Sheep and Goat Science Commons^™

Time Of Lambing, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Animal production and livestock factsheets

Choosing the best time of lambing, and matching paddock feed availability to ewe and weaner needs is important for both productivity and profitability. The ewes' natural breeding season will also affect reproductive rates. The ewe flock is the key flock on the farm, so it is important to set up a system that matches their needs with the feedbase. A ewe’s condition will vary over the season depending on the feed available and her needs. A ewe’s energy needs will double in late pregnancy and triple in lactation. Having enough feed to meet her changing needs is important for production …

Response To A Poor Season (2017), Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Animal production and livestock factsheets

This analysis was prepared for the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development’s Sheep Industry Business Innovation project by the Farming Systems Analysis Service in July 2017.

Provisos for the following:

1. The price of sheep doesn’t reduce substantially over the next 12 months. This is not expected but it is a risk and therefore selling low priority stock is recommended. Low priority sheep are: dry sheep, wether weaners and old ewes >6yo.
2. That confinement feeding is done with reasonable technical skill and that feed isn’t wasted and that animals don’t die at high rates

2020 Lambing Survey, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Animal production and livestock published reports

To better understand the impacts of poor and variable seasons on lambing and turnoff rates, the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) conducts special short surveys on lamb marking rates. The data collected in 2020 adds to survey results from 2018, 2017 and 2011 to build a comprehensive picture for WA.

Marking rate (number of lambs per ewe mated) is an important measure to determine the rate of renewal of the state flock, potential turnoff and rate of genetic gain. It also an indicator of the impact of our highly variable seasons.

2018 Lambing Survey, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Animal production and livestock published reports

The 2018 season brought challenging times for sheep producers in WA and there were wide reports of low lambing rates.

Many areas had a very late start coupled with low winter growth, but saw a wet warm spring bring high pasture growth rates (PGR). Other areas, particularly the South Coast and central south region recorded decile 1 rainfall and grew minimal pasture throughout the season (Appendix 4). All of this was on the back of a poor spring in 2017.

To better understand the impacts of poor and variable seasons on lambing and turnoff rates and to map the impact …

Lambing And Lactation, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Animal production and livestock factsheets

The first 48 hours of a lamb’s life are critical – around 90% of lamb mortality from birth to weaning occurs within this period. It is also a critical period of time for the ewe. She is at risk during birth, has her highest demand for food and is vulnerable to sudden changes in diet and conditions.

Managing Pregnancy In Ewes, Department Of Primary Industries And Regional Development, Western Australia

Animal production and livestock factsheets

The health and nutrition of the pregnant ewe largely determines how successful lambing is in any given year.

Careful monitoring and management of the pregnant ewe during the 5-month foetal development will help her cope with the rigours of birth and lactation, and also influence lamb survival, birthweight and production for life.

Wool Desk Report February 2009: Time Of Lambing In Australian Flocks, Keith Croker, Kimbal Curtis, Jane Speijers, Department Of Agriculture And Food, Western Australia

Animal production and livestock published reports

Producers throughout Australia were surveyed in 2005, 2006 and 2007 to identify the times when they lambed their ewes. This study was undertaken by the Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia for Australian Wool Innovation Limited and the Australian Sheep Industry Cooperative Research Centre.

The start of lambing followed similar patterns in the years surveyed. However, lambing of Merino ewes began last in Tasmania and earliest in South Australia and Western Australia.

Data for Merino first cross ewes were collected in 2007 when Tasmania had the latest lambings and Queensland the earliest lambings.

Combined results for the three years …

Sheep Updates 2006 - Part 3, Karen Venning, Andrew Thompson, Mike Hyder, Sue-Ellen Shaw, Kelly Hill, Ron Mctaggart, Gus Rose, Carolyn Kabore, Mandy Curnow, P. R. Kenyon, S. T. Morris, D. M. West, N. R. Perkins, G. L. Pinchbeck, Ralph Behrendt

Sheep Updates

This session covers six papers from different authors:

GRAZING

1. Making better use of clover, Karen Venning and Andrew Thompson, Department of Primary Industries, Victoria

2. Grazing systems demonstration to optimise pasture utilisation and stocking rate, Mike Hyder, Sue-Ellen Shaw, Kelly Hill and Ron McTaggart, Department of Agriculture and Food Western Australia.

3. Know your audience to increase their rate of practice change - Lifetime Wool as an example, Gus Rose, Department of Agriculture and Food Western Australia, Carolyn Kabore, Kazresearch

REPRODUCTION

4. Lifetime Wool - Ewe Management Guidlines, Mandy Curnow, Department of Agriculture and Food Western Australia

5. …

Sheep Updates 2005 - Part 2, Peter Tozer, Janette Drew, K. E. Kemper, M. L. Hebart, F. D. Brien, K. S. Jaensch, R. J. Grimson, D. H. Smith, A. M. M. Ramsay, J. S. Richards, K. D. Atkins, T. Thompson, W. K. Murray, J. R. L. Hall, Chris Carter, Peter Tozer, Mark Hyder, John Young, B. A. Mcgregor, Patricia Harper

Sheep Updates

This session covers seven papers from different authors: CONCURRENT SESSIONS - STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT 1.Finishing Pastoral Lambs, Peter Tozer, Patricia Harper, Janette Drew, Department of Agriculture Western Australia 2. Coating Improves Wool Quality under Mixed Farming Conditions, KE Kemper, ML Hebart, FD Brien, KS Grimson, DH Smith AMM Ramsay, South Australian Research and Development Institute 3. J. S. Richards, K.D. Atkins, T. Thompson, W. K. Murray, Australian Sheep Industry Co-operative Research Centre and NSW Department of Primary Industries, Orange Agricultural Institute, Forest Rd. Orange 4. Strategic Risk Management in the Sheep Industry, J.R.L. Hall, ICON Agriculture (JRL Hall & Co) 5. …

Maximising The Lamb Drop, Don Moir

Bulletins 4000 -

Although reproductive rates vary greatly between individual properties, the average marking percentage in Western Australia still hovers around 75%. In the absence of disease it is possible to improve on this figure by undertaking some straight forward management practices at different stages of the reproductive cycle.

Time Of Lambing: Extension Manual, Keith Croker, Ian Mcfarland

Agriculture reports

No abstract provided.

More Lambs By Mating Weaners, R J. Suiter

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

Farmers can increase sheep numbers by mating ewe weaners. Trials have shoen that this does not affect the later performance of these ewes.

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.

Choosing Your Lambing Time, T Marshall

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

SHEEP, pastures and labour are the major resources of the sheep enterprise but their productivity is greatly affected by the timing of operations associated with them.

This article discusses how the lambing time can be chosen to get maximum use from each resource.

Shed Lambing In The Esperance Environment, T Marshall, F. F. Dixon

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

Neonatal lamb mortality is often high in Western Australia and losses as high as 33 per cent, have been recorded on private properties in the Esperance area. Surveys by Western Australian Department of Agriculture officers have indicated that more than threequarters of such lamb deaths occur after birth. About half these deaths result from the combined effects of weather and mismothering.

Work in Victoria has indicated that lamb mortality may be reduced by intensive lambing systems such as shedding and this trial was established to see if shedding could reduce lamb mortality in the Esperance environment.

A Sheep Management Calendar For Lambing On Green Feed, H E. Fels, J. A. C. Smith

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

The calendar contained in this article has been drawn up by officers of the Wheat and Sheep Division as a guide to farmers who plan to adopt July-August lambing.

The article also summarises the advantages and complications of later lambing (as opposed to the conventional autumn lambing) and discusses farm management programmes to deal with the problems in various districts.

Have You A Lambing Problem?, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

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

Here are the steps you should take if you have or suspect a breeding problem in your flocks.

Ewe Nutrition Before And During Mating, H E. Fels

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

Lambing percentages depend partly on the condition of ewes at mating. If it is practicable, ewes should be allowed to gain condition in the months before mating.

Where this is not practical and ewes are in a store or backward-store condition at mating, flushing should improve their fertility.