By Neale McQuistin

The industry-led body known as SCOPS (Sustainable Control of Parasites in Sheep) is warning sheep farmers to be aware of the risks that may come with the rain this week. With grazing under pressure in many parts of the country, following a very dry spring, many sheep farmers are looking at weaning lambs earlier than normal.

Lesley Stubbings, from SCOPS, said: "Normally most lambs are weaned between about 12 and 16 weeks of age, but this can be brought down to eight to ten weeks given the right circumstances. Weaning is a very useful management tool, allowing allocation and prioritisation of the dry matter available, but it has to be weighed up against potential pitfalls such as the challenge they could face from worms.”

She added: “This year the dry spell has also had a significant impact on worms. Eggs shed in the dung of ewes and older lambs are now sitting in dung pats, just waiting for the rain to allow them to complete their immature stages and emerge as infective larvae on grass. This is likely to be as a large spike once enough rain has fallen and earlier weaning could help avoid this, but only if lambs are moved away from the threat."

SCOPS is advising sheep farmers to weigh up their options before weaning to ensure weaned lambs are moved away from grazing that could explode with infective larvae. Options include areas grazed by cattle this spring or silage aftermaths.

Market round-up.

C&D Auction Marts Ltd sold 50 cattle at its weekly primestock sale in Dumfries yesterday. Prime cattle sold to 240p/kg for a Limousin heifer and to 222p for a Charolais. Clean, OTM cattle peaked at £1125 and 154p to average 128p for beef types, while dairy types sold to £1128 and 138p to average 116p.

In the sheep ring the trade for 524 prime lambs eased back a bit. Top prices were £112 for mid-weight Texels or 261p/kg for light-weight Hampshires.

The 164 cast ewes were sharper this week with heavy ewes selling to £115 for Suffolks, while Cheviot Mules and Blackfaces sold up to £70.

The firm also sold 516 entries at their weekly sale of ewes and hoggs with lambs at foot at Longtown on Tuesday.

A large show of continental hoggs with lambs sold to a top of £106 a life with others at £100 and £99 from the same consigner, while another regular consigner sold 156 sheep to a top of £96 and an average of £84. Shearling ewes with singles sold to £88 for Texels, while shearlings with twins sold to £70 for Charollais. Ewes with singles peaked at £96, while ewes with twins sold up to £90.