Lambing in full flight on Tullamore Farm

Lambing has been progressing successfully on Tullamore Farm this week, with just over 70 ewes now lambed.

As the ewes lamb, they are taken from the group pens to individual lambing pens.

Once in the individual pens, a close eye is kept on them to ensure lambs get going and sucking quickly.

With the good weather this week it has enabled ewes and lambs to get out to grass very quickly, usually the next day if both the ewe and lambs are doing well.

Performance recording

As they lamb all of the ewes and their lambs are performance recorded. Performance recording involves assessing the ewes for mothering ability, milking ability and lambing ability.

For the lamb’s performance recording involves weighing them and assessing lamb vigour. Recording of all of these traits helps to give a better view of how the flock is performing in each area and also gives a good indication on the flock’s overall performance.

We will have a more detailed report on these records once lambing is complete and all of the data has been collected.

Calving

Calving on Tullamore Farm is now nearing an end with a total of 63 out of 75 cows now calved. Calving has been very successful this year so far with a total of 65 live calves on the ground, with two sets of healthy twins being born this year.

20 cows and calves have now been put out to grass, with the aim of getting some more out in the next few weeks, but it will be dependent on weather and grass growth.

Heifers

This week the yearling heifers received their pre-breeding BVD and Lepto vaccinations. These yearling heifers are still currently housed. Like the cows and calves the aim is to get these heifers out to grass as soon as weather and grass growth allows. Getting them out to grass early will help with getting them on track for breeding in the next few months.