In this article Elders' Livestock Production Manager Rob Inglis provides his advice on maintaining the condition of your pregnant ewes and cows.
The principals for the reproductive performance of both sheep and cattle are the same. For best performance, condition score at joining and during pregnancy should be a top priority.
The two charts below broadly illustrate this.
The graph opposite shows the correlation of a ewe's condition score and its likelihood of a successful pregnancy. Source: AWI, Best Wool.
This chart shows cows that achieve pregnancy early -within the first cycle of joining - have a higher lifetime profitability. Source: MLA, Bred Well, Fed Well article Weaner Management in northern beef herds.
While joining is, in many areas, either completed or underway, there is a temptation to think the horse may have bolted in relation to your stock’s condition score. On the contrary, body condition score at calving has a profound effect on return to oestrus.
The graph opposite shows low body condition score at calving prolongs the post-partum anoestrus interval, reducing the chances of early pregnancy. This is exacerbated by poor post-calving nutrition.
Source: MLA: More Beef From Pastures.
While this is more pronounced in cattle, the phenomenon is predictable in all mammalian species. The lower the body condition at joining the lower the reproductive rate, which not only includes conception rate but also survival rate of offspring.
Twin or multiple lamb survival in sheep is the most observable consequence of sub-optimal gestational body condition score (BCS) management. Multiple bearing ewes in low BCS at scanning are more likely to lose one or both lambs before weaning (see table below). In addition to this we would expect to see higher peri-natal ewe modalities.
Farmer case studies - ewe condition score at lambing and lamb survial
The following table shows ewe condition score at lambing and its correlation to lamb survival. Source: Lifetime Wool.
| Blank | CS at lambing | Survival of singles (%) | Survival of twins (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| western Victoria (4 sites) | 2.2 | 74 | 38 | |
| 3.1 | 86 | 56 | ||
| All state (16 sites) | 2.2 | 83 | 57 | |
| 3.0 | 90 | 67 | ||
What to do?
Elders livestock production advisors have a time-honoured mantra: “Feed early and feed less”. It takes twice as much energy to put on condition as it does to maintain it. This is illustrated in the table below.
| Increasing condition score (ME surplus) above maintenance blank | Decreasing condition score (ME deficit) below maintenance | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ME suplus | CS gain per month | Gain g/day | ME Deficit | CS loss per month | Loss g/day | ||||
| 50kg | 60kg | 70kg | 50kg | 60kg | 70kg | ||||
| 6.0 | 0.4 | 91 | 124 | 131 | -3.0 | 0.4 | 92 | 107 | 133 |
| 6.5 | 0.4 | 99 | 134 | 142 | -3.25 | 0.4 | 100 | 116 | 143 |
| 7.0 | 0.4 | 107 | 145 | 153 | -3.50 | 0.4 | 108 | 125 | 154 |
| 7.5 | 0.4 | 114 | 155 | 164 | -3.75 | 0.4 | 115 | 134 | 165 |
| 8.0 | 0.5 | 122 | 165 | 175 | -4.0 | 0.5 | 123 | 142 | 176 |
| 8.5 | 0.5 | 129 | 176 | 186 | -4.25 | 0.5 | 130 | 151 | 187 |
| 9.0 | 0.5 | 137 | 186 | 197 | -4.50 | 0.5 | 138 | 160 | 197 |
While this table is sheep specific, once again, the same principal applies to cattle. If you look at the BCS loss (CS loss per month) and the metabolisable energy (ME) deficit aligned with that loss you will see that the amount of ME required to regain that lost condition is roughly doubled.
The MLA's Bred Well Fed Well workshops provide an excellent platform to understand feed budgeting and matching breeding and feeding.
Even better, Elders has a nationwide team of Livestock Production Specialists who can tailor an approach for your specific circumstances.
Disclaimer - important, please read:
The information contained in this article is given for general information purposes only, current at the time of first publication, and does not constitute professional advice. The article has been independently created by a human author using some degree of creativity through consultation with various third-party sources. Third party information has been sourced from means which Elders consider to be reliable. However, Elders has not independently verified the information and cannot guarantee its accuracy. Links or references to third party sources are provided for convenience only and do not constitute endorsement of material by third parties or any associated product or service offering. While Elders has exercised reasonable care, skill and diligence in preparation of this article, many factors including environmental/seasonal factors and market conditions can impact its accuracy and currency. The information should not be relied upon under any circumstances and, to the extent permitted by law, Elders disclaim liability for any loss or damage arising out of any reliance upon the information contained in this article. If you would like to speak to someone for tailored advice specific to your circumstances relating to any of the matters referred to in this article, please contact Elders.
