A lack of defined breeding policy is a significant limitation to improving performance on many farms. This was a key message delivered by Teagasc sheep specialists Frank Campion and Damian Costello at the Teagasc sheep breeding workshops held nationwide in recent weeks.

At last week’s event on the farm of John O’Connell, a Teagasc BETTER farm participant located in Ballinamore, Co Leitrim, Frank Campion said that many farmers are breeding from year-to-year without thinking of the long-term consequences for their flock.

These farmers need to sit down and ask themselves the question of what they want from their flock

“We visit many farms where they might have a Suffolk ram this year, move on to a Charollais, for example, the following year and on to a Texel a couple of years later.

These flocks are moving too quickly and are not given a chance to see what is working and what is not. These farmers need to sit down and ask themselves the question of what they want from their flock.”

Franks says the obvious starting point is some level of prolificacy as the more lambs you wean, the more lambs you have to sell and the more money you potentially have in your pocket.

The second consideration is a breed of ewe that suits your system.

Frank advises farmers to consider looking at a maternal breed type that can cross well with a terminal sire.

“In this scenario, you have a ewe that will not only lamb down easily, rear her own lambs with little assistance but also produces a lamb that – in the case of a male lamb – will be fit for sale and in good condition in a short period of time.”

Gradual change

It is going to take four to five years for a breeding policy to kick in or even longer if the replacement rate is lower than 20% to 25%.

A central part of achieving continuous gain is keeping good records.

John O’Connell says that he was slow to record in the beginning but once he saw the data coming back and the benefit that could be gained from it, he improved.

“There’s definitely a lot of work in it but if you put the results in, you’ll get the results out. Every man has their own way of doing it but as long as you know yourself and can get the benefit from it, that’s all that matters.”

Now, if I’m scanning 2, 2.1 or 2.2 lambs, I can afford to lose some lambs and still have a higher number to sell

John says if a ewe gives birth to twin lambs that he likes and ticks all the boxes in terms of milk yield, mothering ability, good feet and “all the other things you want including two good lambs standing beside her”, he puts a red disc in their ear (with the ear tag). He uses a blue disc for triplets and a green disc for quadruplet lambs.

This does not mean that all lambs are selected – rather that all lambs that he initially likes are identified with further drafting taking place throughout the year.

John O’Connell has gone from a situation of buying in replacements to breeding his own with Belclare and Suffolk genetics used. The breeding policy is delivering more lambs on the ground.

Suffolk and Belclare cross ewe lambs on John O'Connell's farm. Suitable replacements are identified at birth allowing further drafting throughout the year.

“Years ago when I was scanning 1.6 lambs, the most lambs I could sell was 1.6. Now, if I’m scanning 2, 2.1 or 2.2 lambs, I can afford to lose some lambs and still have a higher number to sell.

"There is more work with triplets but if you are set up for them you’ll get the benefit in increased sales.”

Recorded rams

On ram selection, Frank says that using performance recorded rams will open up the potential of selecting rams that meet the flock’s breeding targets on a maternal or terminal basis.

The two of these can co-exist in a flock with the scanning percentage influencing the number of ewes that need to be mated to breed a sufficient number to service a consistent replacement rate of 20% to 25%.

In John’s case, he focuses on breeding surplus ewe lambs to take advantage of a market for good-quality replacements.

Purchasing replacements

The big benefit in a system purchasing replacements is the simplicity in terms of being able to sell all the lambs produced.

For those breeding hoggets at 18 months of age, there is no additional batch of ewe lambs on the farm. There is a significant risk, however, of introducing disease.

“We know that farmers try to sell good-quality stock but even with the best will in the world there is a risk.

"Some farms may have an enzootic risk, others CODD, for example, and for those of you not carrying it these are the last things you want to bring into your flock.”

The importance of visually inspecting the health status of animals at purchase and then implementing a good quarantine procedure cannot be emphasised enough

Frank advises farmers to try to limit the risk of this by buying from known breeders where the disease status of the flock is recognised and a programme is in place that promotes a high health status.

The importance of visually inspecting the health status of animals at purchase and then implementing a good quarantine procedure cannot be emphasised enough.

The important aspects are guarding against introducing anthelmintic-resistant worms and treating for lameness, external parasites, liver fluke and a vaccination protocol including enzootic abortion, toxoplasmosis and clostridial disease.

Purchasing in replacements potentially limits the potential of making genetic gain in the flock.

Where possible, investigate if the flock is using performance-recorded rams while purchasing from known sources. This will also help to establish the type of ewe present on the farm.