Busnel (New York, NY: Academic Press), 75119. J. Zool. (2000). Sci. 46, 6973. (2011). In accordance, weaned lambs are more susceptible to experimental infections with Haemonchus contortus and Trichostrongylus colubriformis than unweaned lambs (Watson and Gill, 1991). Weaning also triggers a decrease in total protein and albumin concentration (Freitas-de-Melo et al., 2017), and the haematocrit remains elevated at least 5 d after weaning (Freitas-de-Melo and Ungerfeld, 2020). I lamb in April and by moving them around so they are always on good grass, I sell most of my lambs fat and straight off their mothers in August/September. Even after weaning, lambs prefer the company of their mother for more than 1 month after separation (Hinch et al., 1987; Ungerfeld et al., 2018), but after that, they do not show an important motivation to seek for their mother (Ungerfeld et al., 2018). The effects of weaning on health, production, and welfare are highly variable due to several factors and conditions, as age, sex, type of birth, genetics, mother's nutrition during gestation, lambing season, and physical and social environments after weaning. In a mixed regime, the decrease in milk production with the advance of lactation might be compensated with the administration of lambs' commercial starter concentrate, which can begin when lambs are 2 wk old or even earlier. Buy silage/baleage supplements to get ewes through this pinch period, and/or 2. Although there is a general reduction in globulin concentration (Freitas-de-Melo et al., 2013, 2017), the antibody response to a challenge with ovalbumin or the skin response to dinitroflurobenzene is not affected (Cockram et al., 1993). 2012-2023 On Secret Hunt - All Rights Reserved By not doing this, it can have a negative impact onboth the lambs and the ewes. Sci. Poindron, P., and Neindre, P. L. (1980). Small Rumin. 46, 465468. The upper graphs show the time spent grazing (A,C) and the one below, the time ruminating (B,D). Evaluation of lamb performance and costs in motherless rearing of German Grey Heath sheep under field conditions using automatic feeding systems. 92, 41234129. Small Ruminant Res. Abrupt weaning is associated with decreased weight gain, increased alertness, and locomotion behaviours, and decreased resting and feeding behaviours of the ewes and lambs (Damin et al., 2013; Freitas-de-Melo et al., 2017, 2019). (2003). Meaning that in the turn of the year, our lamb exports to the continent could carry a hefty tariff. Have plenty of disposable gloves, lubricant, disinfectant and antibiotic treatment and pain relief/anti-inflammatory to hand as prescribed by the vet. I do know people that let the ewes naturally wean the lambs though. But overfeeding is the biggest issue once a lamb is on milk replacer, and it too can produce scours. This is because milk should be processed in the sheeps fourth stomach, and overfeeding can spill milk into the rumen, where it ferments, so the lamb gets gassy and the stomach becomes extended. It has also been reported that the haematocrit remains elevated 5 d after weaning, indicating that weaning is a long-term stressful situation (Freitas-de-Melo and Ungerfeld, 2020). Recent work by Nowak et al. Physiol. In extensive sheep production systems based on natural pastures, weaning is frequently done late, as otherwise, the nutritional content of pastures might limit the growth of recently weaned lambs. Rev. Anim. However, there are some studies aiming to handle the weaning promoting animal welfare. P. Jewell, C. Milner, J. Boyd (London: Athlone Press), 131159. This delay in growth may be a consequence of a bad adaptation of the digestive system to the acute feeding changes, the reduced immune status, the increased susceptibility to gastrointestinal parasites, and the energy dispended in the display of costly behavioural responses. Cookie Settings | Anim. var elem = jQuery('.article-body').children('p:nth-of-type(' + elem_pos + ')'); Behav. At weaning milk should be gradually reduced over a few weeks, and then stopped altogether. Orihuela, A., Mota-Rojas, D., Ungerfeld, R., Napolitano, F., Strappini, A., Giuseppe, R., et al. Can. 11, 2651. doi: 10.3389/fendo.2020.612651, Nowak, R., Murphy, T. M., Lindsay, D. R., Alster, P., Andersson, R., and Uvns-Moberg, K. (1997). 7, 6068. Sci. doi: 10.1016/0034-5288(91)90002-6, Weary, D. M., and Fraser, D. (1995). and are frequently seen drinking water. Artificial weaning in sheep: consequences on behavioural, hormonal and immuno-pathological indicators of welfare. Acta Vet. (2021b). Effect of postweaning handling strategies on welfare and productive traits in lambs. It is not only about getting lambs away, but also focusing on ewe condition in time for mating this is highly influential to next years lamb crop, advises Ms Frater. Other lamb articles of mine you may like: Resources that will give you more background information on weaning lambs: Sheep 101: Ruminants gives you more details about the specifics of rumination, including the transition from living off of milk to living off of forage and the factors that affect appropriate weaning time. Rep. 11, 19. Early weaning at 89weeks of age could be the best option if ewe lambs (or their lambs) are in poor condition or are smaller than expected. Span. Nature 289, 487489. Parental investment in male and female offspring in polygynous mammals. An increase in the incidence of diarrhoea is observed in precocious and early-weaned lambs (Wang et al., 2019). Anim. doi: 10.1016/j.applanim.2011.03.010, Poindron, P. (2005). 183, 5158. Brockmann, P.J.B. In effect, this management reduces the number of vocalisations and the cortisol concentration on the day of weaning (Prez-Len et al., 2006). (2015a). Once lambs are over eight-weeks-old they are getting most of their nutrients from grass (and creep) so if grass is in short supply or if ewes are too lean then farmers should consider weaning. Keeper of Jacob sheep, several hens, Michael the Cockerel and some small children. Of course, this will vary by breed. caring only her own lamb(s) or those that after birth she recognises and accepts as her own lambs, rejecting any others that attempt to suckle later (Poindron, 2005). Behav. Sci. } doi: 10.1071/AN16157. The models are based in the data of Freitas-de-Melo and Ungerfeld (2020). A lamb creep pen should be set up to allow the lambs continuous access to fresh creep feed and a clean and dry environment. Freitas-de-Melo, A., Ungerfeld, R., Bernal Barragn, H., Lombardo Morales, J. (Amsterdam: Elsevier), 181192. Anim. Separating the young from the mothers at such an early age limits meaningful lambs' learning about the physical and social environment (Thrhallsdttir et al., 1990; Orihuela et al., 2019). Sheep rumen metabolic development in response to age and dietary treatments. 199, 916. J. Anim. However, if you have ewes in good condition, a good supply of high quality forage and the lambs are performing, then there is no benefit in weaning lambs early and instead lambs could be drafted straight from their mothers when they reach fat, preventing any weaning check from weaning. Anim. There is a wide range of weaning ages on sheep farms - in some cases lambs are not removed from their mothers until they are 20 weeks old. Ewes can see, smell, and hear their lambs, separated only by a wire fence, but cannot make full physical contact (or suckle) (Orihuela et al., 2004). For this reason, an injection of oil-based progesterone to ewes immediately before weaning to simplify the handling of animals and reduce the costs might be a practical alternative. The lambs who receive these treatments grow more during the fattening period, and the contact with humans after being weaned reduces the reaction to human manipulation (Pascual-Alonso et al., 2015). Suckling is essential to establish the bond between the lamb and the ewe, and the ingestion of colostrum mediates the establishment of an exclusive preference for the mother (Goursaud and Nowak, 1999; Val-Laillet et al., 2004). The lambs are normally weaned from their mothers between 2-4 months old when they will either go on to be breeding sheep (ewes or rams), or theyll be reared for meat. Early mother-young relationship and feeding behaviour of lambs are unaffected by low pasture allowance until the beginning of the last third of gestation in single bearing ewes. Behav. Older lambs are more able to get around the pasture for forage as well as have developed their digestion to get the most use out of the grass available. Age at weaning modifies the lambs' rumen development (Belanche Gracia et al., 2019) and ileal microbiota (Li et al., 2018), even affecting the amount of expression of genes regulating the intestinal barrier function (Li et al., 2018). During the first 1 or 2 wk postpartum, the ewes allow their lambs to suckle as often as they want (Munro, 1956; Hinch, 1989). When he weans is influenced by grass supply and the performance of the Aberfield and Highlander ewes and lambs. Although this type of weaning demands more farmers labour force, it decreases the stress response at definitive separation. Appl. Type of weaning more commonly applied according to the age of lambs and sheep production systems. All rights reserved. Anim. Impact of early weaning on small intestine, metabolic, immune and endocrine system development, growth and body composition in artificially reared lambs. J. Appl. Weaning lambs at 12-14 weeks old will give ewes sufficient time to recover condition on grass before tupping gets underway in flocks this autumn, a sheep expert says. var fw_collection_links = { At what age do lambs start drinking water? The Best Time For Weaning Lambs - Hobby Farms Home Animals When Is The Best Time For Weaning Lambs? Currently, there are some commercial nose flaps available to use in lambs (Figure 4), but to the best of our knowledge, there are no published articles that studied the effect of these products on the stress response or lambs' weight gains using this procedure. ), link to 6 Reasons Why People (Just Like You!) Pickup, H. E., and Dwyer, C. M. (2011). In summary, this system does not affect milk production nor the growth of the lambs (McKusick et al., 2001) and allows the lambs' gradual adaptation to consume solid food while they are separated from their mother. Sci. They should weigh at least 25 to 30 pounds before being weaned. Anim. Pictures provided by Daniela Casuriaga. Sell a portion of ewes with lambs at foot to free up 121, 132136. The next best grazing available should be offered to any lean ewes, to build up condition prior to tupping and that fitter ewes should be offered the poorest ground available. When Is The Best Time For Weaning Lambs? Ethol. Melbourne: CSIRO. doi: 10.1002/dev.20192. Anim. Mr Jones says lambs from the March lambers will almost certainly be weaned at 10 weeks this spring. Mastitis is also a concern after weaning in wool and meat sheep, and it is more commonly observed in early weaning systems as lambs are separated from their mothers when milk yield is still high (Animal Welfare Approved certification program, 2018). Lambs don't need to get as big for the smaller, slower-growing breeds. . Early weaning is usually defined as weaning prior to 90 days of age; 60 days is most common. Lambs from feed-restricted ewes during gestation vocalise and pace less, and the variation of albumin concentration before and after weaning is lower than that of lambs from well-fed ewes (Freitas-de-Melo et al., 2017). Even though ewes were at target condition score 3 at lambing, they will struggle to hit peak lactation at three weeks because of challenging conditions this spring, he says. Lambs prefer less volume of milk in more feeds during the day as it is closer to their natural suckling behaviour. Czech J. Anim. Ecol. Abrupt weaning also can increase lambs' susceptibility to diseases and decrease weight gain (Freitas-de-Melo and Ungerfeld, 2016a). Physiol. Influence of controlled suckling and the male effect on the resumption of postpartum ovarian activity in Pelibuey sheep. doi: 10.1163/156853900501999, Dwyer, C. M., Lawrence, A. 31, 9199. Sheep and lambs are talented at biting off the most nutrient rich part of the plant. Ethol. However, good intakes of creep feed by the lambs is essential. 8 Articles, This article is part of the Research Topic, Ewe-Lamb Bond at Birth and During Lactation, Factors Involved in the Weaning Stress Response, Strategies to Improve Sheep Welfare at Weaning, https://doi.org/10.3389/fanim.2022.823188, Animal Welfare Approved certification program, 2018, https://agreenerworld.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/TAFS-17-Age-of-weaning-lambs-v1-updated.pdf, http://dx.doi.org/urn:ISSN:1870-0462-tsaes.v13i3.1269, Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). Behav. Artificial weaning may be an abrupt or a gradual process. But, since "it depends" is not a helpful answer in the slightest, let's dig into the things that 6 Reasons Why People (Just Like You!) If there is grass in abundance and sheep have lots of feed ahead of them we might not wean at 10 weeks, we might push it back to 12 weeks, Mr Jones explains. Behav. doi: 10.1016/j.jveb.2014.11.008, Mandal, A., Prasad, H., Kumar, A., Roy, R., and Sharma, N. (2007). Behav. In other systems, weaning is performed to improve the body reserves of the ewes after the end of lactation, increasing the reproductive results at the following breeding season, including fertility, prolificacy, and birth weight of their subsequent offspring (Vatankhaha and Salehi, 2010; Vatankhah et al., 2012). Sci. (1985). 168, 3136. doi: 10.1002/dev.20024, Vatankhah, M., Talebi, M. A., and Zamani, F. (2012). Newly weaned lambs should have a good supply of clean fresh water at all times and be closely monitored for any health problems. 44, 159169. However, this system is often associated with poor performance of the lambs (Napolitano et al., 1995), in addition to the need to use artificial suckling and milk substitutes, which increase digestive problems such as diarrhoea (Wang et al., 2019). On the other hand, weaning performed around 120 d of age affects more the growth of male than female bighorn sheep until puberty (Festa-Bianchet et al., 1994). Dry off ewes after weaning by providing low quality grazing or feed for around two weeks. For instance, the provision of feed supplements before and after weaning can help lambs cope with the nutritional changes at weaning. Behav. (2010). Therefore, there is room to study the conditioning factors that might modify the ewe and lamb responses to separation. Lack of colostrum, together with the common practice of lambing ewe lambs after the main flock, demands high standards of hygiene because disease-causing organisms tend to build up in the environment as lambing progresses. This could be a bit of upland or hill grazing, or after the initial weaning week, they could follow the lambs on a leader follower system on a rotational system. Sci. Another practical management that provided interesting results is the induction of oestrus in ewes simultaneously with weaning, to superimpose another goal to the ewe, reducing the attention to their lambs. doi: 10.2527/jas.2014-7322, Freitas-de-Melo, A., Anglica, T., Ungerfeld, R., Orihuela, A., Htzel, M., and Prez-Clariget, R. (2018b). The sense of olfaction is well developed in sheep and is essential for social recognition in the species (Lvy et al., 1995). For example, at this stage in the year, lambs are consuming large quantities of grass, so by not weaning the lambs, both the ewes and the lambs will only end . Lambs prevented from suckling their mothers display behavioural, immune, and endocrine disturbances. 4, 3436. Although this treatment decreases the behavioural response (Freitas-de-Melo et al., 2015b), the reduction of the negative responses is not as great as long-term treatment (Freitas-de-Melo et al., 2013). Behav. Furthermore, faecal worm egg counts are lower in supplemented-weaned lambs than unsupplemented lambs (Shaw et al., 1995), probably because supplemented-weaned lambs are less exposed to parasites, improving the health status of lambs. Prod. doi: 10.1002/dev.20218, Sevi, A., Caroprese, M., Annicchiarico, G., Albenzio, M., Taibi, L., and Muscio, A. In May 2023, Frontiers adopted a new reporting platform to be Counter 5 compliant, in line with industry standards. Meat and wool sheep farms use early, traditional or late weaning, which is done from 30 days of age until around natural weaning age. doi: 10.116/S0031-9384(97)00079-6, Nowak, R., and Poindron, P. (2006). Effect of weaning age and slaughter weight on carcass and meat quality of Talaverana breed lambs raised at pasture. Sci. (2021b). Weaning should take place by 12 weeks from the start of lambing, sooner if the season has been poor. Anim. The upper graphs show the time spent pacing (A,C) and the one below, the emission of vocalisations (B,D). After early weaning, some farmers reduce the amount of food and water offered to lactating ewes to decrease milk production and avoid mastitis, which also constitutes a welfare concern. At weaning, lambs remain in the field where they have grazed with their mothers to help ease them into the new feeding regime, while ewes are moved to a field as distant as possible from the lambs. The mother-young bond has been defined as a preferential mutual emotional attachment of relatively long duration that resists temporal separations (Newberry and Swanson, 2008). Nematode parasitism affects lying time and overall activity patterns in lambs following pasture exposure around weaning. Minimising the stress of weaning of beef calves: a review. 4.5 Weaning The weaning age of lambs may vary from four weeks to four months. While there may be a surplus of grass at the moment, the competition between ewe and lamb must be monitored. Behav. The Accidental Smallholder Ltd 2003-2023. Front. Anim. Is body surface temperature measured on the single lambs' back a reliable indicator of the ewe-lamb bond around birth? Animal 12, 98105. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-84334-2, Freitas-de-Melo, A., and Ungerfeld, R. (2016a). However, females weaned from fence-line separation weigh more after weaning and present a smaller coccidial oocyst output than those weaned abruptly (Orgeur et al., 1999). 98, skz356. By 12 weeks, the volume of milk intake from suckled lambs is very small, with the majority of the diet comprising of forage and/or hard feed, if provided. J. Anim. Orgeur et al. Managing ewes by condition score is a more sustainable strategy than conventional flushing of thin ewes, she suggests. Furthermore, the lambs from undernourished ewes advance their natural weaning process since they present a greater grazing frequency before weaning, probably to compensate for the access to fewer amounts of milk (Freitas-de-Melo et al., 2017). Raise Sheep, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0921448821001942, Weaners from Meat and Livestock Australia, Why Do You Cull Sheep? Anim. Product. (1969b). Grass growth has gone from being particularly limited to an extreme surge in growth across the country. If your sheep are A.I.