Sheep & Lamb
Market, Feed & Forage Review 2021
Its common knowledge that trends in the breeding flock are not usually realised until later in the year. That said, AHDB is telling us that the U.K. breeding flock in June 2020 is now pegged at 15.4 million head, more than 4% down on the year and the lowest number since 2012. If this scale of decline is indeed the case, it seems most likely that numbers put to the tup last autumn would also be lower than the year before. This forecasted supply challenge could see us experience continued strong prices further into the year.
Following challenged grass growth this spring/summer, we are seeing signs that ewe condition may be varied this autumn as tupping time comes round. Body condition at this time of year, as we know, can have a significant impact on target fertility and performance later in the year:




Ryan Whyte, Area Sales Manager
1st September 2021
So, the focus in now on getting our ewes in the best condition possible for tupping, making the absolute most of what has been grown at home as we face limited stocks and higher bough-in feed costs.
Read our latest blog on tupping
Working with your unique situation and goals
Carr’s Billington provides a comprehensive range of feed and nutrition products and services to help our sheep farming customers improve the digestive performance of their flock, driving margin from feed and whilst minimising environmental impact.

Flexibility

Quality

Consistency
Here’s how we can help your dairy cows perform better
FEED TO OPTIMISE BODY CONDITION
Our UFAS accredited facilities provide our commercial, pedigree, lowland, and hill farm customers with a complete and bespoke feed range, choosing from our range of responsibly sourced and quality controlled raw materials, providing more precision with no extra manufacturing cost.
Tup feed blends
Ewe feed compounds
FLUSH FOR EMBRYO VIABILITY & EGG NUMBERS
Increasing supplement intake and body condition prior to and during tupping time is a common practice designed to optimise fertility, and one which we will likely see more of this year as grass growth has been challenging and impacting on body condition.
2 weeks prior to breeding and at least 2 to 4 weeks into the breeding season, the risen plane of nutrition will encourage greater egg numbers and decrease embryonic death loss.
VITALYX BREEDING EWE + FISH OIL is our specialised mineral lick for sheep for use during key periods of the breeding cycle.
VITALYX SUPER EWE ENERGY + FISH OIL is our targeted ewe nutrition for conditioning and flushing ewes from pre-tupping to lambing.
VITABLOX SUPERAMINO + FISH OIL is our high energy and protein block with added fish oil formulated to provide your flock with extra nutritional support at key production times.
View Carr’s Billingtons full range of mineral and feed blocks and licks.
DOSE TO BOOST MINERAL RESERVES
Tupping time puts extra demands on the ewe as ovulation/multiple ovulations occur.Essential trace elements including cobalt, (Co), manganese (Mn), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), iodine and selenium (Se) play a vital role in the ewe’s fertility status at tupping and later during pregnancy.
Ovithrive is a complementary liquid feed drench containing a comprehensive profile of vitamins, trace elements, amino acids and omega oils in the most available form, designed to promote performance and enhance fertility at tupping.
Tracesure Sheep & Lamb intra-ruminal leaching boluses provide slow release supplementation of the 4 essential trace elements at known and optimum levels, administered 2 to 3 weeks prior to tupping for cover at this critical time, through to lambing and peak lactation.
Our sheep consultancy offering
Our range of advisory services and tools are designed to provide our customers with Vital Insight into Growth, Optimization and Reproduction (VIGOR):
Winter feed planning using Ewe Check™
Forage analysis and forage budgeting
Metabolic profiles, done with your own vet
Health Planning
Ration Programmes
Soil Analysis
Fertiliser Plans
Benchmarking
It’s #TIME4TUPPING
Are you performance-ready? Our specialist advisers are here to help smash targets, not just hit them.