Bumper flock of lamb triplets will need ‘plenty of decent tucker’ vet warns

Rosie Longuett-Higgins from King Country Vets says about 20 per cent of some flocks are showing up triplets. File photo / John Borren

RNZ

With so much summer rain and pasture growth, ewes are in good condition and the result is pregnancy scans are showing a higher number of triplets than ever before for some regions.

When the ram was put into their paddocks the ewes were ovulating well and very fertile.

Rosie Longuett-Higgins from King Country Vets has been scanning ewes in the PioPio and Te Kuiti areas.

She said scanning was coming in at 200 per cent - that translated to about 20 per cent of some flocks showing up triplets.

She said that was a high percentage and definitely more than usual.

“They can present a challenge for farmers and the ewes; also the lambs as they are smaller when they come out and need to be managed as they are more prone to the elements and keeping them alive is the issue.”

Longuett-Higgins said even if a couple or just one of the trio of lambs survived their body weight would be lower compared to those from a ewe that had one lamb or twins.

She advised farmers to look after the ewes carrying triplets as soon as a scan confirmed it.

“Definitely this is the year to prioritise ewes with triplets. And twins need a bit of extra care as well. Put them all in a nice big paddock with about 10 ewes per hectare with plenty of decent tucker. That’s grass about the length of four centimetres up your gumboot.”

Longuett-Higgins said it was vital to ensure they had plenty of food.

“It’s about focusing on giving the ewe and triplets the best chance you can.”

Lamb triplets are smaller so keeping them alive can be a challenge for farmers, a vet says. Photo / RNZ / Michael Godfrey

She said triplets could be very profitable as long as farmers prevented potential issues by looking after the ewes as soon as the scanning results came back and planning ahead for when they would drop three lambs.

Further north in cyclone hit Hawke’s Bay and Tai Rāwhiti sheep farmers were also recording higher-than-expected ewe scanning results.

In a normal season, East Coast results sit at 160 per cent, making for a final lambing percentage of 131 per cent.

This year ewe scanning has been well up at between 170 and 180 per cent.

Hawke’s Bay Federated Farmers Meat and Wool vice chair Athea Yule said farmers were thrilled to have scanned well but it was a double-edged sword as lambing which was normally an enjoyable time, would be stressful.

- RNZ