Dr Sue McCoard is a senior scientist for AgResearch who has spent much of her career researching livestock rearing, survival and nutrition, including lambs raised for the meat and dairy industries. With AgResearch colleagues, Sue has produced a Lamb Rearing Guide that is available as a free resource to farmers.
Here, McCoard identifies what the research shows are the five key focus areas for farmers to achieve successful lambing, and good outcomes from early life as those lambs are raised:
1. It starts with Mum
The research shows that having good nutrition and body condition score for the pregnant ewe is critical to support ewe lactation, lamb survival and growth. Nutrient requirements increase substantially in mid-late gestation and early lactation. Body condition scoring and pregnancy scanning are great tools to support nutritional management to target the right feed to the right animal at the right time.
2. Environment and shelter
Well-fed ewes have greater reserves to cope with stressful condition (e.g. poor weather) and have stronger more vigorous lambs. Young lambs, especially in the first few weeks of life are particularly vulnerable to environmental factors that can influence their ability to survive and thrive. Requirements vary for lambs that are naturally reared outside to those artificially reared in housed systems (e.g. orphans or lambs in dairy sheep systems).
