Getting ready for lambing 2025 can’t begin too soon. While the weather remains unpredictable, there are steps you can take to tip the scales in your favour and ensure your lambs get off to the best possible start.
Optimising your lambing setup
Start by evaluating your lambing area to improve labour efficiency, provide adequate space for ewes, and maintain high hygiene standards.
Labour efficiency plays a significant role in lamb survival, so organising your pens in advance can save time and reduce stress. Consider using toolbelts or storage boxes to keep all your essentials within easy reach. For indoor setups, installing water pipes across multiple pens can save time hauling buckets, while netting above pens can simplify feeding hay or silage. Look critically at your facilities – what changes can make the process smoother for you and your team without compromising the flock’s welfare? Stock up on disinfectants, gloves, and hand sanitiser early, as maintaining cleanliness will be crucial. Good bedding management is also essential.
Consider approaches to improve communication for a smoother lambing season. Whiteboards or simple feed lids on pens can keep people aware of priority issues. Agree the system with the team with rules such as when to assist a ewe lambing or when additional colostrum might be required.
It is important this direction is clear so that people don’t assist too often, causing unnecessary stress and infection risk.
Focus on colostrum quality and availability
Ensuring lambs receive sufficient colostrum is key to preventing watery mouth and giving them the best start in life. This process begins with properly feeding the ewe flock. Test your forage and provide supplements to meet energy and protein needs. When choosing feed, don’t just focus on price – check the energy and protein content. Lower-cost feeds often have reduced energy levels, meaning you’ll need more to achieve the same results. Look for high-quality ingredients like barley, wheat, and distillers’ grains, and avoid feeds dominated by lower-value components like wheatfeed or palm kernel expellers.
A relaxed ewe is more likely to bond with her lamb and encourage natural suckling, particularly important for first-time lambers. High stocking densities can increase ewe stress, which may hinder bonding and therefore natural colostrum transfer to lambs. Aim to provide each ewe with at least 1.2 m² of lying space. Create a calm, predictable environment by feeding at consistent times, avoiding the presence of dogs in the shed, and minimising interference.
If natural colostrum transfer isn’t possible, the next best option is colostrum from another ewe in the flock. Freeze surplus colostrum in 250ml portions using ice cube bags or small bottles – it can be stored for up to a week in the fridge or a year in the freezer. Frozen colostrum must be defrosted slowly in a warm water bath – microwave heating or boiling water will damage the antibodies. A 5kg lamb needs 250ml of colostrum within the first four hours of life and 1 litre within the first 24 hours. If flock colostrum isn’t available, consider pooled cows’ colostrum from a Johne’s-free herd.
Artificial colostrum can be used as a last resort.
Cold lambs
A thermometer is useful to understand intervention measures for cold lambs. Their normal temperature is 39°C. If between 37°C and 39°C and able to swallow, they should be fed warm colostrum and returned to mother in a relatively warm environment. If below 37°C and able to swallow, warm up the lamb first, then feed colostrum and return to mother. For those unable to swallow, consider a glucose injection. Ask your vet for a demonstration.
Key targets for a smooth lambing season
Here are some benchmarks to aim for:
- Ewe body condition score: Lowland/Upland, 3-3.5; Hill, 2.5
- Indoor space requirements: 1.2m² per ewe
- Colostrum needs: 250ml within four hours, 1 litre within 24 hours for a 5kg lamb
- Individual pens: six pens per 100 ewes
- Trough space (non-ad-lib feeding): 50cm per ewe
- Ad-lib feeding and silage space: 15cm per ewe
- Maximum concentrate feed per sitting: 0.5kg
- Metabolisable energy (ME) for twin-bearing 80kg ewe (three weeks pre-lambing): 17 MJ ME per ewe
- Metabolisable protein (MP) for twin-bearing 80kg ewe (three weeks pre-lambing): 122g per ewe
- Normal lamb temperature: 39°C
For more expert independent advice and services for livestock producers throughout the lambing period, get in touch with SAC Consulting on livestock@sac.co.uk or visit www.sac.co.uk/livestock for further information.
Share