Lamb survival in two hill flocks

Abstract

The effects of birth weight, maternal age and parity on survival of single lambs have been studied in a Blackface and a Welsh Mountain flock. In both flocks the maximum survival rate was found to occur among lambs with birth weights just above the mean. Mortality increased as lambs' birth weight increased or decreased from the optimum, but was especially heavy at the lower extreme of the range of birth weights. Mortality decreased with age of dam to 14·3% for lambs from 4- to 6-year-old Blackface ewes and to 9·4% for lambs of 3- to 4-year-old Welsh ewes. Ewes having their first lambs gave mortality rates twice as great as for the mature ewes in the same flocks. The lower chances of survival of first born lambs irrespective of dam's age accounts for the apparent trend of mortality with maternal age in the Blackface. Changes in mortality rates associated with variation in lamb's birth weight and with the age structure of the ewe flock were estimated. Possible means of improvement of survival rate are discussed.