Author
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Submitted to: Book Chapter
Publication Type: Book / Chapter Publication Acceptance Date: 6/15/2016 Publication Date: 7/18/2016 Citation: Taylor, J.B. 2016. Breeding ewe lambs at 7 to 9 months of age. In: Redden, R., Morrical, D., editors. Best Practices to Increase Your Lamb Crop. Red Owl, SD: Demeter Communications. p. 9-14. Interpretive Summary: A well planned ewe-lamb breeding program will increase your overall flock lamb production. Breeding ewe lambs at 7 to 9 months of age is common among farm-flock and small-pasture sheep operations. However, for range-based wool-type operations, producers are more likely to wait until ewes are yearlings before breeding. This is understandable given the many constraining variables and extensiveness of rangeland production systems that make it challenging to answer the question, “Can I make a ewe-lamb breeding program work?” In this chapter, we will consider several factors about ewe-lamb breeding programs that I hope will help you to answer this question. Many assume that one extra year of production is what is gained when a ewe produces a lamb for the first time as a 1-year-old vs. a 2-year-old. However, this is more of a distraction from the real value that is gained. So, what is the real value? The value is the “early-puberty ewe.” Consider the work of Dr. Clarence Hulet and colleagues conducted at the US Sheep Experiment Station in the 60s. Specifically, wool-type ewes that displayed standing heat as lambs weaned nearly 10% more weight of lamb over their lifetime compared with ewes that did not display heat as ewe lambs. We learned from this work that an early-puberty ewe flock will have greater lifetime productivity whether or not ewes are bred as lambs or yearlings. But, where does the increased production come from? Based on the available evidence, early-puberty ewes seem to be more likely to twin throughout their productive life. Technical Abstract: A well planned ewe-lamb breeding program will increase your overall flock lamb production. Breeding ewe lambs at 7 to 9 months of age is common among farm-flock and small-pasture sheep operations. However, for range-based wool-type operations, producers are more likely to wait until ewes are yearlings before breeding. This is understandable given the many constraining variables and extensiveness of rangeland production systems that make it challenging to answer the question, “Can I make a ewe-lamb breeding program work?” In this chapter, we will consider several factors about ewe-lamb breeding programs that I hope will help you to answer this question. Many assume that one extra year of production is what is gained when a ewe produces a lamb for the first time as a 1-year-old vs. a 2-year-old. However, this is more of a distraction from the real value that is gained. So, what is the real value? The value is the “early-puberty ewe.” Consider the work of Dr. Clarence Hulet and colleagues conducted at the US Sheep Experiment Station in the 60s. Specifically, wool-type ewes that displayed standing heat as lambs weaned nearly 10% more weight of lamb over their lifetime compared with ewes that did not display heat as ewe lambs. We learned from this work that an early-puberty ewe flock will have greater lifetime productivity whether or not ewes are bred as lambs or yearlings. But, where does the increased production come from? Based on the available evidence, early-puberty ewes seem to be more likely to twin throughout their productive life. |
