The benefits of a good winter feeding schedule that leads to ewes having better body conditions scores (BCS) at the start of lambing was highlighted at a field day last week reports The Southland Times. More than 200 farmers attended the Meat & Wool New Zealand Southern South Island sheep and beef council field day at the Woodlands research farm on Wednesday.

Dr David Stevens, of AgResearch, said it was clear poor winter feeding affected several aspects of production before, during and after lambing, and it was essential for good lamb growth, particularly multiples, to have ewes in good condition. “You’re no longer expecting one lamb and 5 kilograms of wool.”

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Once a heifer was in calf, managing her feed intake had no influence on the size of the fetus, research has shown. Sheep and Beef Council director Seamus Sullivan told a M&WNZ field day at Millers Flat that restricting feeding early in the pregnancy of first-calving heifers did not affect the size of the newborn calf because the heifer used her own reserves to support the growing fetus reports the ODT.

Because of that, he said there were no negative consequences from restricting feed. The issue of calving difficulty in first-calving heifers, or dystocia, was a hot topic at the Millers Flat field day, but Mr Sullivan said the only known solutions were bull selection, to have heifers as well grown as possible before mating and keeping a close eye on them during calving.

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