Sheep
Mineral Requirements in Finishing Lambs
Mineral imbalances in finishing lambs primarily impact growth rates and therefore time to finishing and slaughter. There are several reasons why mineral problems arise in finishing lambs, here we discuss ones that are commonly seen on farms. One of the reasons that problems arise is due to the lamb running out of minerals from the…
Agribusiness News November 2024 – Sheep
Supply and Demand The sheep trade currently shows a true reflection of the balance between global supply and demand. AHDB have recently shown that the UK clean sheep slaughter for Jan-Sept 2024 stands at 8.19 million head, some 700,000 head or 7.9% less than that in the same period in 2023. With less lamb being…
Metabolic Profiling in the Sheep Flock – Why and How to Do It
What is metabolic profiling? Metabolic profiling involves blood testing sheep at key times in the production cycle, such as pre-tupping and pre-lambing or for lambs post-weaning. It is a common management tool used to assess the nutritional adequacy of a ration and to help reduce the risk of metabolic diseases and suboptimal fertility or performance….
Agribusiness News October 2024 – Sheep
Store and breeding sales have continued to hit the headlines, with record breaking prices being made across the country this Autumn. This has been in response not just to the decrease in the global ewe flock, but also to the positivity surrounding the sheep sector with strong prime prices and a growing Muslim population. While…
Parasites in Sheep
Parasites in Sheep A range of internal and external parasites affect sheep including roundworms, fluke, mites, lice, flies, and ticks which can lower flock productivity. Climate change and emerging resistance to treatment pose increasing challenges to parasite management in Scottish farms. Along with our resources, you can also visit the Sustainable Control of Parasites (SCOPS)…
Stock Talk – Graham Lofthouse
In this episode, host Robert Ramsay speaks to Graham Lofthouse, beef and sheep farmer from Bankhouse Farm, in the Scottish Borders, and winner of the AgriScot Scottish Sheep Farmer of the Year award 2016. Robert and Graham discuss the strategies and challenges of rotational grazing systems, lamb growth, flock efficiency, genetics and how Graham established…
Monitoring Flock Performance Vlog Series
Throughout 2024 and 2025 we followed three sheep farmers in Scotland to discover how they monitor flock performance, and how data helped them make future decisions on breeding and management. Farmer Vlogs Michelle Bruce, Meikle Tillyeve (Ellon) Weaning & Driving Flock Decisions Michelle starts to think about the next breeding year at weaning time, with…
Agri Culture – Fred Swift & Stella Stewart: From Sheep to Shop – Increasing the Value of Wool
Mary-Jane Lawrie is joined by Fred Swift from South Clunes Farm and Highland Clip, and Stella Stewart from Anta. Fred Swift farms South Clunes Farm near Inverness in the Highlands with his wife Sofi and his father. They run a traditional upland farm with cattle and sheep. Fred and his family have transformed the farm…
Selecting Finished Lambs – A Practical Guide
It is important to know when your lambs are ready for sale so that you can maximise returns from your flock. There are two main routes for finished lambs: selling liveweight through a livestock market or selling deadweight direct to an abattoir. The specifications for each route vary slightly and there are pros and cons…
Selecting the Right Ram for the Job
Rams are responsible for 50% of the genetic pool in any sheep flock and therefore have a large influence on the overall performance of the flock. Selecting the right ram for your system is imperative to ensure that any lamb born into the flock fit the system and breeding goals required. Making a good choice…