Weaning should not be driven by the calendar – but by what the flock is telling us through lamb performance, ewe body condition and grazing availability, writes Nerys Wright.
Many flocks may wean at a similar point each year, but the right timing can shift depending on the season, grass supply and how ewes and lambs are performing. A timely weaning decision can support the current lamb crop while also influencing next season’s scanning results.
At the time of writing, we were experiencing a colder spell, although conditions were still dry. If it turns out like last year, with dry weather and short grass, the temptation can be to delay weaning and keep lambs on the ewes for longer.
False economy
However, that can be a false economy. By around 12 weeks of age, very little of the lamb’s nutrition is still coming from the ewe’s milk, and under tighter grazing conditions the ewe and lamb are effectively competing for the same feed.
As a guide, ewes should be weaned at a body condition score of 2.5, giving them time to gain around one condition score before tupping. If ewes need to regain condition before tupping, the sooner they are weaned and managed separately, the better their chance of reaching target condition at the right time.
The impact of ewe condition at weaning was a key finding of my PhD, but it is also something we have seen repeatedly in practice. Weaning gives ewes the opportunity to stop milking, recover body reserves and be better prepared for the next breeding cycle.
It also allows lambs to be managed separately according to weight, growth rate and finishing potential. Most recently, I have seen this again through a project I am working on, where the benefits of timely weaning and better management are being documented.
If you’d like to know more about this project – and see some of the results as they happen, visit the Weston Farm YouTube channel. You can find the channel by searching for Farmweston on YouTube.
Nerys Wright is an independent sheep consultant. For more details, call 07891 187643 or visit sheepconsultancy.co.uk.