Sheep Matters - August/ September 2017

SHEEP MATTERS 

“In With A Bang, And Out Like Fools!” 

Get Ready For Tupping 2017 

INSIDE 

TECHNICAL 

FOCUS ON R&D and 

TECHNOLOGY 

Understanding EBVs for better 

performance 

FEEDING THE FACTS 

Using BCS to plan ewe nutrition 

PERFORMANCE 

Making sense of liveweight and 

deadweight prices 

Getting to grips with costs 

MARKETS 

Are you producing what the 

market wants? 

Auction market updates 

BREXIT barometer 

SPOTLIGHT ON NOW 

ON THE FARM 

The ram MOT 

Industry updates 

Event watch 

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE 

THE BIGGER PICTURE 

Unlocking maximum value in the 

industry for a sustainable future 

AUGUST & 

SEPTEMBER 2017

2 

AUGUST & SEPTEMBER 2017 

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AUGUST & SEPTEMBER 2017 3 

Foreword from the Editors 

Welcome to this first 

edition of “SHEEP 

MATTERS” a new 

subscription based 

publication for the UK 

sheep industry. 

The aim of this publication 

is to help anybody with 

an interest in the sheep 

industry to keep aware of, 

and up-to date with, new 

developments in markets, 

consumer trends, research 

and technology and to help 

them consider how to make 

changes to their businesses 

to innovate and grow. 

The sheep industry will face 

unprecedented challenges 

over the coming years 

and will need access to 

innovation, learning and 

new skills. We are looking to 

address these knowledge 

gaps where they exist. Our 

aim is to not replicate what 

others are doing in the 

sector but to complement it 

by providing information in 

a single publication that is 

digestible, engaging, relevant 

and timely. 

We will provide a well 

balanced range of articles 

covering markets, prices, 

trade and performance 

analysis. Scientific research, 

technology and technical 

updates will be provided in 

an easy to understand format. 

We will also highlight farmbased 

best practice as well 

as produce a regular feature 

that takes a wider industry 

view. As Editors we will invite 

articles from leading industry 

experts or those at the 

“farm face” to bring you this 

information. 

Our approach is to present 

our content in a thought 

provoking and stimulating 

way. We want to encourage 

the reader to reflect on “what 

it might mean for them”. We 

encourage our readers to 

consider further or followup 

on any of the issues 

presented using our unique 

QR codes; to access further 

resources and information. 

Want to know more? 

We hope that you enjoy 

reading this edition and would 

welcome any comments or 

feedback you might have! 

SHEEP MATTERS is published 

8 times per year with up to two 

additional supplements. It is available 

to subscribers in print and digital 

format. 

SHEEP MATTERS is published by 

GORSE services limited. 

Registered offi ce 19 Fenkle Street, 

Alnwick, Northumberland, NE66 1HW. 

Editors 

Emma Green Tel (07557) 119947 

John Hutchins Tel (07469) 709607 

Subscriptions 

http://www.sheepmatters.co.uk 

info@gorse-services.com 

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John Hutchins Tel (07469) 709607 

john.hutchins@gorse-services.com 

Disclaimer 

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outside of the address to which it was 

sent by the Publisher. Whilst every 

effort is made to ensure the accuracy 

of information published, the Editor 

and Publisher cannot accept any 

responsibility whatsoever for errors, 

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opinion in either editorial or advertising 

copy, or for any loss no matter how 

caused. 

Views expressed and information 

contained in SHEEP MATTERS are not 

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limited. 

© GORSE services limited 2017 all 

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Designed by Blue Tongue Design Ltd. 

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4 


Making sense of liveweight and deadweight pric 

Focussing on price 

alone misses the bigger 

picture. 

Can you afford to just focus on 

the income generated from lamb 

sales and not consider the costs 

and profitability of producing 

those animals? 

The way to maximise financial 

returns to your business is to 

produce and sell the type of lambs 

that buyers want and are willing to 

pay for. The most profitable farmers 

match their production to market 

demand by adopting appropriate 

breeding, feeding and health 

strategies. 

‘Do you fully 

understand the true 

costs of producing 

lambs that do 

not meet market 

specification?’ 

R3L 

R3H 

19 kg 19 kg 

£83.94 £82.86 

Deadweight marketing commentary 

Moving beyond the third week of May, the data reported are for New Season Lamb from a sample of 

abattoirs in Great Britain with 448,353 animals being reported during June and July. This represents 

approximately 21.4% of the national stock being slaughtered during this period and is therefore indicative of 

prices and quality being achieved. 

The average price paid has continued to drop from the highs seen in early June with this SQQ price per kilo 

now reflecting the price reported for the specific R3L category. Prices for conformation R and above, with fat 

class 2 or 3L continue to attract a premium over the same shape animal with fat class 3H. This reflects the 

continued demand for leaner types. Using our spot price, a typical 19kg carcass would achieve a price of 

£83.94 at R3L versus £82.86 at R3H, obtaining a premium of £1.08 for the leaner animal. Can you afford to not 

meet R3L or better specification? 

Using our analysis, over the 13 week period of the current NSL marketing period, the premium paid for 

producing the leaner lamb has averaged £1.35 per animal. Why would you not produce the leaner animal 

to achieve this premium? What is the true cost (direct and indirect) to your business of producing the fatter 

animal?


ces 

Whether you are marketing 

liveweight or deadweight, market 

prices are widely reported in the 

farming community and press 

but what does this actually mean 

for you? How do prices per kilo 

translate into a price per animal? 

How does this relate to your costs 

of production? 

The data reported in this article 

are GB weekly average prices from 

AHDB Beef & Lamb with the spot 

prices used in the infographics 

taking data from the week ending 

12 August 2017. 

These infographics have been 

designed to specifically highlight 

the price (before abattoir, mart 

or Levy deductions) that you 

would receive for a representative 

animal that meets a specific grade 

requirement. 

‘Can you afford to 

lose £1.08 per 19 

kg carcass by not 

producing lambs to 

meet R3L or better 

specification?’ 

SHEEP Ma(ers - September 2017 edi7on - Liveweight and deadweight price ar7cle 

Standard Medium Heavy 

38 kg 42 kg 47 kg 

£71.59 £81.94 £91.46 

Liveweight marketing commentary 

The average number of New Season Lamb sold in auction markets has risen to over 117,000 per week during 

the first two weeks of August. As a consequence the average SQQ price continues to drop from the highs 

seen in early June and this drop is reflected across prices for all other weight categories. 

The increase in NSL has predominately been in Medium grade lamb (39.1 to 45.5 kg) which now trades at 

just over 60% of all stock sold, with the proportion of Standard grade (32.1 to 39 kg) dropping towards 20% 

of lambs sold. The number of Heavy lambs (45.6 to 52 kg) is slowly beginning to rise, reaching nearly 10% of 

stock sold. 

The Old Season Lamb trade is now virtually finished with approximately 300 animals sold in the week ending 

12 August 2017. 

As has been the case for the past eight weeks, there is no price premium for producing a Standard or 

Medium lamb rather than a Heavy one. This market signal will encourage producers to increase the size 

of animals marketed to maximise revenue earned. What impact will this have on the quality of carcass 

produced? Will the animals remain lean or carry additional fat? 

Using our spot price, a typical 42 kg lamb would achieve a price of £81.94 versus £91.46 for a 47 kg animal. 

The heavier lamb provides a premium of £9.52 per animal. This will be very attractive to the bank manager 

but are there any hidden costs or consequences to your business?

6 


Getting to grips with costs 

Working out your 

profitability 

Prices are important. After all it is 

the pay cheque at the end of the 

day that counts – or is it? 

It is good to know how much you 

got paid for your last consignment 

of lambs that you sold deadweight, 

or what the price per kilo was at the 

auction mart. And, you can use your 

knowledge of current markets and 

longer-term trends in prices to help 

you make decisions about when, 

how, where and what to sell. But in 

reality you have no influence over 

what those prices will be. 

BREXIT will add further uncertainty 

to your farm business - What will 

be the impact on the value of land? 

When will we know more about the 

level of support payments farmers 

can expect in the long term? Again, 

these are factors over which you 

have no control. 

‘Production costs are 

under your influence 

and controlling these 

is likely to have a 

significant impact on 

your bottom line’ 

If you are serious about improving 

the profitability of your business 

then you need to get to grips with 

understanding your production 

costs and knowing whether they 

are competitive and how your 

business performs before taking 

account of direct payments. 

Over the next few issues we will 

explore how understanding and 

managing costs can help you to 

make better informed decisions 

about whether to take a certain 

course of action or not. This will 

help you decide on how or when 

to innovate and introduce new 

techniques on the farm which will 

add to your competitive position. 

These may include decisions 

around whether to switch from 

traditional to rotational grazing, 

whether to out-source faecal egg 

counting or train yourself up to 

do it in-house, whether to pay 

for post-mortem examinations to 

better understand the health status 

of your flock, when to stop creep 

feeding, and when to sell pets, 

whether to worm the whole flock or 

selected individuals for example. 

Identifying and measuring costs 

allows different interventions to 

be compared and also allows 

them to be weighed against the 

benefits or returns of a particular 

action. This gives an un-biased and 

informed basis upon which to make 

decisions. 

We will look at costs that quickly 

come to mind such as veterinary, 

medicine and feed expenditures 

as well as delving deeper into the 

hidden, or, sometimes ignored 

costs like labour, lost opportunity 

and consequential costs. 

When we think about costs it is 

important to take into account 

both fixed costs and variable costs. 

Fixed costs are those which we pay 

whether we are working or not (e.g. 

rent, utilities, insurance). Variable 

costs are those that depend on 

what is being produced (e.g. 

labour, feed and forage, transport, 

medicines) and are often much 

harder to pin down so get ignored! 

Over the next few issues the simple 

message will be that to improve 

profitability, you need to focus on 

interventions that have low costs 

and big benefits. Until you identify 

the real costs and understand how 

to control them you may not be 

focusing on the practices that are 

likely to bring you the best returns. 

CBA is not a panacea 

but it is a useful to tool 

to help you look at how 

your practices impact on 

profitability. 

The example opposite is 

a good starting point to 

think about the effi cacy of 

flushing but are all the costs 

considered? 

• What are the labour costs 

associated lambing an extra 

110 lambs? 

• What are the feed and 

healthcare costs of rearing 

the extra lambs? 

• What is the lost opportunity 

cost of using grass to raise 

these lambs rather than 

‘saving’ it to bring ewes to a 

condition at mating whereby 

they do not need flushing in 

the first place? 

Want to know more?


Cost Benefit Analysis (CBA) - to flush or not 

to flush? 

The value of knowing your 

costs to inform production/ 

management decisions is 

demonstrated in the example 

below which explores the 

efficacy of flushing ewes in the 

run up to mating. 

This CBA is derived from a project 

in New Zealand that assessed 

the effect of flushing on lamb 

production from Romney and 

Finn/Romney cross ewes (1). 

The analysis has been updated 

to include current UK prices (2). 

While the example is a useful 

demonstration of how a CBA 

can inform production decisions, 

it should be noted that the 

research was conducted in New 

Zealand and may not be directly 

transferable to the UK situation. 

It is also important to remember 

that different breeds will respond 

differently to flushing. 

INPUT UNIT COST (£) COST/EWE/DAY (£) 

Barley (150g/day) 125/tonne 0.019 

Silage (130g/day) 105/tonne DM 0.014 

Total 0.033 

over 35 day flushing (0.0.33 x 35) £ 1.16/ewe 

For a 1000 ewes 

Feed £ 1160.00 

Labour (@ 35 hrs) 10.35/hr £ 724.50 

TOTAL COSTS £ 1884.50 

0.15 extra eggs 0.11 lambs/ewe 

(minus wastage of 0.04) produced/ewe 

0.11 extra lambs/ewe for 1000 ewes 110 lambs 

TOTAL INCOME (£66.70 average price/lamb) £7337 

NET RETURN £ 7337 – £ 1884.50 £ 5452.50* 

* Heavy ewes at mating have minimal response to flushing. A financial 

loss may occur in this case as there would be very few extra lambs 

resulting from additional feed costs. 

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8 


The ram MOT 

Is your ram up to the 

job? 

Rams are expensive to buy so you 

want them to last and do a good 

job. A healthy ram should be able 

to work for at least 3 or 4 breeding 

seasons and should produce 

vigorous lambs that survive well 

to express desired traits. Using 

unsound rams will reduce your 

lambing percentage and is likely 

to result in a protracted lambing 

period. 

The ram MOT 

A breeding ram needs healthy 

genital organs, a normal libido, 

the physical ability to mount and 

mate, adequate sperm quantity and 

quality and immunity from diseases 

that may be endemic in your flock. 

‘carry out a ram MOT 

at least ten weeks 

before tupping to help 

you identify and treat 

potential breeding 

problems in good time’ 

Disease in rams 

A ram’s fertility and/or ability to 

mate are particularly affected by 

infestations of parasitic worms and 

liver fluke, and by lameness. Other 

diseases to look out for include 

caseous lymphadenitis (CLA) 

Hoof trimming costs! 

Labour costs - somebody has to do it. 

Lost opportunity costs - you could be doing something else instead. 

Delayed recovery - hoof trimming can delay healing and extend the 

period of lameness. 

Treatment costs - trimming can make things worse which then 

requires the use of further medical treatments. 

Lost growth - trimming causes stress to the animals and while they 

are being treated they are not eating! 

which can be caused by bacterial 

infection of fighting wounds 

on the head, ovine pulmonary 

adenocarcinoma (OPA/ Jaagsiekte), 

which is increasing in incidence 

among rams and is usually fatal (2). 

Of special note are bacterial 

diseases of the feet (scald, footrot 

and CODD). They not only cause 

pain and lameness affecting 

grazing and mounting ability, 

but also reduce fertility due to 

increased body temperature. Early 

identification and prompt treatment 

are important to ensure your ram 

is fit for breeding (2). Treatments 

include the use of long-acting 

oxytetracycline along with topical 

applications of anti-bacterial 

sprays. Pain can be reduced by 

anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). 

Trimming/paring of the hoof is not 

generally recommended as this 

can delay healing (3,4). 

The importance of body 

condition scoring (BCS) 

BCS is an easy and accurate 

method of estimating the condition 

and nutritional well-being of an 

animal. It requires the assessment 

of the amount of muscle and fat 

covering the backbone and short 

ribs to give a picture of the ram’s 

store of energy. 

BCS can influence semen volume 

and sperm motility as well as 

hormone levels. For example, 

testosterone concentration which 

affects sexual behaviour has been 

found to be significantly higher 

in rams with an optimum BCS of 

3-3.5 (5). It is recommended that 

a ram’s BCS should be around 3.5 

prior to breeding. If body condition 

is low a high protein diet can be 

administered 10 weeks prior to 

breeding. However, it is important 

not to over-feed a ram before 

tupping as this can lead to poor 

mating ability and reduced fertility (1).


It’s a private matter! 

It takes 7 weeks to produce sperm 

so it is important to examine your 

ram’s penis and testicles with 

plenty of time prior to mating (6). 

Measure scrotal circumference 

because sperm production is 

directly correlated to testicular 

width. If an adult ram’s scrotum is 

less than 32 cm in circumference 

(about the size of a large 

grapefruit!) it is preferable not 

to use it. Sperm production can 

be improved by up to 100% with 

suitable nutritional intake 8-10 

weeks prior to mating, although 

overfeeding can also result in 

infertility (6). 

‘Is your ram cooking his 

testicles?’ 

Hot weather in July and August can 

cause testicular degeneration (the 

testes will feel soft rather than firm 

and springy). The scrotum is rich in 

sweat glands. These help to cool 

the testicles when they are able 

to hang freely. But, in hot weather 

rams will lie down to stay cool. By 

lying on their testicles the ram will 

literally ‘cook’ them! To help avoid 

this ensure rams are shorn and 

have adequate shade and plenty of 

water (1). 

Examination of the penis and 

sheath is important. Damage or 

infection that leads to irritation or 

ulceration will obviously affect the 

mating ability of your ram. 

If you are in doubt about the 

fertility of your ram, a professional 

evaluation of semen will measure 

sperm motility, morphology and 

white blood cell counts which may 

indicate the presence of disease. 


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10 


Understanding EBVs for better performance 

Genetics and 

productivity 

Building a flock that requires fewer 

inputs but gives increased outputs 

will lead to improved profitability. 

Selective breeding provides 

farmers with the tools to produce 

lambs that better meet customer 

requirements. It is achieved by 

using high performance rams to 

improve the long-term genetic 

make-up of a flock. 

Recorded information about the 

genetic potential of a ram allows 

producers to make informed 

choices about which ram will best 

serve their productivity goals. 

Using a high-performance ram 

can lead to increased lamb growth 

rates and improved carcass 

conformation. This will result in 

shorter finishing times, lower feed 

and labour costs and higher prices. 

Ewe fertility and mothering ability 

can also be enhanced because 

maternal traits are passed via the 

ram to his female offspring. 

‘Can you afford not 

to know the genetic 

potential of your rams?’ 

Gains in lamb growth rates and 

carcass indicators have improved 

at a greater rate in recorded 

flocks that use selective breeding 

compared to producers who rely on 

more traditional approaches. 

Breeding gains for the UK sheep 

sector have been estimated at 

an annualised value of £10.7M (1). 

And this pattern applies across the 

major sheep producing countries in 

the world. Trials in the UK suggest 

that an additional £2-£3 per lamb 

can be achieved by using high 

performance recorded rams (2,3). 

What are EBVs and 

Genetic Indexes? 

Estimated Breeding Values 

(EBVs) have been used in the 

sheep industry for 25 years. They 

predict the merit of the genes 

Genes Pay 

On an average Non-SDA farm with a breeding flock of 688 and a 

replacement rate of 22.9% this could potentially lead to an additional 

return of £2211 to the business each year. The potential additional 

return increases to £2520 for an average SDA farm with a breeding 

flock of 814 and a replacement rate of 26.3%. Based on average ewe 

to ram ratios this means that knowing the genetic potential of your 

rams could increase your returns by between £769 and £942 per ram 

over four breeding years. 

Calculations based on data from Stocktake Report 2016 (4). 

that a breeding stock animal 

has for a variety of traits. Data 

are recorded by breeders at 

pre-mating, lambing, 8-weeks 

post lambing and 21 weeks postlambing. 

Modern methods also 

use CT scanning to generate data. 

EBVs are calculated from these 

performance data along with 

information about known relatives, 

where the effects of environment 

(e.g. nutrition, management) are 

removed. This analysis uses a 

procedure called BLUP (Best Linear 

Unbiased Predictor). 

An EBV gives an independent 

assessment of an individual ram’s 

genetic potential relative to a 

common baseline. EBVs have been 

developed for a range of traits. 

A Breeding Index may also be 

generated that combines a number 

of EBV traits. This aids decisionmaking 

around a set of objectives 

that require the improvement of 

several traits at once. Economic 

weightings are applied to the 

individual traits that make up the 

breeding index to reflect current 

market conditions. Commonly 

used Indexes include the Terminal 

Sire Index (combining growth and 

carcass traits to select superior 

terminal sires); the Maternal 

Index (focusing on early lamb 

growth rate, maternal ability and 

prolificacy. These indexes are 

useful for self-replacing flocks), 

and the Hill 2 Index (improves the 

overall productivity of hill ewes). 

Information about the use of 

Breeding Indexes is available from 

Signet Breeding Services (5). 

‘EBVs are easy to 

interpret’ 

• EBVs are expressed in the same 

units as the recorded trait (e.g. 

kilograms for the 8-week weight). 

• Because a lamb only inherits half 

its genes from the ram the EBV 

must be halved. 

• Depending on the trait an EBV may 

be expressed as a negative or a 

positive value. 

• The further away from the average 

EBV of zero the greater the genetic 

potential of the ram. 

For example, a ram with an EBV 

of +3 kg for 8-week weight is 

estimated to produce lambs that 

are 1.5 kg heavier at eight weeks 

compared to the baseline EBV of 

zero. The baseline represents the 

average eight-week weight of the 

animals from the same flock in 

the year when the EBV was first 

produced. 

EBVs are published for each trait 

that is recorded. This allows a 

producer to focus on EBVs that 

are pertinent to specific breeding 

goals. Further detail on interpreting 

EBVs can be found via the Levy 

Boards (2,3,6).


BUSINESS IMPACTS 

CARCASE 

HEALTH* 

GROWTH 

MATERNAL 

MATURE SIZE 

Leaner carcasses taken to heavier 

weights without addition of fat. 

More carcasses meet specification. 

Reduced labour costs. 

Reduced veterinary / treatment 

costs. 

Increased lamb survival. 

Increased ewe survival. 

Heavier lambs. 

Faster growth rates & finishing time. 

Time sales to hit better prices. 

Reduced days to slaughter store 

lambs. 

Increased lamb survival. 


Times sales to hit better prices. 


Time sales to hit better prices. 

Reduced feed costs. 

Increased likelihood of heaviness. 

*Health EBVs not available for all breeds 

Positive EBV score Negative EBV score 

Muscle depth (mm) 

CT lean weight (kg) 

CT gigot muscularity (kg) 

Lambing ease (%) 

Birth weight (kg) 

8-week weight (kg) 

21-week scan weight (kg) 

Which EBV? 

Maternal ability (kg) 

Litter size (kg) 

21-week scan weight (kg) 

Mature size (kg) 

Fat depth (mm) 

CT fat weight (kg) 

Worm resistance 

Genetic & environmental 

interaction 

Genes interact with a whole 

range of other factors. The 

breeding potential of an 

individual animal will only be 

realised under good 

management (e.g. nutrition, 

health and welfare monitoring) 

EBV accuracy 

EBVs that are based on limited data are adjusted down 

towards the average. As more data are collected the EBV 

may increase. An EBV accuracy value is a good indicator of 

! 

the likelihood that a ram’s EBV will change over time. The 

higher the accuracy value (0-99), the more is known. 

A word of caution: 

Nature or Nurture? 

Different traits have different 

levels of heritability across 

different breeds. For example, 

it is estimated that footrot 

resistance in ewes is heritable 

at 10-20% (7). And genes 

express themselves differently 

in different environments 

(8). Many factors, therefore, 

need to be taken into account 

when developing breeding 

objectives. Once breeding 

goals are identified it is 

possible to decide which EBVs 

will best help to achieve these 

goals. It is also possible that 

significant improvements in 

productivity can be made by 

changing non-genetic factors 

such as nutrition. 

What does the future 

hold? 

A recent study funded by AHDB 

concluded that the potential value 

of genetic improvement to health 

and welfare is not currently being 

realised in the UK (1). A focus for the 

future development of new EBVs 

will be around hard-to-measure 

traits, such as disease resistance 

(e.g. resilience against worms) and 

ease of management (9). 

SRUC is completing research 

on ewe longevity. It is expensive 

and environmentally demanding 

to replace breeding ewes, so 

genetic solutions to increase their 

‘productive lifespan’ on farm are 

likely to have financial benefits. 

Aiming to establish the genetic 

factors that control longevity and 

hence productivity should allow 

new EBVs to be developed (10). 

EBLEX estimated that by reducing 

replacement rates (currently 

standing at an average of 20-25%) 

and cull rates, over £4M could be 

saved by the UK sheep industry. 

Research by SRUC and Signet has 

also focused on the heritability of 

lamb survival. A lamb survival EBV 

could help breeders to improve 

the resilience of young animals 

by selecting for genes that affect 

survivability. This could increase the 

productivity of commercial herds 

(11). 

Want to know more?

12 


Using BCS to plan ewe nutrition 

Ewe nutrition affects 

mating success. 

It is estimated that every missed 

pregnancy costs around £1.70 per 

ewe. Ewes that are on a wellmanaged 

programme of nutrition 

will be fit for mating and should 

result in a positive lamb output. 

Good nutrition is fundamental 

to ewe performance with 

requirements varying throughout 

the year. Nutrition not only 

has immediate impacts but 

also influences long-term ewe 

productivity (1). The objectives of a 

strategy for ewe nutrition between 

production cycles are as follows: 

• Achieve the correct BCS for 

successful mating; 

• Optimise conception rates and 

maximise embryo survival; 

• Reduce lambing period by aiming 

for 75% of ewes to hold at the first 

cycle; 

• Increase vitality of lambs 

produced by ‘immature’ ewes; and 

• Improve flock profitability. 

The importance of 

Body condition scoring 

(BCS) 

Body condition influences fertility, 

lamb performance and resilience 

to disease. Weaning should have 

taken place to allow enough time 

for the ewe to recover condition. 

‘Increasing body 

condition score from 

2.5 to 3.5 can increase 

scanning percentage 

by up to 20-40% 

General guidance is that a BCS 

of 3.5 for a typical 70kg lowland 

breed ewe and a BCS of 2.5 for a 

typical 50kg hill breed ewe should 

be achieved prior to mating (1). 

Because it typically takes 6-8 

weeks to gain one BCS unit on a 

high quality grass diet, weaning 

should have been completed at 

least 10 weeks before mating, 

although this period may be 

significantly longer in hill breeds 

and for ewes who are particularly 

compromised and therefore require 

early weaning. 

Ewe lambs (hoggets) should be 

at 60% of mature weight and ewe 

shearlings should achieve 80% 

mature weight prior to mating (2). 

For prolific breeds such as Llyen 

and Aberdale research suggests 

that the BCS should be lower at 

between 2.5 and 3. A key hormone 

which supports the development 

of the foetus is progesterone. 

This hormone is produced by 

the corpus luteum (remnants of 

the follicle from which the egg is 

released from the ovaries). While 

highly prolific ewes naturally 

ovulate more eggs than traditional 

breeds, each follicle has less 

capacity to release progesterone. 

Heavy feeding will encourage more 

eggs to be produced than normal 

but will also limit the amount of 

progesterone that is released to 

support foetal development (2). 

Calculate nutritional 

requirements 

Following weaning, best practice 

will have resulted in the sorting 

of ewes into three groups based 

on BCS (fat, fit and thin). The 

nutritional requirements for each 

group should be determined on 

the basis that putting on one unit of 

condition adds between 10%-13% of 

liveweight. Feeding groups should 

be re-assessed every 2-3 weeks. 

Grazing management is critical 

because grass is the most 

economic source of nutrition and 

provides over 90% of the energy 

and protein requirements in most 

sheep systems. The best grazing 

should be provided to ewes with the 

lowest BCS. Supplements should 

only be provided if flock demand 

is not met by grass supply. For a 

typical March lambing flock, supply 

is usually sufficient in September 

and October but a deficit develops 

through November (1). 

Optimum daily grass growth is 

achieved when pasture cover is 

between 2000 – 2500 kg DM/ha. 

- equivalent to a sword height of 

8-12cm. To achieve the high intake 

needed for ewes to reach mating 

BCS they should be grazed on high 

quality, leafy pasture with a sword 

height of 6-8cm (2). If swords are 

too short, affected by drought,


or if weather conditions disrupt 

grazing then additional feeding 

may be required. AFRC and AHDB 

provides guidance on determining 

requirements (1,3). 

To flush or not to flush? 

Nutrition has a long-term impact 

on ovulation rate. In addition, 

different breeds respond to 

flushing differently. The rumen is 

significantly affected by changes in 

feed type and quantity. To maintain 

rumen function sudden changes in 

diet must be avoided (1). 

‘It is sensible to 

consider whether 

flushing is necessary or 

not’ 

Flushing sheep that are fit in terms 

of condition will not stimulate 

increased ovulation (2). It is more 

cost effective to get ewes to 

optimum BCS through target 

setting and good management 

in the months prior to mating. 

Research also shows that prolific 

breeds should not be flushed 

as this has a detrimental effect 

on progesterone levels and 

consequent foetal development. 

For example, there is evidence 

that grazing Aberdale ewes on low 

quality grass sword at 8cm before 

mating helped to achieve optimal 

lambing percentages of between 

160-200% (2). 

Nonetheless, flushing can provide 

a useful tool for ewes that have 

not reached their target BCS for 

mating. Providing a rising plane of 

nutrition in these circumstances 

can help to increase ovulation rates 

(1). But purposely reducing ewe 

BCS during the dry period in order 

to flush at a later point is counterproductive 

and can be expensive. 

This reduces follicle development 

and hormone production. Flushing 

thin ewes, especially mature ones 

can also lead to more triplets with 

negative impacts on pregnancy 

and lamb survival (1). 

Flushing is not necessary for ewes 

that are artificially stimulated to 

produce high numbers of eggs. 

High feeding levels are likely 

to have a negative impact on 

hormone levels in this instance (2). 

The Do’s 

• Set BCS targets. Nutrition 

affects ovulation and placenta 

development. If nutrition is 

inadequate at one of these 

stages, the damage cannot 

be undone by high feeding at 

a later stage. 

• Use grass as much as 

possible. Graze thin ewes on 

best quality pasture. 

• Investigate reasons for poor 

BCS and prioritise thin ewes. 

Very low BCS (

14 


Are we maximising value? 

The sheep sector is facing 

significant challenges 

and its long-term survival 

will depend on building 

a sustainable production 

system in the UK that 

maximises value in the 

industry. 

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Challenges 

Key threats include a declining 

demand for red meat 

(especially lamb), BREXIT 

and the impact that new 

international trade deals will 

have on our export markets, 

the need to reduce the impact 

of farming on the environment 

resulting in the drive to 

“produce more for less” 

(sustainable intensification), 

and a shrinking pool of skills, 

labour and know-how as 

fewer young farmers enter the 

livestock farming profession. 

Over-arching all of the issues 

outlined above are the 

impending changes to the 

current subsidy system which 

will inevitably pose a major 

challenge to UK farming. 

Opportunities 

Over the coming months 

SHEEP MATTERS will consider 

how the maximum value in 

UK sheep production may 

be ‘unlocked’ as a means 

of building resilience and 

ensuring continuity into 

the future. We will bring to 

life these issues through 

articles, analyses, interviews 

and case studies. Our aim is 

to provoke discussion and 

debate as well as to highlight 

where innovation in ideas 

and practice is contributing 

towards the long-term 

sustainability of UK sheep 

production. 

Employment 

What measures are being 

implemented to address the question 

of succession? How do we 

encourage young people to become 

sheep farmers? 

Skills development 

Are opportunities for skills 

development in the farming and 

rural sector being fully exploited ? 

Protecting genetic diversity 

Will the growth in the number of 

composite breeds and herds affect 

our traditional and rare breeds? 

Building consumer demand 

Is the industry making the most of 

niche or new markets? How can 

producers exploit the high welfare, 

heritage, quality and environmental 

credentials of UK sheep meat? Are 

the demands for convenience and 

healthy red meat options being 

addressed? 

Public goods 

What is the role of sheep farming in 

delivering ‘public goods’? Does 

the sector gain value by enabling 

access to ‘wild spaces’ and 

contributing to a healthier and 

happier society? Should farmers be 

rewarded for their contribution? 

Building value in wool 

Can novel uses of sheep wool be 

exploited to increase the value in 

fleeces? 

Using sheep milk 

How are producers developing 

markets for sheep milk and related 

products such as yogurt and cheese? 

Protecting our environment 

Do upland farmers have a role to 

play in protecting threatened 

habitats, maintaining biodiversity 

and reducing flood risk? 

Vibrant communities 

Is the value of upland sheep farming 

as a driver to build sustainable and 

vibrant rural communities 

adequately recognised and 

exploited? 

Climate change 

Can our sheep help to reduce carbon 

levels and tackle climate change?

16 


Are you producing what the 

market really wants? 

Selling finished lamb 

The steps to producing the 

best return for your business 

include identifying a market 

and customer(s) and producing 

animals to meet that specification. 

Can you afford to not produce 

what your customer requires? 

Good producers deploy 

appropriate skills, knowledge and 

experience to deliver outstanding 

husbandry and management 

of their stock. Critical to the 

production of well finished animals 

are: (1, 2, 3) 

• Regular monitoring that includes 

weighing and handling. 

• Adjusting feeding regimes to reach 

growth targets. 

• Selling animals when they are 

ready, not by historical dates. 

• Offering lambs in batches of even 

sized animals in terms of weight, 

conformation and fat levels. 

• Using feedback from auction 

markets, buyers or abattoirs 

to adjust breeding or feeding 

strategies, to improve conformation 

and growth respectively. 

CONFORMATION CLASS: IMPROVING CONFORMATION 

FAT CLASS: INCREASING FATNESS 

E 

U 

R 

O 

P 

Carcass classification 

In the UK and Europe, the current 

carcass classification system is 

based on the EUROP classification 

for conformation and numeric 

assessment for fatness (classes 

1-5). Combining the scores for 

conformation and fat determines 

the market most suitable for 

each carcass. The grid is shown 

below with the dark green areas 

highlighting the core classifications 

that the majority of UK abattoirs 

require (2, 3). 

Selling liveweight 

This method of selling does not 

give detailed carcass information 

to the producer. However, by 

targeting the SQQ range of weights 

(25.5 to 45.5 kg) comprising Light, 

Standard and Medium categories; 

producers would expect to hit the 

ideal carcass requirements for 

the majority of markets. The data 

presented in the graphs are derived 

from GB weekly average prices 

published by AHDB Beef & Lamb. 

The proportion of New Season 

Lamb meeting SQQ category is 

beginning to drop from its 90% + 

high seen through June and July, 

1 2 3L 3H 4L 4H 5 

as the proportion of Heavy lambs 

available for sale increases. We 

do not yet know what impact this 

will have on the quality of lamb 

carcasses produced at slaughter. 

Selling deadweight 

The main advantage of selling 

deadweight is that detailed carcass 

information and feedback can 

be provided to the producer and 

premiums may be paid for quality 

and quantity. The GB weekly data 

show that: 

• The proportion of NSL carcasses 

meeting R3L or better is slowly 

reducing from a high and is now 

approaching 50% of those reported 

over the past 13 weeks. 

• The proportion meeting R2 or 

better has probably peaked. These 

represent carcasses more suited 

to export and the Mediterranean 

market. 

• The proportion of R3H or better is 

currently at 18% and expected to 

increase as the season progresses, 

and lambs become fatter. Unless 

these animals are specifically 

aimed at the traditional or catering 

butcher, we believe that they 

represent a missed opportunity for 

the (majority) supermarket buyers. 

Time will tell! 

‘The steps to producing 

the best return for 

your business include 

identifying a market 

and customer(s) and 

producing animals to 

meet that specification’


BREXIT Barometer 

Whether you like it or not the UK is set to leave the EU at the end of March 2019. As we write this article, 

discussion and negotiation on the “divorce settlement” is underway having started formally on the 19th 

June 2017. The current three priority areas are the rights of UK and EU citizens, the settlement cost and 

the Irish/ Northern Ireland border. 

Despite the UK wishing to talk about “future trade deals” the EU appears to be in no mood to do this until 

the “divorce” is further progressed. However the new trade arrangements will be absolutely critical to the 

future of the sheep and mutton trade - Will the UK have access to the Single Market or not? Will the UK 

be required to trade on World Trade Organisation (WTO) terms and for how long? Will there be some other 

arrangements in place? 

Over the coming months and even years, there will be much speculation, talk and written information about 

the terms of the these proposed new trade arrangements as the negotiations develop. The purpose of the 

BREXIT Barometer will be to highlight current issues or developments and to point you in the direction of 

more relevant articles for further follow up. 

To commentate on this issue “blow by blow” will be incredibly time consuming and detailed. Our aim at 

SHEEP MATTERS will be to communicate the key messages about what it means for the typical UK sheep 

producer, so that you are aware and informed. We will publish links to more detailed articles, reports or 

documents as they become available. 

Background information available (10, 11, 12 and 13). 

% meeting specification 

% meeting classification 

Proportion NSL meeting liveweight grades 

100 

90 

80 

70 

60 

50 

40 

30 

20 

10 

0 

Jan Feb March April May June July August Sept Oct Nov Dec 

SQQ Heavy 52kg plus 

Proportion OSL & NSL meeting specific deadweight classifications 

60 

50 

40 

30 

20 

10 

0 

Jan Feb March April May June July August Sept Oct Nov Dec 

R2 & better R3L & better R3H & better too Lean too Fat poor Conformation 


Trade updates 

Australian lamb production and export forecasts 

by the Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA) forecast 

235,000 tonnes lamb and 110,000 tonnes mutton. 

China is a key market for Australia. (4) 

Sheep meat imports into China have grown in the 

period January to June 2017 to 146,000 tonnes. This 

confirms China’s presence as the world’s largest 

importer of sheep meet, with imports predominately 

from New Zealand and Australia. (5) 

HCC takes Welsh lamb to London, along the old 

drovers routes, as part of a key sales drive for the 

UK market and kick starts its Welsh lamb summer 

campaign. (6) 

A ten week summer campaign highlighting the 

versatility of Scotch Lamb PGI has been launched in 

mid August. (7) 

UK exports have been boosted by the fall in value 

of sterling compared to our main export competitor, 

Ireland. (8) 

UK imports (January to May 2017) amounted to 41,056 

tonnes, comprising 5,122 tonnes from EU; 30,529 

tonnes from New Zealand and 4,664 tonnes from 

Australia. (9) 

UK exports (January to May 2017) amounted to 33,798 

tonnes, comprising (9): 

• EU destinations 31,537t (93.3%), mainly France, 

Germany, Ireland and Belgium. 

• Non EU destinations 2,261t (6.7%), mainly Hong Kong 

and Ghana.

18 


Auction Market Updates 

Figures are given as weekly average prices for cull ewes and lambs for national livestock auctions in 

England, Scotland and Wales. Lamb live weights are for prime old season lamb (OS) January to April and 

prime new season lamb (NS) May to December. Data source, AHDB. 

Cull Ewes Live Weight Prices - England 

Lamb Live Weight Prices - England 

Price (pence / kg) 

90 

80 

70 

60 

50 

40 

30 

20 

10 

0 

Jan 

Feb 

Mar 

April 

May 

June 

July 

Aug 

month/week 

Sept 

Oct 

Nov 

Dec 

Price (pence/kg) 

300 

250 

200 

150 

100 

50 

0 

Jan 

Feb 

Mar 

April 

May 

June 

July 

Aug 

month/week 

Sept 

Oct 

Nov 

Dec 

2016 2017 

2016 OS 2016 NS 2017 OS 2017 NS 

Cull Ewes Live Weight Prices - Scotland 

Lamb Live Weight Prices - Scotland 

80 

300 


70 

60 

50 

40 

30 

20 

10 

0 

Jan 

Feb 

Mar 

April 

May 

June 

July 

Aug 

Sept 

Oct 

Nov 

Dec 

Price (pence /kg) 

250 

200 

150 

100 

50 

0 

Jan 

Feb 

Mar 

April 

May 

June 

July 

Aug 

month/week 

Sept 

Oct 

Nov 

Dec 

month/week 



Cull Ewes Live Weight Price - Wales 

Lamb Live Weight Prices - Wales 

80 

300 


70 

60 

50 

40 

30 

20 

10 

0 

Jan 

Feb 

Mar 

April 

May 

June 

July 

Aug 

Month/week 

Sept 

Oct 

Nov 

Dec 

Price (pence/kg) 

250 

200 

150 

100 

50 

0 

Jan 

Feb 

Mar 

April 

May 

June 

July 

Aug 

month/week 

Sept 

Oct 

Nov 

Dec 



Sheep prices in 2017 - Poor pasture conditions 

throughout the summer of 2016 saw a large carry-over 

of crop into 2017 due to late finishing. This high level 

of supply held prices down for the period January- 

May 2017. Together with the impact of inflation on 

consumers’ purchasing power it is expected that prices 

will generally stay down through this year. 

These effects may be offset by a weakened Pound 

which has led to a growing export market and a 

reduction in imports of sheep meat. The tight global 

supply of lamb (principally driven by major shortages 

in New Zealand and Australia) has also helped to keep 

prices higher than would otherwise be expected. The 

exceptionally high prices seen in May and early June 

were a result of the late finishing of early lambs due 

to adverse Spring weather coupled with a decrease in 

imports and an increase in exports. The shortages of 

new season lamb coincided with strong demand (e.g. 

sourcing of lamb for the Muslim festival of Ramadam). 

Prices slipped back in late June as supply of new 

season lamb increased.


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Industry updates 

Liver fluke warning 

Dr Phil Skuce from Moredun has warned that a warm, dry Spring followed 

by a warm, wet Summer has significantly increased the risk of high liver 

fluke infestations in certain regions this Autumn. This disease costs UK 

agriculture well in excess of £300 million/year. 

Farmers need to be proactive with the management of liver fluke to 

reduce the adverse effects on livestock. They should avoid high risk 

pasture this Autumn and make appropriate use of anthelmintics. 

Acute infestation can lead to 

sudden death in previously 

healthy sheep in August to 

October, lethargy and reduced 

grazing. Chronic infestation 

is characterised by rapid loss 

in body condition and poor 

fleece quality. The COWS 5 ‘R’s 

are a useful reminder for the 

effective control of liver fluke 

in sheep: The right product for 

the worm; right class of animal; 

right time; right dose rate; and 

administered in the right way. 

Asulam bracken 

control authorisation 

period closes 

The 120 day emergency 

authorisation for the control 

of bracken using Asulam 

ends on 11 September at 

which point no further sales 

or distribution can be made. 

A use-up period will continue 

to the end of October 2017. By 

this time all stocks of Asulam 

must be applied, destroyed 

or returned to distributors in 

sealed containers. All aerial 

applications must be carried 

out under permit from the 

Chemicals Regulation Division, 

HSE (www.brackencontrol. 

co.uk). 

For parasite forecasting 

services visit: 

www.scops.org.uk 

www.nadis.org.uk 

Event watch 

Sheep Breeders Round Table 2017 

Thinking Positively 

Organised by AHDB, HCC and QMS this biennial conference will focus 

on genetic improvement in the industry. Taking place in Nottingham, the 

three-day event is open to anybody with an interest in sheep production 

and provides an opportunity to learn, develop and network. For more 

information: 

http://www.nationalsheep.org.uk/sbrt/ 

Keep up to date with best practice and farmbased 

research through technical training and 

events: 

England, AHDB 

http://beefandlamb.ahdb.org.uk/events 

Scotland, QMS 

http://www.qmscotland.co.uk/news-and-events 

Wales, HCC 

http://hccmpw.org.uk/news_and_events/events 

National Sheep Association(NSA): Membership funded body that 

represents the views and interests of sheep producers throughout the UK. 

http://www.nationalsheep.org.uk/events 

New Wormer 

becomes available in 

the UK 

A new wormer, monepantel 

has become available in the UK 

marketed as Zolvix. The product 

has the potential to help 

improve lamb performance and 

slow down the development 

of resistance to anthelmintics. 

Care should be taken not to 

over-use this new product. 

It should be used as part of 

a managed programme of 

worm control that may require 

at least three different groups 

of treatments across a single 

season. To keep ahead of the 

resistance game, farmers need 

to monitor performance and 

worm challenge through faecal 

egg counts to carefully plan 

treatments accordingly. Seek 

professional advice.

Sheep Matters - August/ September 2017

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