Supplementation an integral part of increase in lambing percentage
I run a flock of Pedigree Suffolk and SuffolkXTexel ewes just outside Fivemiletown.
For the past four years, I have been using the Mayo Healthcare All Guard Ewe bolus on all the ewes and the rams both pre-lambing and pre-tupping.
Before using the bolus, I was happy with a scanning average of around 1.8 lambs/ewe.
Consistently for the past four years I have had an increase to 2.1 lambs/ewe.
While this is a good enough reason on its own to use the bolus, I have found more benefits than just an increase in numbers.
The Mayo Healthcare All Guard Ewe was the only bolus I could find on the market that had Zinc, and I was really impressed with the high levels of Cobalt, Iodine and Selenium.
Maybe due to the addition of Zinc, I have found that hoof health has really improved within the flock.
It is very rare to find an ewe with sore feet on the farm now.
I have noticed that at lambing time the lambs are coming out lively, are up and sucking quicker and seem to have better immunity.
I know the bolus is doing an excellent job, especially when I can see the difference between the bought in stock that have not had a bolus and on my own ewes which have got the bolus.
Walking through the field, I can automatically see by the thrive and bloom with the ewes, which ones have got the All Guard Ewe bolus, and which of the bought in Ewes have not received the bolus yet.
The Rams will go to the ewes in the last week of October.
This weekend I intend to go in with the bolus for all the ewes and rams.
I will be using this in conjunction with Mayo’s high energy mineral drench called Tupmaster.
The large amount of energy coupled with vitamins and minerals, gives a massive boost to the system and the ewes will be more likely to have a higher ovulation rate.
Mayo Healthcare was founded in 1987 to promote an innovative and effective product range focused on nutritional and healthcare requirements of large farm animals. It partners with national and international agricultural universities to reduce metabolic diseases in late pregnancy and transition periods as well as mortality and morbidity rates in offspring.