Reproductive Management in Ovine

A group of Hampshire Down ewes ready for lambing

A very important aspect for managing sheep farms is reproductive control. At either milk or meat farms, a good organization of the production batch is essential:

• Lambing
• Dry
• Milking
• Pregnant
• Non pregnant
• Etc.  

Performing ultrasound aids to triage individuals, allowing movement between different batches to manage nutrition, or whether to include in estrus synchronization programs.

These synchronization programs allow us to obtain a greater number of lambs in the unfavorable season, moment in which higher price is reached in the market. On the other hand, in dairy farms let configure more homogeneous milking batches throughout the year and keep a more uniform production.

Sanitary Program

Through the implementation of strict health programmes that set the ADSG (Livestock Health Protection Group), the health level of farms and food security have increased dramatically in the last 20 years.

These programs are intended to control, prevent and ultimately eradicate dangerous diseases either by their transmission to people, its ability to spread or the economic damage that it causes to livestock worldwide. Besides vaccination or deworming programs, within the health plan also includes training courses for farmers. They not only talk about biosanitary safety precautions, but address other aspects of importance for farms as other diseases, husbandry, nutrition...

Within the sanitary program of the farms, veterinarians have a responsibility in the accurate animal identification. Furthermore, in the case of sheep, veterinary surgeons are responsible for the operation to carry out this identification, using a radio frequency device (microchip) integrated in a ceramic cover (bolus), placing it in the rumen, with the same number as the eartag.