It’s health-check time for the lambs, and each one is getting the following:
1. Wormer and cobalt pellet: This is important to prevent the lamb becoming B12 deficient. A lack of the trace element can result in ill thrift, poor growth and condition, lethargy, reduced appetite and poor-quality wool.
2. A mineral drench.
3. Heptavac-P Plus for breeding lambs and Ovivac-P Plus (first injection) for other lambs: This is a vaccination against pneumonia and clostridial diseases, i.e pulpy kidney, braxy and black leg. This vaccination has a 0 day withdrawal period for meat production.
After their second Heptavac or Ovivac the cost is roughly £2 per lamb.
*Rockking Agriculture is run by James Rock and Isla King who are both based in Scotland. James entered a 5 year contract farming arrangement extending 500 acres in November 2016 and Isla qualified as a rural chartered surveyor (MRICS) in November 2018. As two young people following different career paths within the agricultural sector, the aim is to write educational blogs which give an insight into their journey, experiences and answer any questions that their readers may have.
