Annual Ewe Management Program (April Lambing)

I. Ewe Production Stages Flushing:November 1 to November 15 Breeding:November 15 to December 7 Early Gestation:December 1 to March 20 Late Gestation:March 20 to April 13 Average Lambing Date:April 13 Lactation:April 13 to June 20 Average Weaning Date:June 20 Post-Weaning:June 20 to July 1 Maintenance:July 1 to November 1

II. Nutritional Flushing (14 days) A. Enter in 1.5 to 2.0 BCS B. Mineral, water, shade C. Two weeks before and entire 3-week breeding season D.Benefits 1. Synchronized breeding/ conception/lambing to 20% higher lambing rate E. No benefit if BCS > 3.0

II. Nutritional Flushing (14 days) A. Minimally Intensive 1.Graze same pasture 2.No concentrate supplement 3.Turn rams in on November 15

II. Nutritional Flushing (14 days) A. Moderately Intensive 1.De-worm ewes/rams on November 1 2.New pasture or 3.0 lb hay/ewe/d on pasture 3.No concentrate supplement 4.Turn rams in on November 15

II. Nutritional Flushing (14 days) A. Highly Intensive 1.De-worm ewes/rams on November 1 2.Trim hooves/foot bath (Zinc Sulfate) 3.New pasture and/or 3.0 lb hay/ewe/d on pasture lb shelled corn/ewe/d 5.Turn rams in on November 15 6.ADG = 0.2 to 0.25 lb/ewe/d 7.Leave in 2.0 to 2.5 BCS

III. Breeding (21 days) A.Continue minimal, moderate, high intensity management for 21 days B.Same pasture for 7 days after ram removal C.Leave breeding in 2.0 to 2.5 BCS D.3 to 5 lb hay/ewe/d if pasture is short E.Mineral, water F.Ewes: ram Mature 35 to 50:1 Yrlg20 to 35:1 Lamb 15 to 20:1

IV. Early Gestation (110 days) A.Enter in 2.0 to 2.5 BCS B.ADG = 0.07 lb/ewe (total gain = 7 to 10 lb) C.Mineral, water D.Leave in 2.0 to 2.5 BCS E.Feed quality vs. quantity

IV. Early Gestation (110 days) A.Minimally Intensive 1.Roll baled grass hay (medium quality) or 3 to 5 lb/ewe/d on pasture

IV. Early Gestation (110 days) A.Cull open ewes B.FAMACHA/BCS beginning of EG C.De-worm 4’s and 5’s D.De-worm 3’s with BCS < 2.5 E.Roll baled grass hay (medium quality) or 5 lb/ewe/d on pasture

IV. Early Gestation (110 days) A.Check raddle marks for 17d after breeding season/cull opens B.Vaccinate for vibrio between March 1 and 15 C.FAMACHA/BCS beginning of EG D.De-worm 4’s and 5’s E.De-worm 3’s with BCS < 2.5 F.Roll baled grass hay (medium quality) or 5 lb/ewe/d on pasture G.0.5 to 1.0 lb corn/ewe/d for ewes < 2.5 BCS

V. Late Gestation (28 days) A.Enter in 3.0 BCS. B.Mineral, water C.ADG = 0.5 lb/ewe/d D.Leave in 3.5 to 4.0 BCS

V. Late Gestation (28 days) A.Minimally Intensive 1.Continue to feed grass hay ad libitum or 5.0 lb/ewe/d until spring grass comes 2.Hay quality higher than EG

V. Late Gestation (28 days) A.Moderately Intensive 1.Shear 2.FAMACHA/BCS first day of LG 3.De-worm 3’s, 4’s, and 5’s 4.Vibrio vaccination between March 1 and 15 5.Medium quality grass hay ad libitum or 5.0 lb/ewe/d until ewes quit eating in spring

V. Late Gestation (28 days) A.Highly Intensive 1.Shear 2.FAMACHA/BCS first day of LG 3.De-worm 3’s, 4’s, and 5’s 4.Vibrio vaccination between March 1 and 15 5.CDT vaccination 6.Begin to feed 3.3 lb grass hay (vegetative) + pasture pickings lb corn or spring pasture lb corn/ewe/d 7.Move ewes to barn or lot close to barn

VI. Lambing A.Enter in 3.5 to 4.0 BCS B.Mineral, water C.Leave in 3.5 to 4.0 BCS

VI. Lambing A.Minimally Intensive 1.Feed hay as long as they will eat it 2.Lamb in lot or small pasture near barn 3.Dock, castrate, identify lambs

VI. Lambing A.Moderately Intensive 1.Feed hay as long as they will eat it 2.Lamb in lot or small pasture near barn 3.Dock, castrate, identify lambs 4.Set up grafting area and graft 5.Artificially rear

VI. Lambing A.Highly Intensive 1.Move ewes to barn 7 days before 1 st lamb (a)Heaviest ewes in “up close” pen (b)Continue to move ewes into “up close” pen as ewes lamb lb grass, 3.5 lb grass legume or 3.0 lb alfalfa hay lb shelled corn/ewe/d

VI. Lambing A.Highly Intensive 1.As ewes lamb, move to jugs 2.Iodine navel 3.Make sure lambs nurse and ewe claims 4.Only water first 24 hours lb grass hay/ewe/d for 2 to 5 days 6.Dock, castrate, ear tag lambs on their way to nursery pen 7.De-worm all ewes out of jugs 8.In nursery pen, 5.0 lb alfalfa hay lb corn/ewe/d

VII. Lactation (60 to 70 days) A.Enter in 3.5 to 4.0 BCS B.Mineral, water, shade C.Leave lactation in 1.5 to 2.0 BCS D.Feed for milk, not BCS

VII. Lactation (60 to 70 days) A.Minimally Intensive 1. Graze spring, grass pasture

VII. Lactation (60 to 70 days) A.Moderately Intensive 1. Graze spring pasture lb corn/ewe/d 2. Rotate pastures – At least 30d recovery time 3. De-worm ewes with FAMACHA’s 3, 4, and 5 4. Cease corn feeding 1 week before weaning

VII. Lactation (60 to 70 days) A.Highly Intensive 1. Graze spring pasture lb corn/ewe/d 2. Rotate pastures – At least 30d recovery time 3. FAMACHA ewes at 30, 45, and 60 days 4. De-worm 3’s, 4’s, and 5’s 5. Cease corn feeding 1 week before weaning

VIII. Post-weaning (10 days) A.Cease corn feeding 1 week before weaning moderately and highly intensive ewes B.No feed or water for 48 hours C.If weather is hot, provide water and shade D.Water, allow to graze 2 hr for 3 days E.Gradually allow to graze full time

IX. Maintenance (123 days) A.Enter in 1.5 to 2.0 BCS B.De-worm FAMACHA’s 3, 4, and 5 C.Graze lowest quality pasture until next flushing D.Palpate udders 4 weeks after weaning E.FAMACHA and de-worm 3’s, 4’s, and 5’s again F.Cull ewes G.Mineral, water, shade H.Vaccinate for vibrio and EAE 30 days before breeding I.Leave in 1.5 to2.0 BCS

Annual Ram Management Program (April Lambing)

I. Nutritional Flushing (14 days) A. Enter in 2.5 to 3.0 BCS B. Mineral, water C. Leave in 2.5 to 3.0 BCS

I. Nutritional Flushing (14 days) A. Minimally Intensive 1.No concentrate 2.Remain on average pasture

I. Nutritional Flushing (14 days) A. Moderately Intensive 1.De-worm fertile rams on November 7 2.No concentrate 3.Remain on average pasture

I. Nutritional Flushing (14 days) A. Highly Intensive 1.De-worm fertile rams on November to 2.0 lb corn/ram/d November 1 to 15

II. Breeding (21 days) A.Turn fertile rams in on November 15 B.Manage like ewes, except supplement highly intensive rams with 1.5 to 2.0 lb corn/ram/d C.Ewes to ram ratio: Mature 35 to 50:1 Yrlg 20 to 35:1 Lamb 15 to 20:1 D.Remove rams on December 7 in BCS of 2.0 to 2.5

III. Maintenance (330 days) A.Re-acquaint rams B.Assign to winter pasture 1.Separate ram lambs from yrlgs and mature rams 2.Grass hay ad libitum to yrlgs and mature rams 3.Grass hay ad libitum to 2.0 lb corn/ram/d to ram lambs C.Shear wool types in March/April D.Trim hooves and de-worm in March/April

III. Maintenance (330 days) A.Pen all rams in barn on May 1 B.4 to 5 lb grass hay to 2.0 lb corn/ram/d C.Keep mature rams, yearlings, and lambs separately in barn or on pasture until November 15 D.Turn to fall pasture on October 1 E.BSE on Highly Intensive rams F.De-worm all rams in Moderately and Highly Intensive management on November 7 G.Mineral, water, shade

Annual Lamb Management Program (April Lambing)

I. Moderately Intensive A. Born in lot or small pasture near barn B. Iodine navel C. Dock, castrate, ear tag D. May vaccinate for sore mouth E. Return to pasture with ewes F. De-worm as needed

I. Moderately Intensive A.Wean at 90 days to pasture or sell as feeders B.To grass pasture 1.Adjust to 90% corn 10% SBM diet 2.2 Feed 2% of average body weight 3.3 De-worm as necessary 4.Rotate pastures 5.Mineral, water, shade 6.Market at 100 to 130 lb in Nov/Dec

I. Highly Intensive A.Born in “up close” pens in barn B.To jugs 1.Weigh, record, iodine navel 2.In jugs 24 hours up to 2 to 5 days 3.Dock, castrate, ear tag 4.May vaccinate for sore mouth

I. Highly Intensive A.Move to pastures so ewes and lambs have access to barn 1.Creep available by 7 days of age 2.Creep = 90% corn, 10% SBM, Aureo-50 3.Vaccinate for Enterotoxemia 4.Wean at 60 to 70 days of age (a)Leave lambs in same environment (b)De-worm

I. Highly Intensive A.Move to alfalfa pasture 1.Supplement 1x/d with corn at 2% of average body weight 2.Rotate pastures 3.Clip after grazing to hay cutting height 4.De-worm as necessary 5.Can self-feed as lambs get close to market 6.Mineral, water, shade B. Market at 100 to 120 lb in Oct/Nov