every animal matters, and also because it is a social responsibility. Lambs that are struggling are picked up as well as mis-mothered lambs, which are mothered onto other ewes if possible. Last year they realised they could manoeuvre through the lambing mobs with less disruption if they left it later in the day. “We worked out that if we left them alone in the morning and came back later, they were enjoying the sunshine and we could move around easily without interrupting them,” Tarsh says. “So we generally go around when the day warms up a bit. It made it less stressful for us, and the dogs and sheep seemed more settled.”
STOCKING RATE CRITICAL They are working on minimising lamb losses and Tarsh says getting the stocking rate right is critical so that the ewe has enough feed and there’s ample feed for the lambs when they begin eating grass. “Because as soon as mum hasn’t got enough feed she will start dropping off lambs. Lamb wastage isn’t right for your business so you want every lamb to make it.” The triplet mob of 400 ewes is given the paddocks where the survival rate has been highest. Shelter belts are fenced off so they still provide shelter but don’t create bedlam in bad weather when many ewes
The oldest existing Dorset Downs flock in the country.
are lambing close together. It’s also why they have learnt “less is better” in the triplet mobs. So far they are achieving a triplet survival rate of up to 226%. All ewes are given CampyVax, Toxovax and Covexin 10 for protection, and get a pre-tupping mineral drench of LSD with another drench before lambing most years. Shearing takes place mid-pregnancy in July, and legume pastures have helped with overall animal health.
Last year they successfully trialled leaving the tails on the terminal mob, which meant less work for Daniel and Tarsh and there was no check in the lambs’ growth. They think some lambs get arthritis after tailing also, so tails will stay on that mob again this year. All up, that will be about 1000 Dorset Down cross lambs with tails that will be grazed on the lucerne paddocks. Lambs produce fewer dags on the lucerne and
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Country-Wide
October 2020