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

3 Top Tips For Preparing Ewes For Tupping

Making sure ewes are in the right condition pre-tupping will help to ensure target lambing [...]

24
Sep

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.