Scan Your Sheep For Improved Management

The old adage that ‘knowledge is power’ applies to all livestock producers. To farm profitably, producers need to be aware of the status of their herds, whether the farming enterprise is operated on a commercial, extensive, intensive, stud or emerging scale.

- Anneke Wiese

Sheep producers scan their sheep to improve herd management, lambing seasons, and conception. Early pregnancy diagnosis allows producers to determine which ewes did not conceive. These ewes can then be sponged in time and after two weeks, when the sponges are removed, the rams can be added. This contributes to an optimal conception rate.

It is very difficult to detect early gestation through visual inspection only. Scans allow for an accurate pregnancy diagnosis, and for determining ewes’ pregnancy status. Scanning also identifies infertile ewes, which means these ewes can be removed from the flock without delay.

Herd management during lambing