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Reproductive Wastage In Sheep In Non-Clover Areas, C. H. Trotman

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

A Research Round-up report in the June, 1972, issue of the Journal of Agriculture discussed the reproductive performance of sheep in Western Australia and indicated that more than 20 per cent, of mated ewes fail to lamb.

The report presented the first year's results from sheep grazing clover areas.

This report presents results from the nonclover sections of the investigations

Maintaining Ewe Bodyweight For A Late Mating, T Marshall

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE experiments have indicated that the bodyweight of ewes at mating can have a large bearing on lambing performance.

It appears that for every 10 lb. increase in pre-mating bodyweight, an increase of some 3 to 6 per cent, lambs born could be expected, depending on the lambing time.

Mating Weaners Does Not Affect Future Ewe Performance, R J. Suiter, K. P. Croker

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Maiden ewes in Western Australia are usually mated in their second year because of supposed ill-effects of earlier mating on the ewe's future production. Mating at a younger age however, providing there was no reduction in future performance, would provide for an extra lamb drop and thus increase the lifetime output of ewes.

Information from various sources indicated that weaners could be successfully mated providing their bodyweights were satisfactory. This trial was carried out to test the results of mating weaners under Western Australian conditions.