Did you know that around 5% of ewes in New Zealand have udder defects?
Lambs that are born to ewes with udder defects will have a reduced chance of survival. Those that do survive are slower growing so their average weaning weight is around 2kg lighter. It’s best to check udders 4–6 weeks after weaning so that affected ewes can be identified and culled.
B+LNZ has funded research that identified these losses and more importantly, what farmers can do to mitigate them. This management tool is right up there with Body Condition Scoring as being essential for sheep farmers.
This webinar features Professor Anne Ridler from Massey University discussing the research and how a simple udder check can greatly improve the productivity of your ewe flock.