Increasing the number of calves reared per 100 cows put to the bull by just 2% can increase calf sales by up to £1,000 per year AHDB estimate. Ensuring good fertility of your breeding cows and heifers has the largest influence on this financial figure by far, says Dr Alison Bond, Rumenco Commercial Nutritionist, with making simple changes to nutritional management particularly important this breeding season.

MAKE THE BEST LAMB RETURNS YOU’VE EVER HAD A REALITY

An extra month taken to finish lambs could cost producers up to £15 per animal which when added to reports that the average flock loses over £6 per ewe, could mean the difference between a profit or a loss this year. Additionally, the reported expected drop in lamb rearing rate of 3% this year puts increasing pressure on lamb finishing stages in the months ahead making quick, efficient finishing of lambs whilst maximising forage even more of a focus than in previous years.

HELP STOP STAGGERS IN ITS TRACKS

Estimations suggest that 1% of cattle in the UK will experience clinical grass staggers, with up to 30% of all clinical cases resulting in death and significant direct losses. A far larger percentage of animals, including ewes, will experience sub-clinical cases that may affect overall animal performance. 

Significant improvements in flock genetics over recent years have led to bigger, more prolific ewes with a higher production potential, and where grassland may have once been able to meet near 100% of a ewe’s nutritional requirements, unfortunately this economic feed no longer fits the bill with producers missing out on a potential £15 in lamb output per ewe.

Around fifty percent of all lambing losses occur within the first 48 hours after birth with AHDB estimating the cost to be around £25 for every lamb lost.

Causes range from stillbirth, mis-mothering and small, weak lambs being born, with aound 60% of reasons potentially being linked to nutrition.