Pregnancy Scanning in sheep– Why should I scan for multiples?

Want more lambs? Pregnancy scanning for multiples is a very useful tool for producers to make better management decisions. Valuable information can be collected, leading to a more tailored management and production system based on pregnancy status, helping to improve lamb survival and profitability in your sheep enterprise.

The benefits of scanning for multiples include:

• Ability to forecast potential lamb numbers
  • Financial budgeting
  • Feed budgeting
• Tailoring your twin and single bearing ewe management, in particular their different energy requirements.
• Identify dry ewes
  • Increase reproductive rates
• More flexibility in poor seasons or adverse conditions, by prioritising resources (feed, shelter, and labour) to the different groups of ewes.
• Troubleshoot failed reproduction
• Optimise production system output

The requirements of single and twin bearing ewes vary greatly, and pregnancy scanning is your most valuable tool to allow for differential management.

Refer to the useful tables section on the feeding livestock website to view the Lifetimeewe tables listing the energy requirements of ewes in various stages of pregnancy.

The sheep tools & calculators can be used to select a feed budgeting tool for single and twin bearing ewes

And watch the AWI Change Makers Episode 7: Scanning to manage to learn why you should scan for multiples.