Growth key to profitability

For Berwick-upon-Tweed sheep farmer Simon Gray fast growth coupled with the ability to produce top grade carcasses is central to a profitable sheep flock.

Growth is everything for the flock, the quicker the lambs grow the more they make, it’s as simple as that, explains Simon.

“We lamb from 23rd February and start drawing lambs in mid to late May, depending on the year. The aim is to have all lambs sold by the time we start cereal harvest later in the summer, so growth rate is key.

“However, that timing also means that more often than not we’re selling on a trade that is falling week on week. The more lambs we can have away earlier in the season the more they’re worth, it is as simple as that,” says Simon.

Tight management sees the 1050-ewe flock lambing over a hectic three to four week period, with teasers run with ewes before the tups go out.

“Ewes are tupped in groups of 200-250, with teasers introduced to each group a day apart. We then run rams at a ratio of about one ram to 30 ewes, helping maximise conception to first service. A lot of flocks would be at a higher ratio than that, but we’re trying to keep lambing as compact as we can and that means having sufficient ram power,” says Simon who farms in partnership with his wife, Jan, and son, Elliot.

And, with growth a key parameter, Simon pays careful attention to texelplus performance recording figures when buying rams. “The most important figure for me is the scan weight figure, that’s the key indicator of early growth. After that I’m looking for rams with good muscle EBVs to give the carcass quality we’re looking for.

“From a physical aspect we also want structurally correct rams with good skins and solid tops and ends.”

A keen studier of both physical and financial performance of every aspect of the 960-acre mixed sheep and arable farm,

Farm Facts

The Gray family, Berwick-upon-Tweed, Northumberland

• 960-acre mixed sheep and arable

• 182% lambs reared

• 390g/day average growth rate

• 86% E and U grades

Careful attention to performance figures when buying rams pays dividends for Simon and Jan Gray.

Simon says average growth rate from birth to slaughter last year was 390g/day across more than 1900 lambs.

“Average carcass weight was 22.2kg, while average killing out percentage was 49%, with the first lambs slaughtered on 18th May and the last being sold on 22nd August.

“On top of that more than 86% graded as Es or Us, proving the value in careful ram selection and management at every stage of the system.” faecal egg counts throughout the season, so we only use anthelmintics when absolutely necessary. some cereal crops with sheep during the winter,” he says.

Ewes are tupped at grass and then, in recent years, have been moved to cover crops or root crops for the winter, ahead of housing for lambing. “We used to house ewes shortly after scanning, but when they were housed for that length of time we found we were getting too many feet issues.

“Having them out for longer has helped reduce foot problems and means ewes are healthier overall. Once they are housed they are fed ad-lib silage and a home-mixed ration according to scan results.

“Because we’re drawing lambs every week withdrawal periods can be problematic, so we don’t want to drench lambs unless we have to,” he explains.

Simon admits this style of management is high cost, with creep feed costing in the region of £13/lamb last year, but he believes it still justifies itself in the output levels being achieved.

Investing in creep feed ensures lambs earn premium prices.

Having tried a number of other breeds Simon says the family will be sticking with Texel tups for the foreseeable future. “Other breeds just can’t compete in our system, they either lack the carcass quality or the growth, or simply don’t have the attributes to thrive on our farm.”

Lambs are also drenched for coccidiosis and receive their first ovivac P vaccination at this stage too. “We also treat for nematodirus later on and then monitor

“Our average lamb price last year was £6.57/kg deadweight. There is no other type of livestock we can feed our grain to that can earn that price/kg. Beef prices have risen strongly in the last 12 months, but they’re still below £5/kg deadweight.

“Nothing can touch that early season lamb price in £/kg terms, so we’re heavily focussed on getting those lambs up and away as quickly as we can.

“Last year, by the end of June we had sent 1550 lambs, 80% of the total lamb crop, and even then the price on the last load was 50p/kg less than it was for the first load. On a 22kg carcass that’s £11 difference, nearly equalling the cost of the creep feed/lamb,” adds Simon.

With all lambs sold deadweight to Dawn Meats, the family are able to carefully monitor performance and analyse where changes can be made to benefit the business. “Sheep are currently the third best performer in the rotation behind winter wheat and oilseed rape.

“They bring other benefits to the arable rotation too, with grass leys used as a break crop to both add fertility and reduce weed burdens. Additionally, we are now grazing

More than 80% of the Grays’ lambs hit E and U grades.

Historically, rams were sourced from a local pedigree breeder, however, when he retired the Grays bought a number of his ewes and are now breeding some of their own, with further rams sourced from other breeders as required.