FORECASTS of strong market prices remaining in the UK sheep sector throughout 2026 should give producers all the incentive needed to take essential steps to minimise losses.
This, says Rumenco’s Technical Services Manager Dr Alison Bond, should include a sharp focus on the nutritional requirements of ewes and their unborn lambs in the lead up to lambing, as shortfalls in key minerals and trace elements are amongst the commonest issues reported.
She said: “According to AHDB records, even the top performing flocks are suffering lamb losses of between 10 and 12 percent in the period from scanning to weaning.
“Whilst a proportion will be unavoidable, there will always be room for improvement and the rewards for increasing lamb sales look set to remain high.
“We know from sheep disease surveillance data, which is routinely collected across the UK, that nutritional deficiencies are a significant factor, with trace elements such as selenium, zinc and cobalt commonly implicated, and these are often issues that can be rectified with the appropriate supplementation.”
Dr Bond says that the six weeks prior to lambing is a particularly important period, pointing out that 75 percent of foetal growth occurs in this period, significantly increasing the energy and protein requirements of pregnant ewes.
She said: “During this period, the ewe is prioritising the growth of her lamb or lambs while beginning to produce colostrum and is also trying to maintain her own body condition.
“This is the time that supplementary feeding is most important, and offering free access blocks or buckets with a proven formulation will be the best solution for most flocks.
“As well as helping the ewe meet her energy and protein requirements, supplementary feeding is also an opportunity to support forage utilisation and provide the more important minerals and trace elements in the most available form.
“These are factors that will impact on lamb viability and survival rates and help to minimise the losses that are such a drain on profitability for all flocks.”
Referencing Rumenco’s Lifeline Lamb and Ewe pre-lambing feed and mineral bucket, Dr Bond points to the many years of research and independent testing that have led to its unique formulation.
She added: “To gain maximum benefit from a pre-lambing block or bucket, it’s advisable to use a proven product like Lifeline.
“This formulation, for example, has been shown in independent SRUC trials to increase colostrum immunoglobulin content by 25%.
“In other studies, it has demonstrated reduced lamb mortality between birth and slaughter, increased growth rates, and improved lambing percentages for ewes in their subsequent reproductive cycle.
“It has been developed to help sheep farmers improve in the key areas, the most important of which is to reduce lamb losses.
“With market values forecast to remain high, it makes absolute sense to keep as many lambs alive as possible, and investing in the best available supplementation will be a cost-effective solution in most cases.”
Lifeline Lamb and Ewe is available from Rumenco as a free access supplement, recommended for use in the six weeks prior to lambing, in 22.5kg buckets and 80kg tubs.
