Rearing greater numbers of lambs

摘要

Neonatal mortality continues to run at an average of 15% of lambs scanned, costing around ￡10,000 in a 500-ewe flock, but 5% is an achievable target on most units.Thin ewes generally produce lambs of lower birthweight, provide less/poorer quality colostrum and do not 'mother' their lambs as well, meaning poor body condition score at lambing is one of the main underlying causes of neonatal mortality.