David Coen explains the importance of recording ewe lambs that have not been mated on the Sheep Ireland database.  This is important for LambPlus breeders for a number of reasons; Data Quality Index (DQI), accounting for that ewe and ensuring that it is not assumed that she is barren.

This can be done via logging into your Sheep Ireland account and going to the ‘Mating – Natural and AI’ screen. There is a blue button on the top left of the screen stating ‘ Click here to Record Ewe Lambs Not Mated’. Once you click on this, your list of ewe lambs will be displayed.

The current season is will set as default however breeders can record the ewe lambs from the previous year as not mated also. Please ensure that the correct season is selected. Breeders can then simply click on the animals they wish to mark as ‘not mated’. If an incident occurs where a ewe lamb is accidentally mated unbeknownst to the breeder, you will still be able to record her lambing via the lambing management screen.

The best time to record your animals as ‘not mated’ is when you are recording your mating’s (click here to see mating screens tutorial), hence why they can be found on the same screen. Recording your ewe lambs as not mated is important as it effects your DQI in terms of accounting for your inactive ewes. A record should be recorded for all breeding ewes in the flock, whether she is not mated, barren, has aborted or has lambed down.

Please view video below demonstrating how to record your ewe lambs as not mated.

For more information or assistance on how to record your ewe lambs as not mated please contact Sheep Ireland on 023 8820451 or email on [email protected]