OPPORTUNITIES to improve scanning percentages and lamb survival rates will be among the key discussion areas at the next meeting of the Shetland Monitor Farm on Saturday, April 1.

Host farmers Kirsty and Aimee Budge from Bigton Farm are due to start lambing their 240 Shetland cross Cheviot ewes outside in May. At the meeting, the Budge sisters will explain how they manage their ewes in the run up to lambing, and their hopes for this year’s lambing.

The Budges are generally happy with their scanning results – in 2016 the ewes scanned at 157%, and this increased to 164% this year. However the sisters, who have managed the farm since 2014 with support from their family, are keen to improve their current rearing percentage of 109%.

“Bigton generally has a good scanning percentage but we lose a lot of lambs before weaning,” said Kirsty Budge. “So we are keen to hear from others on Shetland about how we can improve this as clearly every lamb successfully reared makes an important contribution to our farm income.

“We would also like to learn why some of our ewes lose their lambs after scanning and hope that others who farm on Shetland will share their experiences so that all the flockowners in Shetland can benefit and reduce losses in their own flocks.”

Both Kirsty and Aimee know that it is important that pregnant ewes receive the right nutrition throughout pregnancy. The influence of protein in the ewes’ diet before lambing will be discussed, as well as the other nutritional requirements to produce strong lambs with good survival rates.

Assessing condition score of ewes plays a very important role in achieving this and at the meeting facilitator Graham Fraser from SAC Consulting Lerwick will demonstrate some condition scoring techniques to ensure ewes are in the correct condition in the run-up to lambing.

He will be joined by Jim Tait of Shetland Vets, who will give an overview of how flockowners can prevent and minimise problems at lambing and provide tips to help save hypothermic lambs.

Aimee added: “We are really looking forward to getting some thoughts on how we can boost the number of lambs born and successfully reared at Bigton. Hopefully information shared at this meeting will help us and others in the area looking to improve their flocks’ efficiency.”