Flock fertility is consistently good with Tracesure®

Richard Henderson founded the Ballynahone Flock in 1990 and it has since become a top performer in the show and sales rings across the UK and Ireland.

Richard believes in producing quality pedigree stock that provide performance and growth in lambs from grass.

His land is deficient in selenium and iodine so he boluses the flock with Tracesure® Sheep With Copper, which slowly releases iodine, cobalt, selenium and copper for up to six months.

Copper, which is contained in a separate capsule, is omitted from the application given to the Texels because the breed is known to be susceptible to copper toxicity. However crossbred ewes that are used as recipients for embryos are given the copper capsule.

In the 2017/18 season Richard’s Texels achieved a scanning percentage of 175%. “Sheep fertility is fantastic, there is a great holding to AI and to the embryos,” he says.

He tups the flock in the last week of September so the boluses are given in August. The sheep are also bolused with Tracesure® a month before lambing when the benefits also pass to the lambs. “The lambs are born strong and healthy and are quick to get up,” says Richard.

Richard continues: “Tracesure® is a big factor in terms of achieving lamb vigour, ease of lambing and how well the lambs are. They are strong at birth and quick to get up and suck.”

Richard also runs a herd of pedigree Limousins and says a key to profitability in suckler production is producing a calf every year.

“If a cow is calving down every year, it means you are not losing money on her, she is not standing there stale,” he says.

The farm’s trace element deficiency had been impacting on fertility so he started bolusing with Tracesure® Cu/I Cattle twice a year, before turnout and housing.

“The Animax bolus keeps the cows more productive. Calves are stronger and up quicker to suckle, they never look back,” says Richard.

To learn how Animax’s unique leaching Tracesure® boluses can benefit your flock, contact Neill Acheson on +44 (0)7795 434 986 or at [email protected], or your nearest stockist.