Farm Practice and Management

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume 67, Issue 1, 15 July 1943, Page 49

Farm Practice and Management

Rotational Grazing of Ewe Flock During Lambing

Some Central Otago Practices

r T~’HE handling of the ewe flock at THE handling necessarily a flock at lambing is necessarily a subject on which no hard and fast rules can be laid down, as this phase of farming is carried out under practically every condition of temperature and soil type found in New Zealand. Consequently any rules are as liable to variation aS the conditions vary from North Cape to the Bluff. Also the period of lambing is generally calculated to coincide with a normal early spring growth, but no one can definitely forecast just when that will commence. A late, cold or wet spring will again cause variations in any set programme of management. Three methods of handling the ewe flock during lambing, in Central Otago are briefly described. The third method, “Rotational Grazing of the Flock,” is being practised by a number, of farmers who .find it proving very satisfactory and successful on irrigated land and on well subdivided farms. Although this method has been in vogue in different parts of New Zealand for some time, it may be of interest to farmers with suitable sized paddocks and flocks, and who can depend on . the normal spring growth coming away reasonably on time, or whose lambing does not commence till a fair growth of feed is assured.

Management Methods 1. Dividing the flock up into sepaate blocks or paddocks and leaving them, there for the duration of the lambing. At the completion of lambing, tailing and marking of the lambs of each paddock is carried out, when early and late lambs are marked together. Any dry ewes are carried on .with the flock. This is the usual “station” practice upon which it is difficult , to improve when dealing with large flocks or large paddocks. 2. On smaller holdings this is improved with variations of the following. The breeding flock is in one or v usually more paddocks, and each . day or so the ewes and new lambs are removed from the flock into a ~. clean paddock of good feed. Late and early lambs may be kept separate. 3. Rotational grazing of ewe flock during lambing. Rotational Grazing With a flock of 500 ewes and 10 paddocks this method. of management can be best carried out, although any sized flock would be suitable if a convenient number of suitable sized paddocks are available. All the ewes start off lambing in one paddock, and each day, or every

second day, they are moved on to the next paddock until all the paddocks have been used. Actually the paddocks are grazed in rotation, and in about 10 to 15 days the flock is ready to commence the second round of the paddocks. At the time the flock is to be shifted the gates are opened and the ewes drifted through into the next paddock, leaving behind the ewes with their new lambs, which, as a rule, do not attempt to follow the flock. The latter are left in the paddock in which they lambed. After two or three days of lambing the lambs and ewes are gathered up into No. 1 paddock for the duration of lambing. The next lot of 2 to 3-day old lambs are gathered up into No. 2 padock, or, if No. 1 paddock has not its full quota of ewes and lambs more may be added to it, depending on its size, the quickness of lambing and amount of feed available. The next group of lambs is placed in No. 3 paddock and so on. In 10 to 15 days’ time, when the flock is ready to commence the second round of grazing, nearly half the paddocks may be holding lambs and ewes, depending on the quickness of lambing. This will reduce the number of paddocks available for the rotational grazing of the flock, and the flock will by

this time be reduced to about half its ■original numbers. Towards the end of lambing it may be necessary to hold the flock in one paddock until sufficient ewes have lambed to occupy that paddock. The remainder, which are likely to be dry ewes and a few late lambing ewes, are then moved into the last paddock where they will remain. At the end of lambing there will be flocks of ewes and lambs in different stages of growth. Each paddock, except the last two, will have lambs within 2, 3 or 4 days

of the same age, while in the last paddock are the dry ewes. Conclusions The advantages claimed for this system are: — 1. All the ewes due to lamb are in one paddock and can be quickly and regularly looked over. 2. 'Shifting the flock each day gives the ewes some exercise, so necessary in late pregnancy. 3. Each paddock of lambs, being

within a few days of the same age, is marked separately at whatever age the farmer considers most suitable. 4. The first paddock or two of lambs, being the earliest, can usually be got ready for the Christmas market. , 5. There is less chance of mismothering in marking each paddock of lambs separately, and the same applies when the ewes and lambs are left for a day or two to settle down in the paddock where they lambed, 6. All dry ewes are automatically drafted into the last paddock, and if not fat can soon be made so, and disposed of early. G. CALDER, Instructor in Agriculture, Alexandra.