The impact of this year’s unusually dry weather is increasingly clear – particularly for producers trying to get ewes into optimal body condition for tupping, says Nerys Wright.
While rainfall has been highly variable across the UK, some areas have been hit harder than others, with many parts of the country that are not used to drier conditions reporting rainfall more akin to southern Australia than the British Isles.
One farmer I spoke to shared that they typically receive around 600mm of rain annually – but this year, they’ve had just 40% of that. To put it in perspective, parts of Victoria in Australia average just 300mm a year. It begs the question: is this the future we need to prepare for?
Dry conditions have limited grass growth, making it harder to put condition on ewes and grow lambs, including the replacements. For many, this means reassessing grazing plans, supplementing earlier than usual, and being more strategic about which animals to retain.
Critical
Ewe condition at mating is critical – especially for younger ewes. Poor body condition at tupping can have long-lasting effects on scanning percentages, lamb survival, and overall flock productivity.
This is particularly true for ewe lambs and shearlings, who are still growing themselves and need to be in good condition to conceive and carry lambs successfully.
If ewes are underweight or under pressure nutritionally, they’re more likely to have lower ovulation rates, poorer conception, and increased risk of being culled early from the flock.
In response to these evolving challenges, Liz Genever and I are launching a new sheep programme in the UK, in partnership with NextGen Agri, who bring extensive experience from Australia and New Zealand.
We’re looking for 10 farms to take part in eight workshops over two years, each focusing on a different topic—from nutrition and genetics to pasture management and business planning.
It’s an exciting opportunity to build resilience and share knowledge across systems and borders. If you’re interested in being part of this journey, keep an eye out for more details soon.
The Sheep Geeks podcast is available on all major podcast platforms. Nerys Wright is an independent sheep consultant. For more details, call 07891 187643 or visit sheepconsultancy.co.uk.