Sheep farmers are being encouraged to carry out ram MOTs and health checks on all breeding females ahead of tupping.

RCVS Advanced Practitioner in Sheep Health and Production, Pippa Middlemas, from Clevedale Vets in North Yorkshire, part of the VetPartners group, says taking the time to ensure all stock is in good health ahead of breeding will pay dividends at lambing time.

For rams, she recommends asking your vet to carry out a full check, or MOT, approximately eight weeks ahead of the breeding season every year.

"This is something most vet practices do and it can prove very useful ahead of tupping; there is nothing worse than realising the tup hasn't done their job after the event," explains Mrs Middlemas.

She says the vet carrying out the MOT will check over the ram's genitalia and take a semen sample to check everything is in good working order.

"The vet will also perform a physical exam to check there are no issues which might affect performance, including checking teeth, feet, and body condition score (BCS) with the ideal score 3.5-4 ahead of tupping.

"Rams will be working hard over the breeding period and will lose some condition, so it is important that they are fit, but not fat, and ready for the task ahead.

"Sperm production takes six to eight weeks and is highly responsive to nutrition, so rams need to be on good grazing prior to breeding to ensure optimal fertility," adds Mrs Middlemas.

"I also recommend that farmers consider vaccination of rams for footrot ahead of tupping to help them perform their role within the flock.

"It is also best to give vaccinations well in advance of tupping because any vaccination too close to the breeding period may cause a mild temperature increase which may impact upon semen production," she adds.

For breeding females, Mrs Middlemas advises checking body condition, teeth, udders, and feet.

"I'd recommend a BCS of 2.5-3.5 target for ewes, depending on flock type, and checking that ewe lambs are at 60% of mature weight and that shearlings are 80% of mature weight at breeding.

"Getting ewes in the right body condition for breeding is vital, as undernutrition around breeding and early pregnancy can negatively impact upon ovulation and conception rates and increase foetal resorption. Therefore, you need to plan ahead since it can take six to eight weeks for ewes on good grazing to gain one BCS.

"Thin ewes at weaning need to be prioritised with regards to the best nutrition. Ensure that ewes are on fresh pasture for 10 days before tupping, and maintain this level of nutrition once the rams go in.

"Where possible, also keep the ewe lambs as a separate group for tupping and give them some extra care because they are still growing themselves" she confirms.

Ms Middlemas also recommends speaking to your vet about a pre-tupping vaccination programme for females to prevent toxoplasmosis and enzootic abortion (EAE).

"This needs to be done four months to four weeks before tupping time. Planning ahead and ordering vaccines in a timely manner is advised as there have been supply issues with some vaccines this year," she says.

In flocks with a known problem of Border disease, she recommends mixing ewe lambs with ewe replacements prior to breeding, particularly if they are new to the farm so they become exposed to the disease.

"There's no vaccine against Border disease, so you're really relying on a natural form of immunity by mixing the animals well in advance of tupping," explains Mrs Middlemas.

She also recommends bolusing both males and females if there are known trace element deficiencies on the farm.

"When performing routine treatments in the flock, don't forget about the rams - it's surprising how easy this is to do if they are on another part of the farm from the breeding ewes," she says.

"It is common at this time of year to purchase replacement stock for the flock - talk to your vet to ensure you have a robust quarantine protocol in place, so that you minimis the risk of introducing disease or resistant parasites into the flock.

"It's important to have new stock separate for long enough that you can be aware of anything that might crop up before you turn them out with the rest of the flock," concludes Mrs Middlemas.