September 2008 Update
Ram Stud MOT
A full inspection and evaluation of the ram stud should be undertaken 6-8 weeks before tupping commences. This gives time to correct any problems encountered and the time to source replacements.
The sperm production process in the testes takes 8 weeks. Any disease, physical stress (lameness), or nutritional stress during this period will impair the fertility of the ram. The use of unsound/unfit rams will reduce the lambing percentage and result in an extended lambing period.
Nutrition
Rams will lose 0.5 units of Body Condition Score per week during the mating period. So that their fertility is not compromised they must be in BCS 3.5-4.0 at the start of mating. Avoid them being excessively fat as this will cause poor libido and lower sperm counts. Thin rams can be given between 0.5Kg and 1Kg of concentrate per day (feed formulated to avoid gravel and Copper poisoning) to improve body condition prior to tupping. Where Selenium deficiency has been identified on a farm rams should be given a Selenium supplement 8 weeks pre-tupping.
Parasites
Give rams a worm dose at this stage. Rams should be dosed 4 times per year as they do not develop the same degree of immunity to worms as do their female counterparts. If Liver Fluke is present on the farm then remember to dose the rams with a flukicide. Fasinex/Tribex should be used at this time of year. Feet
Resolve and treat any lameness issues. Where foot rot is a problem rams can be given the footrot vaccine ‘Footvax’ every 6 months to good effect. Examination
Perform this on standing animals. Gently feel both of the testes. Sound rams during the breeding season have 2 large, resilient, freely mobile testes which are similar in size. They should be the consistency of ripe tomatoes and neither hard nor soft when felt. Mature rams should have a scrotal circumference of between 30 and 40 cm. The larger the testes (within normal consistency limits) the bigger the sperm factory then the more ewes he will be able to cover. Ensure the epididymis; the ‘marble’ at the poll of the teste is present and not excessively enlarged, hard or painful.
Check over teeth, brisket, feet, legs and pizzle for lesions or infirmity.
Where abnormalities are detected seek a Veterinary opinion as to whether or not they are significant and likely to cause temporary or permanent loss of fertility. It is these rams that we may collect a semen sample from.
All that glitters…..
Shiny new rams and ewe replacements have the potential to bring with them an array of disease agents. They must all be subjected to rigorous standard quarantine procedures. A common way to introduce wormer resistant worms into a flock is with purchased sheep - pedigree or otherwise.
On arrival home they should be dosed with 2 wormers, a yellow (levamisole) drench and a clear (Cydectin) drench. Yard the sheep for 48 hours on an area that will not subsequently be grazed. After this initial period keep them separate from the main flock for 4 weeks on worm dirty pasture. The latter ensures that should any resistant worms survive the double dosing then they will be diluted down by the indigenous worm population on the dirty pasture.
During this time monitor them closely for signs of disease especially lameness and skin disease.
Doses for fluke (Fasinex) and further treatment for sheep scab may be required. If bringing replacements into a tick infected area then try to source them from existing tick areas to avoid suppression of fertility when rams in particular are exposed to tick for the first time.
Teasers
The use of teasers will induce ovulation and synchronise oestrus in ewes prior to the introduction of fertile rams. This gives a compact lambing so optimising seasonal labour and reducing the opportunity for disease to build up during an extended lambing.
Teasers are used at a rate of 1:100 ewes for 1 week at 2 weeks prior to tupping. Fertile rams at a higher tupping rate of 1:30 ewes must be introduced no later than 2 weeks after teaser introduction. All ewes will show oestrus within 10 days of fertile ram introduction with the peak of mating activity occurring at day 6.
Now is the time to prepare teasers with shearlings being the best candidates.
Sheep Scab
The Autumn treatment is vital for the effective control of sheep scab. Sheep scab continues to cause problems in our area and its control and eradication relies on cooperation between neighbours in synchronising their Autumn treatments. Where flock treatments are staggered or not undertaken on some farms then we see the mites circulating around an area moving from flock to flock. Where treatments are synchronised there are no unprotected hosts for the mite to survive on and eradication within an area can be achieved. Attention then focuses on biosecurity whereby purchased sheep or those returning from summer grazings are quarantined and treated for sheep scab.
We recommend the first 3 weeks of October as being the treatment window for sheep scab.
Parasite Warning
Surprise, surprise Nadis are predicting that this Autumn we will see a particularly high parasite challenge to livestock, including fluke, gut worms and lung worm because of the wet summer.
On farms where liver fluke has been identified ewes should be drenched with a Triclabendazole (Fasinex/Tribex) flukicide pre tupping. Where liver fluke has not been identified then blood and faecal screening is advisable as we are detecting it on an increasing number of farms and infection can certainly suppress conception rates as well as impacting on body condition.
We have already seen a number of cases of lung worm in yearling and young adult cattle so be on the look out for the typical hoozey cough when animals are moved.
DT
A full inspection and evaluation of the ram stud should be undertaken 6-8 weeks before tupping commences. This gives time to correct any problems encountered and the time to source replacements.
The sperm production process in the testes takes 8 weeks. Any disease, physical stress (lameness), or nutritional stress during this period will impair the fertility of the ram. The use of unsound/unfit rams will reduce the lambing percentage and result in an extended lambing period.
Nutrition
Rams will lose 0.5 units of Body Condition Score per week during the mating period. So that their fertility is not compromised they must be in BCS 3.5-4.0 at the start of mating. Avoid them being excessively fat as this will cause poor libido and lower sperm counts. Thin rams can be given between 0.5Kg and 1Kg of concentrate per day (feed formulated to avoid gravel and Copper poisoning) to improve body condition prior to tupping. Where Selenium deficiency has been identified on a farm rams should be given a Selenium supplement 8 weeks pre-tupping.
Parasites
Give rams a worm dose at this stage. Rams should be dosed 4 times per year as they do not develop the same degree of immunity to worms as do their female counterparts. If Liver Fluke is present on the farm then remember to dose the rams with a flukicide. Fasinex/Tribex should be used at this time of year. Feet
Resolve and treat any lameness issues. Where foot rot is a problem rams can be given the footrot vaccine ‘Footvax’ every 6 months to good effect. Examination
Perform this on standing animals. Gently feel both of the testes. Sound rams during the breeding season have 2 large, resilient, freely mobile testes which are similar in size. They should be the consistency of ripe tomatoes and neither hard nor soft when felt. Mature rams should have a scrotal circumference of between 30 and 40 cm. The larger the testes (within normal consistency limits) the bigger the sperm factory then the more ewes he will be able to cover. Ensure the epididymis; the ‘marble’ at the poll of the teste is present and not excessively enlarged, hard or painful.
Check over teeth, brisket, feet, legs and pizzle for lesions or infirmity.
Where abnormalities are detected seek a Veterinary opinion as to whether or not they are significant and likely to cause temporary or permanent loss of fertility. It is these rams that we may collect a semen sample from.
All that glitters…..
Shiny new rams and ewe replacements have the potential to bring with them an array of disease agents. They must all be subjected to rigorous standard quarantine procedures. A common way to introduce wormer resistant worms into a flock is with purchased sheep - pedigree or otherwise.
On arrival home they should be dosed with 2 wormers, a yellow (levamisole) drench and a clear (Cydectin) drench. Yard the sheep for 48 hours on an area that will not subsequently be grazed. After this initial period keep them separate from the main flock for 4 weeks on worm dirty pasture. The latter ensures that should any resistant worms survive the double dosing then they will be diluted down by the indigenous worm population on the dirty pasture.
During this time monitor them closely for signs of disease especially lameness and skin disease.
Doses for fluke (Fasinex) and further treatment for sheep scab may be required. If bringing replacements into a tick infected area then try to source them from existing tick areas to avoid suppression of fertility when rams in particular are exposed to tick for the first time.
Teasers
The use of teasers will induce ovulation and synchronise oestrus in ewes prior to the introduction of fertile rams. This gives a compact lambing so optimising seasonal labour and reducing the opportunity for disease to build up during an extended lambing.
Teasers are used at a rate of 1:100 ewes for 1 week at 2 weeks prior to tupping. Fertile rams at a higher tupping rate of 1:30 ewes must be introduced no later than 2 weeks after teaser introduction. All ewes will show oestrus within 10 days of fertile ram introduction with the peak of mating activity occurring at day 6.
Now is the time to prepare teasers with shearlings being the best candidates.
Sheep Scab
The Autumn treatment is vital for the effective control of sheep scab. Sheep scab continues to cause problems in our area and its control and eradication relies on cooperation between neighbours in synchronising their Autumn treatments. Where flock treatments are staggered or not undertaken on some farms then we see the mites circulating around an area moving from flock to flock. Where treatments are synchronised there are no unprotected hosts for the mite to survive on and eradication within an area can be achieved. Attention then focuses on biosecurity whereby purchased sheep or those returning from summer grazings are quarantined and treated for sheep scab.
We recommend the first 3 weeks of October as being the treatment window for sheep scab.
Parasite Warning
Surprise, surprise Nadis are predicting that this Autumn we will see a particularly high parasite challenge to livestock, including fluke, gut worms and lung worm because of the wet summer.
On farms where liver fluke has been identified ewes should be drenched with a Triclabendazole (Fasinex/Tribex) flukicide pre tupping. Where liver fluke has not been identified then blood and faecal screening is advisable as we are detecting it on an increasing number of farms and infection can certainly suppress conception rates as well as impacting on body condition.
We have already seen a number of cases of lung worm in yearling and young adult cattle so be on the look out for the typical hoozey cough when animals are moved.
DT