Double-up Suffolk:Cheviot ewe lamb sales not be missed

So, it goes without saying that demand will be exceptionally strong for the McAuleys’ offering of ewe lambs entered for upcoming breeding sheep sales in Ballymena and Armoy marts.

James takes up the story:“A total of 80 ewe lambs have been entered for the sale in Ballymena on Saturday August 14th with a further 30 available in Armoy on Monday, August 30th. All the lambs are suitable for breeding this year.”

The brothers readily admit that 2021 has been a good year for sheep with prices remaining strong since the turn of the year.

“Our first batch of ewes lamb during January with the rest of the flock kicking-off around St Patrick’s Day,” Peter explained.

“We managed to get the first of our finished lambs away this year on April 20th for an average price of 680 pence per kilo.

“The lambs had grown well since birth so we found ourselves in the pretty unique situation of having high quality animals to sell at a time when the market was very much in our favour. Thankfully, lamb prices have remained reasonably strong since the spring peak.”

On the back of current lamb prices and the prospect of sheep markets remaining reasonably buoyant for the period ahead, James and Peter plan to increase ewe numbers.

“Putting the flock up to 500 ewes is a feasible option for us,” said James.“We manage the flock in tandem with a store cattle operation.”

Securing the highest levels of performance from their ewes and lambs has always been a priority for James and Peter. To this end they regularly drench their stock with Liquid Gold Sheep.

Peter explained: “We want to get as much performance for grazed grass as possible. But depending on the time of the year and the prevailing weather conditions, grass is not always nutritionally balanced, particularly from a mineral and vitamins’ perspective. Liquid Gold Sheep provides us with the assurances of these potential imbalances being fully addressed.

“We will drench the ewes and lambs on a number of occasions throughout the year with the product. But it takes priority pre-tupping, pre-lambing and at weaning.”

He continued: “This year’s ewe crop recorded a lambing percentage of 185. Cheviots are not the most prolific sheep breed and we attribute this tremendous result to the Liquid Gold Sheep drench, which all the ewes received prior to tupping.”

Liquid Gold Sheep is available exclusively from HVS Animal health. The company’s Paul Elwood was a recent visitor to the McAuley farm.

He explained: “Liquid Gold Sheep delivers all of the key trace minerals and vitamins which breeding sheep and growing lambs require with copper, manganese, iron and zinc made available in a wholly chelated form.”

For further information, contact HVS Animal Health on (028) 44831700.