Sheep
The aim of the trial on Liqui Thrive Sheep was to assess the biological and financial impact of dosing with Liqui Thrive Sheep on a hill flock, with particular reference to fertility, lamb performance and economic outcome.
As a pre-condition of the trial, S.A.C. required a commercial flock of over 600 ewes that were well managed and situated on a farm with non clinical or sub clinical Copper, Cobalt or Selenium deficiencies. At the outset of the trial, and before the Liqui Thrive Sheep had been given, blood samples were taken from 20 of the Control ewes. As a majority of them were below the normal range (9.4-23 
mol/l) for copper, all the ewes in the flock were given a subqutaneous copper injection seven weeks before lambing.
By this stage the reproductive effect of Liqui Thrive had already occurred. It could be argued that this blanket treatment of all ewes prevented any copper related effects of Liqui Thrive Sheep occurring after mid-pregnancy and it is therefore impossible to say whether a larger biological of financial difference over the whole trial would have occurred if the specific Copper treatment i.e. Cujec, had not been given.
Dosing Programme
Ewes
|
Treated (ET)
|
Control (EC)
|
|
| 4 weeks pre mating |
20 mls
|
nil
|
| 7 weeks pre lambing |
Copper Injection
|
Copper Injection
|
| 4 weeks pre lambing |
20mls
|
nil
|
|
All other treatments were the same
|
||
Lambs
|
Treated (LT)
|
Control (LC)
|
|||
|
LT/ET
|
LT/EC |
LC/ET
|
LC/EC | |
| At marking (average age – 6 weeks) |
5mls
|
5mls
|
nil
|
nil
|
|
All other treatments were the same
|
||||
Lambing Dates
Results for Ewe Performance
There were significant differences in mean lambing dates between treatments, with treated ewes advancing lambing and peaking at 12 days after the first lamb was born, compared to 15 days for untreated ewes (sed 0.73, p<0.005). Compared to untreated ewes, a higher proportion of treated ewes conceived in days 1-8 (x2=6.8, p<0.001) with 80% conceiving in the first cycle (x2=5.4, p<0.025).
Results for Lamb Preference
|
Treated Ewes
|
Untreated Ewes
|
|
|
Lambs Born
per ewe mated |
1.389
|
1.301
|
|
Lambs reared
per ewe mated |
1.442
|
1.386
|
|
Lambs lost
per ewe lambing |
0.057
|
0.078
|
|
% Barren ewes
|
6.5
|
8.1
|
Throughout lactation and at weaning, untreated lambs (LC/ET) from treated ewes were heavier (32.72kg) than untreated lambs (LC/EC) from untreated ewes (31.81kg) and were marginally heavier than lambs treated at marking (LT/EC) .
Mule ewe lambs from treated ewes (LC/ET) sold on average at £4.52 per lamb more than their counterparts with 67% being sold for breeding compared to 51% from untreated ewes (LC/EC).
Mule ewe lambs treated at marking from untreated ewes (LT/EC) sold for an additional £5.67. However, the lambs from treated ewes produced a higher value per ewe, due to greater lambing percentages and lower losses.
Economic Value Per Ewe
|
Ewe Treatment
|
Treated (ET)
|
Untreated (EC)
|
||
|
Lamb Treatment
|
Treated
LT/ET |
Untreated
LC/ET |
Treated
LT/EC |
Untreated
LC/EC |
|
Value per Lamb
|
£44.67
|
£44.79
|
£45.37
|
£43.35
|
|
Value per Ewe
|
£60.88
|
£61.05
|
£57.80
|
£55.20
|
|
Diff compared to no treatment (EC/LC)
|
£5.86
|
£5.85
|
£2.60
|
|
Discussion & Conclusion
The results demonstrate a clear impact of Liqui Thrive Sheep on fertility through a tightening of the lambing period, indicating better conception. This reproductive effect is supported by increased litter size and reduced barrenness seen in treated ewes. The impact on lamb growth and financial value cannot be related to fertility. It is the combination of impacts on ewe production, lamb survival, growth and financial value that together reinforce the view that there is a biological impact from the product. The financial values per ewe, which draw together all these factors, very much meets the claims made for the product.
|
S.A.C. Liqui Thrive Sheep Trial – Update
|
||||||
|
Financial measurement of the benefit, in terms of higher price per lamb sold, or profit per ewes treated, will vary from year to year and from flock to flock, dependent on conditions prevailing at the time of sale.
What does not vary is the extent of benefit reported in the trial and experienced by thousands of farmers over the past eight years. |
||||||
|
Ewes:
|
Better conception Tighter lambing Less barrens |
|||||
| Lambs: |
More lambs Less losses Better growth rate Higher sale price |
|||||
| S.A.C. State: | “The financial values per ewe, which draw together all these factors, very much meet the claims for this product.” | |||||
|
Whether the financial benefit is measured in increased profit, or the difference between selling and not selling, will depend on the state of the market. Either way, the return on cost is substantial and worthwhile.
|
||||||
Robin Mair BSc (Agric.) Hons, Edinburgh, Advistory Service, S.A.C. Sterling
Tony Waterhouse BSc (Hons), PhD, Grossland & Ruminent Service Dept.,
with the co-operation of:
J & E Aitken and Son of Overton Farm, Fintry, Sterlingshire.
