24 June 2023
Time to consider weaning
The optimum age to wean lambs at is 100 days or 14 weeks of age. Leaving the lambs suckling the ewes for longer than this will have a negative effect on both parties, as the ewes will be competing with the lambs for grass.
In addition, ewes need a break from lambs to allow them to recuperate and regain body weight in anticipation of the next breeding season. Having necessary health treatments for internal/external parasites, lameness, vaccinations and mineral supplementation (where needed) up to date prior to weaning is advisable to reduce any setbacks.
The table below give an approximate guide to weaning dates.
| Lambing commences | Mean lambing | 14 weeks/weaning |
|---|---|---|
| March 1 | March 10 | June 17 |
| March 15 | March 25 | July 2 |
| March 30 | April 10 | July 17 |
| April 15 | April 25 | July 22 |
The target weaning weight for lambs sired by terminal sire breeds is 34kg. It is a good idea to weigh a proportion of your lambs to see how they compare. If lambs are significantly below this target, the possible reasons for this should be investigated. Potential reasons are: poor grassland management; poor ewe condition at or post lambing; disease or parasites; or, poor genetics in ewe or ram flocks. Consider putting a plan in place to rectify any issues for next year.
More information on weaning is available in an episode of the Ovicast podcast from last year, where Ciarán Lynch and Michael Gottstein discuss some of the key management tasks and the opportunity weaning presents to benchmark performance.
For more episodes of the OviCast podcast, visit the showpage.