Flushing ewes: pre-tupping feeding and lambing rates
Flushing ewes on an energy-rich ration two to three weeks before the rams go in stimulates ovulation and lifts twin lambing rates. Add 300 to 500 grams of barley or corn per ewe a day on top of pasture to raise body condition. Plan the flushing ration and its cost in HerdMobile and set reminders for mating and lambing.
Compiled from open-access scientific sources.
What is flushing, and when should the extra feeding start?
Flushing means raising the feeding level of breeding ewes two to three weeks before the rams go in and keeping it up through the first two weeks of mating. The extra energy prompts more follicles to develop in the ovaries and raises twin ovulation rates by 10 to 20 percent. According to NASEM small ruminant guidelines, ewes that come to breeding at a body condition score of 3.0 to 3.5 on a 5-point scale conceive best. Give grazing ewes 300 to 500 grams of whole barley, corn or another high-energy grain per head a day, along with good legume hay.
Which ewes benefit most from extra feeding before tupping?
Thin to moderate ewes, at condition scores of 2.0 to 2.75, respond most strongly to extra energy, so feed them first and sort the flock by condition before you start. Fat ewes scoring above 4.0 gain little in ovulation and risk metabolic trouble. Starch energy from cereal grain, together with protein from good alfalfa hay, helps embryos survive in early pregnancy. Keep plenty of clean water in front of the ewes and use a sheep mineral with no added copper, because sheep are very sensitive to copper. Give the rams the same extra energy so they stay fit and keep working hard right through mating.
How does HerdMobile help with tupping and flushing rations?
Build the flushing ration in HerdMobile from your own barley, corn and hay at local prices; the app finds the cheapest mix that meets the ewes' needs and shows the cost per head per day. Record each ewe's mating date, pregnancy check and lambing in her history, and add photo notes to remember her condition before and after flushing. Set reminders for pre-lambing vaccinations and feeding changes so nothing slips. Feed purchases and lamb sales go into the same farm accounts, and everything works on your phone without signal.
Questions from the farm
How much extra grain does a ewe need during flushing?
Give 300 to 500 grams of cereal grain such as barley or corn per ewe a day, on top of good pasture.
How long should flushing continue after the rams go in?
Keep the higher feeding level going for two to three weeks into mating to help the embryos implant.
How does HerdMobile help during tupping season?
HerdMobile works out the flushing ration from your own feeds, keeps each ewe's mating and pregnancy records and reminds you as lambing approaches.
How HerdMobile helps
Bring your animals, feed stocks and farm accounts together on your Android phone. HerdMobile keeps your daily work moving offline: record events, compare feed quantities and follow sales and payments in one place. Use your own feeds and herd information to prepare a ration, then keep a backup file under your control.
