By Janet McNally, Hinckley, Minnesota — How you manage your ewes between September 1 and November 1 will make or break next year’s lamb crop. Once winter weather sets in, outwintered ewes seem to be challenged to gain any further weight, especially if they are starting off thin. For us the magic date seems to be November 1. Whatever we can achieve by then is what our flock has to live with for the rest of the winter. Body condition determines ovulation rate, ability to withstand the cold, and future milk production. Sure, you can purchase body condition by supplementing heavily with the grain pail, but the same can be achieved on pasture through management without spending a dime.
There are three components to fall sheep management that will determine what kind of body condition your ewes will be sporting when the rams go in. The first is weaning date, the second is pasture allowance after weaning, and the third is intestinal parasite status. Mismanage any one of these three, and you have to pay, either through reduced lamb production the following year, or through purchased supplements. Continue reading “Fall is for rebuilding ewe body condition”
