SIS new entrants: The third year of the Sheep Improvement Scheme has (SIS) opened for applications to new entrants. The terms and conditions state that a new entrant is described as a person(s) who has started/commenced as a sheep farmer for the first time in their own name(s) in the last three years – namely 2022, 2023 and/or 2024.
It states that for the purposes of year three of the scheme, new entrants are those who submitted a sheep census for the first time based on sheep on their holding on either, 31 December 2022, 31 December 2023 or 31 December 2024.
The participants SIS reference number will be the average of the census submitted.
Applicants must select actions and specify the year in which they plan to purchase a genotyped ram from the first three years of their participation. The application portal to submit an application is open since 25 March and will remain open until 11.59pm on 29 April 2025.
Grass tetany: Lamb mortality and issues in early lactation have reduced majorly on last year’s spike in challenges. While there is no flush of grass growth and a much lower reported incidence of tetany, there is still some sporadic issues reported where ewes are under nutritional pressure and a significant drop in night time temperatures is acting as a trigger.
Remember with regards to an animal’s ability to store magnesium, it will take one to two days for magnesium levels to build and protection to kick in while cover will wane quickly from one to three days after magnesium intake ceases or is curtailed. If using magnesium buckets in a large grazing area, it is worth placing buckets at a few sites and particularly where sheep are likely to congregate. Feeding concentrates containing magnesium (ewes require 1-2g daily but a higher allowance is recommended in challenging conditions) will increase magnesium blood levels while feeding concentrates will also help as it will slow down the rate of digestion and help absorption from forage.
Magnesium bullets can also have a role in reducing the risk while adding magnesium to water is another option which can be successful during drier weather.
Creep feeding: There are more discussions on the economics of creed feeding going on recent fluctuation in hogget prices and likely supply forecasts. While lambs are getting a better start and performing better in recent weeks it is still unlikely that there will not be any major increase in throughput until mid- to late May/early June with supplies of hoggets forecast to be low during this period.
The economics will be strongly influenced by having lambs fit for slaughter before numbers increase substantially and seasonal price pressure.
The Eid al-Adha festival takes place from 6 June to 10 June 2025.
The festival in recent years has helped support price rather than deliver a significant increase.
There are other factors of influence such as reducing grass demand where there are other livestock competing for grass supplies as the year progress – eg suckler cows and growing calves. Some flocks successfully operated a system in 2024 whereby a percentage of earlier born or single-suckling lambs were fed while the best option is where feeding levels can be restricted by forward creep grazing and feeding in troughs.
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