Unshorn Ewes Research Articles

The effect of gramineous windbreaks on behaviour and lamb mortality among shorn and unshorn merino sheep during lambing

Shelter strips (0.75 m thick and 1.5 m high) of a tall grass (phalaris hybrid) were established at 20-m intervals in small paddocks (80 × 50 m), and the effects of the shelter on the distribution of unshorn and freshly shorn lambing ewes during 2 weeks in the winter were examined by comparison with the distribution of similar sheep in unsheltered adjacent paddocks. At night, 70% or more of shorn ewes were regularly found within 2 m of the shelters, particularly on the lee side. During the day, an average of 40% were found within this area, but the period away from shelter was reduced if wind speed exceeded 20 km/h; on the only day of high winds and rain, the ewes remained in shelter throughout the day. Unshorn ewes also congregated within 2 m of the shelter strips, but to a lesser degree and much less regularly than shorn ewes (24-h average of 34% compared with 58% within 2 m of shelter); their use of shelter showed little relation to climatic conditions and tended to be greater during the day than during the night. Both unshorn and shorn ewes tended to congregate at one end of the paddocks. In both groups, grazing was concentrated within 2 m of the shelter strips. The strips of phalaris still provided good shelter after exposure to sheep at the rate of 25–50/ha for nearly 3 weeks. Lambing sites of shorn ewes were also concentrated within 2 m of the shelter strips, to much the same degree as shorn ewes that had not lambed; a small proportion of unshorn ewes made more use of shelter at lambing than before lambing. In the unshorn group, lambs and ewes with lambs, used shelter about 10% more frequently than ewes that had not lambed. The presence of the shelter strips did not appear to increase the chances of ewes and lambs becoming separated. The weather during the experiment was generally mild, and mortality of lambs was comparatively low (12% of singles). There was little overall difference in mortality between sheltered and unsheltered groups, except during a 4.5-day period of inclement weather, when mortality that was largely attributable to cold exposure was lower in the sheltered group ( 1 41 ) than in the unsheltered animals ( 7 30 ). The incorporation of shelter strips of a tall grass into a pasture offers a simple means of providing readily available shelter for grazing animals susceptible to inclement weather.

Pre-tupping shearing of Merino two-tooth ewes

Abstract The effects on fertility of shearing Merino two-tooth ewes three weeks before mating were investigated over a period of two years. The number of barren ewes and lambs born did not differ significantly from unshorn ewes.