The delayed turnout of rams is set to see many flocks’ scanning dates pushed back by at least a fortnight.

Scanning of mid-season lambing flocks would generally commence in early January; however, many scanners have said that farmers delayed ram turnout by at least two weeks this backend.

The increased cost of inputs this year – in particular concentrates, which many feed post-lambing is one big reason why farmers have altered their lambing dates.

The delay in ram turnout is to coincide with potentially good grass growing conditions later in spring – which is hoped will be better than the last two springs.

This is so, in order to make the most of grass in the diet rather than a combination of grass and a substantial amount of expensive concentrates which shows no sign of easing in price.

The likelihood of having to feed no meal post-lambing is very slim but any saving on meal that can be made will go a long way in reducing costs post-lambing as ration will be fed pre-lambing already.

As a result of this delay, it will be a busy end of January period into February for Bovine Ultrasound Technicians, as farmers who would scan in early to mid-February will now be looking to scan their ewe flocks towards the end of January into February.

On top of this, farmers who would generally scan their ewes towards the end of year-to-year will be looking to therefore scan at this time again next year, which will lend itself to a busy period.