Ewes that are underweight at joining have a reduced conception rate and generally produce weaker, smaller lambs. Ewes that are overweight at joining will either have to lose weight during pregnancy, which is not desirable, or are fatter at lambing and more prone to lambing difficulties and lambing associated disease such as pregnancy toxaemia and hypocalcaemia. Table 1 gives an ideal condition score range for the different stages of the reproductive cycle. Supplements may be required to maintain these condition scores when pasture feed is insufficient. Pasture benchmarks and ewe condition score for optimal production at various stages of the reproductive cycle.
Pasture benchmarks are for high quality pasture of average density.
Pasture benchmarks for optimum production Pasture benchmarks refer to the quality and quantity of pasture required to reach a preferred level of production. The quality of pasture is mainly determined by the stage of growth of pasture. As the pasture starts flowering and setting seed in late spring quality declines to about 70 per cent digestibility. A rapid decline in quality occurs as the pasture senesces. Quantity of pasture is measured in kilograms of pasture on a dry basis, per hectare.