weight categories.

The increase in NSL has predominately been in Medium grade lamb (39.1 to 45.5 kg) which now trades at just over 60% of all stock sold, with the proportion of Standard grade (32.1 to 39 kg) dropping towards 20% of lambs sold. The number of Heavy lambs (45.6 to 52 kg) is slowly beginning to rise, reaching nearly 10% of stock sold.

The Old Season Lamb trade is now virtually finished with approximately 300 animals sold in the week ending 12 August 2017.

As has been the case for the past eight weeks, there is no price premium for producing a Standard or Medium lamb rather than a Heavy one. This market signal will encourage producers to increase the size of animals marketed to maximise revenue earned. What impact will this have on the quality of carcass produced? Will the animals remain lean or carry additional fat?

Using our spot price, a typical 42 kg lamb would achieve a price of £81.94 versus £91.46 for a 47 kg animal.

The heavier lamb provides a premium of £9.52 per animal. This will be very attractive to the bank manager but are there any hidden costs or consequences to your business?

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Getting to grips with costs Working out your profitability Prices are important. After all it is the pay cheque at the end of the day that counts – or is it?

It is good to know how much you got paid for your last consignment of lambs that you sold deadweight, or what the price per kilo was at the auction mart. And, you can use your knowledge of current markets and longer-term trends in prices to help you make decisions about when, how, where and what to sell. But in reality you have no influence over what those prices will be.

BREXIT will add further uncertainty to your farm business - What will be the impact on the value of land?

When will we know more about the level of support payments farmers can expect in the long term? Again, these are factors over which you have no control.

‘Production costs are under your influence and controlling these is likely to have a significant impact on your bottom line’ If you are serious about improving the profitability of your business then you need to get to grips with understanding your production costs and knowing whether they are competitive and how your business performs before taking account of direct payments.

Over the next few issues we will explore how understanding and managing costs can help you to make better informed decisions about whether to take a certain course of action or not. This will help you decide on how or when to innovate and introduce new techniques on the farm which will add to your competitive position.

These may include decisions around whether to switch from traditional to rotational grazing, whether to out-source faecal egg

counting or train yourself up to do it in-house, whether to pay for post-mortem examinations to better understand the health status of your flock, when to stop creep feeding, and when to sell pets, whether to worm the whole flock or selected individuals for example.

profitability, you need to focus on interventions that have low costs and big benefits. Until you identify the real costs and understand how to control them you may not be focusing on the practices that are likely to bring you the best returns.

Identifying and measuring costs allows different interventions to be compared and also allows them to be weighed against the benefits or returns of a particular action. This gives an un-biased and informed basis upon which to make decisions.

CBA is not a panacea but it is a useful to tool to help you look at how your practices impact on profitability.

We will look at costs that quickly come to mind such as veterinary, medicine and feed expenditures as well as delving deeper into the hidden, or, sometimes ignored costs like labour, lost opportunity and consequential costs.

When we think about costs it is important to take into account both fixed costs and variable costs.

Fixed costs are those which we pay whether we are working or not (e.g. rent, utilities, insurance). Variable costs are those that depend on what is being produced (e.g. labour, feed and forage, transport, medicines) and are often much harder to pin down so get ignored!

Over the next few issues the simple message will be that to improve

The example opposite is a good starting point to think about the efficacy of flushing but are all the costs considered?

• �What are the labour costs associated lambing an extra 110 lambs?

• �What are the feed and healthcare costs of rearing the extra lambs?

• �What is the lost opportunity cost of using grass to raise these lambs rather than ‘saving’ it to bring ewes to a condition at mating whereby they do not need flushing in the first place?

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AUGUST & SEPTEMBER 2017

Cost Benefit Analysis (CBA) - to flush or not to flush?

The value of knowing your costs to inform production/ management decisions is demonstrated in the example below which explores the efficacy of flushing ewes in the run up to mating.

This CBA is derived from a project in New Zealand that assessed the effect of flushing on lamb production from Romney and Finn/Romney cross ewes (1).

The analysis has been updated to include current UK prices (2).

While the example is a useful demonstration of how a CBA can inform production decisions, it should be noted that the research was conducted in New Zealand and may not be directly transferable to the UK situation.

It is also important to remember that different breeds will respond differently to flushing.

INPUT Barley (150g/day) Silage (130g/day) Total

UNIT COST (£) 125/tonne 105/tonne DM

COST/EWE/DAY (£) 0.019 0.014 0.033

over 35 day flushing

(0.0.33 x 35)

£ 1.16/ewe

10.35/hr

£ 1160.00 £ 724.50 £ 1884.50

For a 1000 ewes Feed Labour (@ 35 hrs) TOTAL COSTS 0.15 extra eggs

0.11 lambs/ewe

(minus wastage of 0.04) produced/ewe

0.11 extra lambs/ewe for 1000 ewes 110 lambs TOTAL INCOME (£66.70 average price/lamb) £7337 NET RETURN £ 7337 – £ 1884.50

£ 5452.50*

* Heavy ewes at mating have minimal response to flushing. A financial loss may occur in this case as there would be very few extra lambs resulting from additional feed costs.

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The ram MOT Is your ram up to the job?

Rams are expensive to buy so you want them to last and do a good job. A healthy ram should be able to work for at least 3 or 4 breeding seasons and should produce vigorous lambs that survive well to express desired traits. Using unsound rams will reduce your lambing percentage and is likely to result in a protracted lambing period.

The ram MOT

A breeding ram needs healthy genital organs, a normal libido, the physical ability to mount and mate, adequate sperm quantity and quality and immunity from diseases that may be endemic in your flock.

‘carry out a ram MOT at least ten weeks before tupping to help you identify and treat potential breeding problems in good time’ Disease in rams

A ram’s fertility and/or ability to mate are particularly affected by infestations of parasitic worms and liver fluke, and by lameness. Other diseases to look out for include caseous lymphadenitis (CLA)

Hoof trimming costs! �Labour costs - somebody has to do it. �Lost opportunity costs - you could be doing something else instead. �Delayed recovery - hoof trimming can delay healing and extend the period of lameness. �Treatment costs - trimming can make things worse which then requires the use of further medical treatments. �Lost growth - trimming causes stress to the animals and while they are being treated they are not eating!

which can be caused by bacterial infection of fighting wounds on the head, ovine pulmonary adenocarcinoma (OPA/ Jaagsiekte), which is increasing in incidence among rams and is usually fatal (2).

Of special note are bacterial diseases of the feet (scald, footrot and CODD). They not only cause pain and lameness affecting grazing and mounting ability, but also reduce fertility due to increased body temperature. Early identification and prompt treatment are important to ensure your ram is fit for breeding (2). Treatments include the use of long-acting oxytetracycline along with topical applications of anti-bacterial sprays. Pain can be reduced by anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).

Trimming/paring of the hoof is not generally recommended as this can delay healing (3,4).

The importance of body condition scoring (BCS) BCS is an easy and accurate method of estimating the condition and nutritional well-being of an animal. It requires the assessment of the amount of muscle and fat covering the backbone and short ribs to give a picture of the ram’s store of energy.

BCS can influence semen volume and sperm motility as well as hormone levels. For example, testosterone concentration which affects sexual behaviour has been found to be significantly higher in rams with an optimum BCS of 3-3.5 (5). It is recommended that a ram’s BCS should be around 3.5 prior to breeding. If body condition is low a high protein diet can be administered 10 weeks prior to breeding. However, it is important not to over-feed a ram before tupping as this can lead to poor mating ability and reduced fertility (1).

AUGUST & SEPTEMBER 2017

It’s a private matter!

It takes 7 weeks to produce sperm so it is important to examine your ram’s penis and testicles with plenty of time prior to mating (6).

Measure scrotal circumference because sperm production is directly correlated to testicular width. If an adult ram’s scrotum is less than 32 cm in circumference (about the size of a large grapefruit!) it is preferable not to use it. Sperm production can be improved by up to 100% with suitable nutritional intake 8-10 weeks prior to mating, although overfeeding can also result in infertility (6).

‘Is your ram cooking his testicles?’

this ensure rams are shorn and have adequate shade and plenty of water (1).

Examination of the penis and sheath is important. Damage or infection that leads to irritation or ulceration will obviously affect the mating ability of your ram.

If you are in doubt about the fertility of your ram, a professional evaluation of semen will measure sperm motility, morphology and white blood cell counts which may indicate the presence of disease.

Hot weather in July and August can cause testicular degeneration (the testes will feel soft rather than firm and springy). The scrotum is rich in sweat glands. These help to cool the testicles when they are able to hang freely. But, in hot weather rams will lie down to stay cool. By lying on their testicles the ram will literally ‘cook’ them! To help avoid

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Understanding EBVs for better performance Genetics and productivity Building a flock that requires fewer inputs but gives increased outputs will lead to improved profitability.

Selective breeding provides farmers with the tools to produce lambs that better meet customer requirements. It is achieved by using high performance rams to improve the long-term genetic make-up of a flock.

Recorded information about the genetic potential of a ram allows producers to make informed choices about which ram will best serve their productivity goals.

Using a high-performance ram can lead to increased lamb growth rates and improved carcass conformation. This will result in shorter finishing times, lower feed and labour costs and higher prices.

Ewe fertility and mothering ability can also be enhanced because maternal traits are passed via the ram to his female offspring.

‘Can you afford not to know the genetic potential of your rams?’

Gains in lamb growth rates and carcass indicators have improved at a greater rate in recorded flocks that use selective breeding compared to producers who rely on more traditional approaches.

Breeding gains for the UK sheep sector have been estimated at an annualised value of £10.7M (1).

And this pattern applies across the major sheep producing countries in the world. Trials in the UK suggest that an additional £2-£3 per lamb can be achieved by using high performance recorded rams (2,3).

What are EBVs and Genetic Indexes?

Estimated Breeding Values (EBVs) have been used in the sheep industry for 25 years. They predict the merit of the genes

Genes Pay On an average Non-SDA farm with a breeding flock of 688 and a replacement rate of 22.9% this could potentially lead to an additional return of £2211 to the business each year. The potential additional return increases to £2520 for an average SDA farm with a breeding flock of 814 and a replacement rate of 26.3%. Based on average ewe to ram ratios this means that knowing the genetic potential of your rams could increase your returns by between £769 and £942 per ram over four breeding years.

Calculations based on data from Stocktake Report 2016 (4).

prolificacy. These indexes are that a breeding stock animal useful for self-replacing flocks), has for a variety of traits. Data and the Hill 2 Index (improves the are recorded by breeders at overall productivity of hill ewes). pre-mating, lambing, 8-weeks Information about the use of post lambing and 21 weeks postBreeding Indexes is available from lambing. Modern methods also Signet Breeding Services (5). use CT scanning to generate data.

EBVs are calculated from these ‘EBVs are easy to performance data along with interpret’ information about known relatives, where the effects of environment • �EBVs are expressed in the same (e.g. nutrition, management) are units as the recorded trait (e.g. removed. This analysis uses a kilograms for the 8-week weight). procedure called BLUP (Best Linear • �Because a lamb only inherits half Unbiased Predictor). its genes from the ram the EBV An EBV gives an independent must be halved. assessment of an individual ram’s • �Depending on the trait an EBV may genetic potential relative to a be expressed as a negative or a common baseline. EBVs have been positive value. developed for a range of traits.

• �The further away from the average EBV of zero the greater the genetic potential of the ram.

A Breeding Index may also be generated that combines a number of EBV traits. This aids decisionmaking around a set of objectives that require the improvement of several traits at once. Economic weightings are applied to the individual traits that make up the breeding index to reflect current market conditions. Commonly used Indexes include the Terminal Sire Index (combining growth and carcass traits to select superior terminal sires); the Maternal Index (focusing on early lamb growth rate, maternal ability and

For example, a ram with an EBV of +3 kg for 8-week weight is estimated to produce lambs that are 1.5 kg heavier at eight weeks compared to the baseline EBV of zero. The baseline represents the average eight-week weight of the animals from the same flock in the year when the EBV was first produced.

EBVs are published for each trait that is recorded. This allows a producer to focus on EBVs that are pertinent to specific breeding goals. Further detail on interpreting EBVs can be found via the Levy Boards (2,3,6).

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AUGUST & SEPTEMBER 2017

Positive EBV score

Leaner carcasses taken to heavier weights without addition of fat.

Muscle depth (mm)

More carcasses meet specification.

CT lean weight (kg)

HEALTH*

CT gigot muscularity (kg)

Reduced veterinary / treatment costs.

Lambing ease (%)

Increased lamb survival.

Birth weight (kg)

Increased ewe survival.

GROWTH MATERNAL

Fat depth (mm) CT fat weight (kg)

Worm resistance

8-week weight (kg)

Heavier lambs.

MATURE SIZE

BUSINESS IMPACTS

Reduced labour costs.

Negative EBV score

Faster growth rates & finishing time.

Time sales to hit better prices.

Reduced days to slaughter store lambs.

Increased lamb survival.

Which EBV?

21-week scan weight (kg) Maternal ability (kg) Litter size (kg)

Genetic & environmental interaction Genes interact with a whole range of other factors. The breeding potential of an

Faster growth rates & finishing time.

21-week scan weight (kg)

Times sales to hit better prices.

Mature size (kg)

Faster growth rates & finishing time.

EBV accuracy

Time sales to hit better prices.

EBVs that are based on limited data are adjusted down

Reduced feed costs.

*Health EBVs not available for all breeds

Different traits have different levels of heritability across different breeds. For example, it is estimated that footrot resistance in ewes is heritable at 10-20% (7). And genes express themselves differently in different environments (8). Many factors, therefore, need to be taken into account when developing breeding objectives. Once breeding goals are identified it is possible to decide which EBVs will best help to achieve these goals. It is also possible that significant improvements in productivity can be made by changing non-genetic factors such as nutrition.

realised under good management (e.g. nutrition, health and welfare monitoring)

towards the average. As more data are collected the EBV

Increased likelihood of heaviness.

A word of caution: Nature or Nurture?

individual animal will only be

may increase. An EBV accuracy value is a good indicator of the likelihood that a ram’s EBV will change over time. The higher the accuracy value (0-99), the more is known.

What does the future hold?

A recent study funded by AHDB concluded that the potential value of genetic improvement to health and welfare is not currently being realised in the UK (1). A focus for the future development of new EBVs will be around hard-to-measure traits, such as disease resistance (e.g. resilience against worms) and ease of management (9).

SRUC is completing research on ewe longevity. It is expensive and environmentally demanding to replace breeding ewes, so genetic solutions to increase their ‘productive lifespan’ on farm are likely to have financial benefits.

Aiming to establish the genetic factors that control longevity and hence productivity should allow new EBVs to be developed (10).

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EBLEX estimated that by reducing replacement rates (currently standing at an average of 20-25%) and cull rates, over £4M could be saved by the UK sheep industry.

Research by SRUC and Signet has also focused on the heritability of lamb survival. A lamb survival EBV could help breeders to improve the resilience of young animals by selecting for genes that affect survivability. This could increase the productivity of commercial herds (11).

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Using BCS to plan ewe nutrition Ewe nutrition affects mating success.

It is estimated that every missed pregnancy costs around £1.70 per ewe. Ewes that are on a wellmanaged programme of nutrition will be fit for mating and should result in a positive lamb output.

Good nutrition is fundamental to ewe performance with requirements varying throughout the year. Nutrition not only has immediate impacts but also influences long-term ewe productivity (1). The objectives of a strategy for ewe nutrition between production cycles are as follows: • �Achieve the correct BCS for successful mating; • �Optimise conception rates and maximise embryo survival; • �Reduce lambing period by aiming for 75% of ewes to hold at the first cycle; • �Increase vitality of lambs produced by ‘immature’ ewes; and • �Improve flock profitability.

The importance of Body condition scoring (BCS) Body condition influences fertility, lamb performance and resilience to disease. Weaning should have taken place to allow enough time for the ewe to recover condition.

‘Increasing body condition score from 2.5 to 3.5 can increase scanning percentage by up to 20-40% General guidance is that a BCS of 3.5 for a typical 70kg lowland breed ewe and a BCS of 2.5 for a

typical 50kg hill breed ewe should be achieved prior to mating (1).

Because it typically takes 6-8 weeks to gain one BCS unit on a high quality grass diet, weaning should have been completed at least 10 weeks before mating, although this period may be significantly longer in hill breeds and for ewes who are particularly compromised and therefore require early weaning.

Ewe lambs (hoggets) should be at 60% of mature weight and ewe shearlings should achieve 80% mature weight prior to mating (2).

For prolific breeds such as Llyen and Aberdale research suggests that the BCS should be lower at between 2.5 and 3. A key hormone which supports the development of the foetus is progesterone.

This hormone is produced by the corpus luteum (remnants of the follicle from which the egg is released from the ovaries). While highly prolific ewes naturally ovulate more eggs than traditional breeds, each follicle has less capacity to release progesterone.

Heavy feeding will encourage more eggs to be produced than normal but will also limit the amount of progesterone that is released to support foetal development (2).

Calculate nutritional requirements Following weaning, best practice will have resulted in the sorting of ewes into three groups based on BCS (fat, fit and thin). The nutritional requirements for each group should be determined on the basis that putting on one unit of condition adds between 10%-13% of liveweight. Feeding groups should be re-assessed every 2-3 weeks.

Grazing management is critical because grass is the most economic source of nutrition and provides over 90% of the energy and protein requirements in most sheep systems. The best grazing should be provided to ewes with the lowest BCS. Supplements should only be provided if flock demand is not met by grass supply. For a typical March lambing flock, supply is usually sufficient in September and October but a deficit develops through November (1).

Optimum daily grass growth is achieved when pasture cover is between 2000 – 2500 kg DM/ha.

- equivalent to a sword height of 8-12cm. To achieve the high intake needed for ewes to reach mating BCS they should be grazed on high quality, leafy pasture with a sword height of 6-8cm (2). If swords are too short, affected by drought,

AUGUST & SEPTEMBER 2017

•

•

•

or if weather conditions disrupt grazing then additional feeding may be required. AFRC and AHDB provides guidance on determining requirements (1,3).

To flush or not to flush?

Nutrition has a long-term impact on ovulation rate. In addition, different breeds respond to flushing differently. The rumen is significantly affected by changes in feed type and quantity. To maintain rumen function sudden changes in diet must be avoided (1).

‘It is sensible to consider whether flushing is necessary or not’ Flushing sheep that are fit in terms of condition will not stimulate increased ovulation (2). It is more cost effective to get ewes to optimum BCS through target setting and good management in the months prior to mating.

Research also shows that prolific breeds should not be flushed as this has a detrimental effect on progesterone levels and consequent foetal development.

For example, there is evidence that grazing Aberdale ewes on low quality grass sword at 8cm before mating helped to achieve optimal lambing percentages of between 160-200% (2).

Nonetheless, flushing can provide a useful tool for ewes that have not reached their target BCS for mating. Providing a rising plane of nutrition in these circumstances can help to increase ovulation rates (1). But purposely reducing ewe BCS during the dry period in order to flush at a later point is counterproductive and can be expensive.

This reduces follicle development and hormone production. Flushing thin ewes, especially mature ones can also lead to more triplets with negative impacts on pregnancy and lamb survival (1).

Flushing is not necessary for ewes that are artificially stimulated to produce high numbers of eggs.

High feeding levels are likely to have a negative impact on hormone levels in this instance (2).

•

The Do’s �Set BCS targets. Nutrition affects ovulation and placenta development. If nutrition is inadequate at one of these stages, the damage cannot be undone by high feeding at a later stage. �Use grass as much as possible. Graze thin ewes on best quality pasture. �Investigate reasons for poor BCS and prioritise thin ewes.

Very low BCS (<2) at weaning impairs ovulation rate even if target BCS is reached at mating. �Choose total mixed ration for supplementation.

The Don’ts • �Flush prolific breeds or ewes that have achieved BCS by mating.

• �Underfeed during the dry period to then flush later.

This is counterproductive and expensive.

• �Change diet quickly.

• �Supplement with ‘meals of concentrates’ unnecessarily as this affects rumen pH and function.

• �Graze on pastures with high proportions of legumes or feed on silage 45 days either side of mating.

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AUGUST & SEPTEMBER 2017

Are we maximising value?

The sheep sector is facing signiďŹ cant challenges and its long-term survival will depend on building a sustainable production system in the UK that maximises value in the industry.

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AUGUST & SEPTEMBER 2017

Challenges Key threats include a declining demand for red meat (especially lamb), BREXIT and the impact that new international trade deals will have on our export markets, the need to reduce the impact of farming on the environment resulting in the drive to “produce more for less” (sustainable intensification), and a shrinking pool of skills, labour and know-how as

fewer young farmers enter the livestock farming profession.

Over-arching all of the issues outlined above are the impending changes to the current subsidy system which will inevitably pose a major challenge to UK farming.

Opportunities Over the coming months SHEEP MATTERS will consider how the maximum value in UK sheep production may

be ‘unlocked’ as a means of building resilience and ensuring continuity into the future. We will bring to life these issues through articles, analyses, interviews and case studies. Our aim is to provoke discussion and debate as well as to highlight where innovation in ideas and practice is contributing towards the long-term sustainability of UK sheep production.

Employment

Building consumer demand

Public goods

What measures are being implemented to address the question of succession? How do we encourage young people to become sheep farmers?

Is the industry making the most of niche or new markets? How can producers exploit the high welfare, heritage, quality and environmental credentials of UK sheep meat? Are the demands for convenience and healthy red meat options being addressed?

What is the role of sheep farming in delivering ‘public goods’? Does the sector gain value by enabling access to ‘wild spaces’ and contributing to a healthier and happier society? Should farmers be rewarded for their contribution?

Skills development Are opportunities for skills development in the farming and rural sector being fully exploited ?

Building value in wool Can novel uses of sheep wool be exploited to increase the value in fleeces?

Protecting genetic diversity

Using sheep milk

Will the growth in the number of composite breeds and herds affect our traditional and rare breeds?

How are producers developing markets for sheep milk and related products such as yogurt and cheese?

Protecting our environment Do upland farmers have a role to play in protecting threatened habitats, maintaining biodiversity and reducing flood risk?

Vibrant communities

Climate change

Is the value of upland sheep farming as a driver to build sustainable and vibrant rural communities adequately recognised and exploited?

Can our sheep help to reduce carbon levels and tackle climate change?

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Are you producing what the market really wants?

Selling finished lamb

Carcass classification

The steps to producing the best return for your business include identifying a market and customer(s) and producing animals to meet that specification.

Can you afford to not produce what your customer requires?

In the UK and Europe, the current carcass classification system is based on the EUROP classification for conformation and numeric assessment for fatness (classes 1-5). Combining the scores for conformation and fat determines the market most suitable for each carcass. The grid is shown below with the dark green areas highlighting the core classifications that the majority of UK abattoirs require (2, 3).

Good producers deploy appropriate skills, knowledge and experience to deliver outstanding husbandry and management of their stock. Critical to the production of well finished animals are: (1, 2, 3)

•

•

The main advantage of selling deadweight is that detailed carcass information and feedback can be provided to the producer and premiums may be paid for quality and quantity. The GB weekly data show that:

This method of selling does not give detailed carcass information to the producer. However, by �Adjusting feeding regimes to reach targeting the SQQ range of weights • �The proportion meeting R2 or growth targets.

(25.5 to 45.5 kg) comprising Light, better has probably peaked. These �Selling animals when they are Standard and Medium categories; represent carcasses more suited ready, not by historical dates. producers would expect to hit the to export and the Mediterranean ideal carcass requirements for �Offering lambs in batches of even market. the majority of markets. The data sized animals in terms of weight, presented in the graphs are derived • �The proportion of R3H or better is conformation and fat levels. currently at 18% and expected to from GB weekly average prices �Using feedback from auction increase as the season progresses, published by AHDB Beef & Lamb. markets, buyers or abattoirs and lambs become fatter. Unless The proportion of New Season to adjust breeding or feeding these animals are specifically strategies, to improve conformation Lamb meeting SQQ category is aimed at the traditional or catering beginning to drop from its 90% + and growth respectively. butcher, we believe that they high seen through June and July, represent a missed opportunity for the (majority) supermarket buyers.

FAT CLASS: INCREASING FATNESS Time will tell!

CONFORMATION CLASS: IMPROVING CONFORMATION

•

Selling deadweight

• �The proportion of NSL carcasses meeting R3L or better is slowly reducing from a high and is now approaching 50% of those reported over the past 13 weeks.

Selling liveweight

• �Regular monitoring that includes weighing and handling.

•

as the proportion of Heavy lambs available for sale increases. We do not yet know what impact this will have on the quality of lamb carcasses produced at slaughter.

1 E U R O P

2

3L

3H

4L

4H

5

‘The steps to producing the best return for your business include identifying a market and customer(s) and producing animals to meet that specification’

AUGUST & SEPTEMBER 2017

BREXIT Barometer Whether you like it or not the UK is set to leave the EU at the end of March 2019. As we write this article, discussion and negotiation on the “divorce settlement” is underway having started formally on the 19th June 2017. The current three priority areas are the rights of UK and EU citizens, the settlement cost and the Irish/ Northern Ireland border.

Despite the UK wishing to talk about “future trade deals” the EU appears to be in no mood to do this until the “divorce” is further progressed. However the new trade arrangements will be absolutely critical to the future of the sheep and mutton trade - Will the UK have access to the Single Market or not? Will the UK be required to trade on World Trade Organisation (WTO) terms and for how long? Will there be some other arrangements in place?

Over the coming months and even years, there will be much speculation, talk and written information about the terms of the these proposed new trade arrangements as the negotiations develop. The purpose of the BREXIT Barometer will be to highlight current issues or developments and to point you in the direction of more relevant articles for further follow up.

To commentate on this issue “blow by blow” will be incredibly time consuming and detailed. Our aim at SHEEP MATTERS will be to communicate the key messages about what it means for the typical UK sheep producer, so that you are aware and informed. We will publish links to more detailed articles, reports or documents as they become available.

Background information available (10, 11, 12 and 13).

Trade updates Australian lamb production and export forecasts by the Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA) forecast 235,000 tonnes lamb and 110,000 tonnes mutton.

China is a key market for Australia. (4)

Proportion NSL meeting liveweight grades 100 90

% meeting specification

80 70

Sheep meat imports into China have grown in the period January to June 2017 to 146,000 tonnes. This confirms China’s presence as the world’s largest importer of sheep meet, with imports predominately from New Zealand and Australia. (5)

60 50 40 30 20

10 0

Jan

Feb

March April

May SQQ

June

July

Heavy

August Sept

Oct

Nov

Dec

52kg plus

Proportion OSL & NSL meeting specific deadweight classifications 60

% meeting classification

50

A ten week summer campaign highlighting the versatility of Scotch Lamb PGI has been launched in mid August. (7) UK exports have been boosted by the fall in value of sterling compared to our main export competitor, Ireland. (8)

40 30

20 10 0

HCC takes Welsh lamb to London, along the old drovers routes, as part of a key sales drive for the UK market and kick starts its Welsh lamb summer campaign. (6)

Jan

Feb

R2 & better

March

April

R3L & better

May

June R3H & better

July

August too Lean

Sept

Oct

too Fat

Nov

Dec

poor Conformation

Want to know more?

UK imports (January to May 2017) amounted to 41,056 tonnes, comprising 5,122 tonnes from EU; 30,529 tonnes from New Zealand and 4,664 tonnes from Australia. (9) UK exports (January to May 2017) amounted to 33,798 tonnes, comprising (9): • �EU destinations 31,537t (93.3%), mainly France, Germany, Ireland and Belgium.

• �Non EU destinations 2,261t (6.7%), mainly Hong Kong and Ghana.

17

AUGUST & SEPTEMBER 2017

Auction Market Updates Figures are given as weekly average prices for cull ewes and lambs for national livestock auctions in England, Scotland and Wales. Lamb live weights are for prime old season lamb (OS) January to April and prime new season lamb (NS) May to December. Data source, AHDB. Lamb Live Weight Prices - England

Cull Ewes Live Weight Prices - England 90

300 250

70

Price (pence/kg)

60 50 40 30 20

200 150 100 50

10

2016

Dec

Nov

Oct

Sept

Aug

July

June

May

month/week 2016 OS

2017

2016 NS

2017 OS

2017 NS

Lamb Live Weight Prices - Scotland

Cull Ewes Live Weight Prices - Scotland 80

300

70

250

Price (pence /kg)

60 50 40 30 20

200 150 100 50 Nov

Dec Dec

Oct

Sept

Aug

July

June

May

Nov

month/week 2016

April

Jan

month/week

Dec

Nov

Oct

Sept

Aug

July

June

May

April

Mar

Feb

Jan

0

Mar

0

10

Feb

2016 OS

2016 NS

2017 OS

2017 NS

2017

Lamb Live Weight Prices - Wales

Cull Ewes Live Weight Price - Wales 300

80 70

250

Price (pence/kg)

60 50 40 30 20

200 150 100 50

10

2017

Sheep prices in 2017 - Poor pasture conditions throughout the summer of 2016 saw a large carry-over of crop into 2017 due to late finishing. This high level of supply held prices down for the period JanuaryMay 2017. Together with the impact of inflation on consumersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; purchasing power it is expected that prices will generally stay down through this year.

These effects may be offset by a weakened Pound which has led to a growing export market and a reduction in imports of sheep meat. The tight global

Oct

Sept

Aug

July

June

month/week

Month/week 2016

May

Feb

Dec

Nov

Oct

Sept

Aug

July

June

May

April

Mar

Feb

Jan

Jan

0

0

April

Price (pence / kg)

April

month/week

Mar

Jan

Feb

0

Dec

Nov

Oct

Sept

Aug

July

June

May

April

Mar

Feb

Jan

0

Mar

Price (pence / kg)

80

Price (pence / kg)

18

2016 OS

2016 NS

2017 OS

2017 NS

supply of lamb (principally driven by major shortages in New Zealand and Australia) has also helped to keep prices higher than would otherwise be expected. The exceptionally high prices seen in May and early June were a result of the late finishing of early lambs due to adverse Spring weather coupled with a decrease in imports and an increase in exports. The shortages of new season lamb coincided with strong demand (e.g. sourcing of lamb for the Muslim festival of Ramadam).

Prices slipped back in late June as supply of new season lamb increased.

AUGUST & SEPTEMBER 2017

MAGAZINE

ADVERT MOCKUP .....

19

Industry updates Liver fluke warning Dr Phil Skuce from Moredun has warned that a warm, dry Spring followed by a warm, wet Summer has significantly increased the risk of high liver fluke infestations in certain regions this Autumn. This disease costs UK agriculture well in excess of £300 million/year.

Farmers need to be proactive with the management of liver fluke to reduce the adverse effects on livestock. They should avoid high risk pasture this Autumn and make appropriate use of anthelmintics.

Acute infestation can lead to sudden death in previously healthy sheep in August to October, lethargy and reduced grazing. Chronic infestation is characterised by rapid loss in body condition and poor fleece quality. The COWS 5 ‘R’s are a useful reminder for the effective control of liver fluke in sheep: The right product for the worm; right class of animal; right time; right dose rate; and administered in the right way.

Asulam bracken control authorisation period closes The 120 day emergency authorisation for the control of bracken using Asulam ends on 11 September at which point no further sales or distribution can be made.

A use-up period will continue to the end of October 2017. By this time all stocks of Asulam must be applied, destroyed or returned to distributors in sealed containers. All aerial applications must be carried out under permit from the Chemicals Regulation Division, HSE (www.brackencontrol. co.uk).

For parasite forecasting services visit: www.scops.org.uk www.nadis.org.uk

Event watch Sheep Breeders Round Table 2017 Thinking Positively Organised by AHDB, HCC and QMS this biennial conference will focus on genetic improvement in the industry. Taking place in Nottingham, the three-day event is open to anybody with an interest in sheep production and provides an opportunity to learn, develop and network. For more information: http://www.nationalsheep.org.uk/sbrt/

Keep up to date with best practice and farmbased research through technical training and events: England, AHDB http://beefandlamb.ahdb.org.uk/events Scotland, QMS http://www.qmscotland.co.uk/news-and-events Wales, HCC http://hccmpw.org.uk/news_and_events/events National Sheep Association(NSA): Membership funded body that represents the views and interests of sheep producers throughout the UK. http://www.nationalsheep.org.uk/events

New Wormer becomes available in the UK A new wormer, monepantel has become available in the UK marketed as Zolvix. The product has the potential to help improve lamb performance and slow down the development of resistance to anthelmintics.

Care should be taken not to over-use this new product.

It should be used as part of a managed programme of worm control that may require at least three different groups of treatments across a single season. To keep ahead of the resistance game, farmers need to monitor performance and worm challenge through faecal egg counts to carefully plan treatments accordingly. Seek professional advice.