Rising fertiliser prices, lengthy delivery delays and increasingly variable grass growth are forcing sheep producers to rethink how they maintain lamb performance this season.

Rather than relying on expensive nitrogen applications to drive grass production, producers are being encouraged to consider targeted creep feeding as a practical and cost-effective way to support lamb growth where forage quantity or quality starts to dip.

 "The economics around supporting lamb growth this season are changing," says Alister Davies, UK Beef and Sheep Commercial Manager at ForFarmers. "Grass will always be the foundation of lamb finishing systems, but where grass quality becomes inconsistent, strategic creep feeding can help fill nutritional shortfalls and maintain performance much more reliably.

 "Traditionally, the response may have been to apply more nitrogen to drive grass growth, but with fertiliser now both expensive and difficult to source, producers should look closely at which investment is going to deliver the best return."

 Mr Davies says the comparison between fertiliser and supplementary feeding is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore.

 "An artic load of nitrogen fertiliser, once VAT is included, would now buy enough ForFarmers Ewbol Lamb Creep to finish around 700-800 spring lambs," he explains. "That changes the conversation significantly. In some situations, investing in targeted supplementation may deliver a more immediate and measurable return than continuing to push additional grass growth."

 Lambs grazing high-quality leafy pasture may achieve liveweight gains of 150-200g/day, but performance can fall rapidly once swards become stemmier or intakes decline. In suitable systems, creep feeding can increase DLWG from around 200g/day to as much as 450g/day, helping lambs hit specification earlier and maintain finishing consistency.

 "ForFarmers' Ewbol Prestige Lamb range has been specifically formulated for lamb systems," states Mr Davies. "The pelleted ration combines high levels of starch and digestible fibre to drive rapid DLWG, alongside a balanced supply of rumen degradable and bypass protein to support frame development and lean muscle growth."

 Alongside supplementation, producers are also being encouraged to think ahead regarding forage planning.

 "It's well worth considering a forage break crop where pastures are underperforming," explains Mr Davies. "Ploughing out a tired ley in May and establishing a forage rape crop can provide high-quality grazing for weaned lambs by late July, while also improving the establishment and health of the following grass ley in the autumn.

 "Intensive grazing of brassica break crops can also help improve soil fertility and create a much cleaner entry point for reseeding, reducing disease pressure and helping improve long-term grassland performance."

 Maintaining good flock management also remains critical. Monitoring worm burden through regular faecal egg counts, mineral status and routine weighing can all help identify performance issues before lambs lose condition or growth rates begin to stall.

"The systems achieving the best results are the ones staying flexible, monitoring performance closely and making nutritional decisions early enough to keep lambs thriving," concludes Mr Davies.