Sheep and Goat Science Commons^™

Sheep Updates 2005 - Part 1, R. W. Kelly, R. Kingwell, A. R. Bray, Chris Oldham, Graeme Martin, D. Blanche, D. Ferguson, Keith Crocker, Di Evans

Sheep Updates

This session covers seven papers from different authors: Boosting lambing percentages of WA sheep flocks. R.W. Kelly CSIRO Livestock Industries, Floreat WA , R. Kingwell Department of Agriculture WA,

Kiwis can fly - 30% higher lambing in 15 years, AR Bray, Meat and Wool New Zealand, Wellington, New Zealand

Rams are not a trivial expense, so what can you do to maximise on your investment? Chri Oldham, Department of Agriculture Western Australia, Graeme Martin, University of West Australia.

Care for mun - fetal programming, lamb survival and lifetime performance. RW Kelly CSIRO Livestock Industries, Floreat WA

Boost lamb survival - …

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.

New Insights Into The Management Of Ewes Over Summer And Autumn, Rob Kelly, Ian Ralph

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

Recent research in Western Australia has provided new information on the effects of liveweight and liveweight change on wool production and quality, as well as lamb survival and growth. Liveweight and liveweight change in sheep reflect the animals' nutritional status, and this in turn directly influences their wool production and reproductive performance. The under-nutrition of sheep not only has an immediate effect on the animal's performance, but the research showed that it also produces a significant carry-over effect on wool and lamb production, even if the ewes have returned to good feed. These findings suggest that for the efficient management …

Studies On Times Of Lambing In Ewes Grazing Subterranean Clover Based Pastures In Relation To Stocking Rates In South-Western Australia, H Lloyd Davies

Technical Bulletins

The investigation is reported in six parts: effect on ewe liveweight and fertility, lamb losses, effect on lamb growth and subsequent growth after weaning, wool production, pasture production and composition, and conclusions and practical implications. The results show that in the absence of supplementary feeding the physiological requirements of ewes in late pregnancy are better met by spring rather than autumn lambing.

Reproductive Wastage In Sheep, R W. Kelly

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

The average lambing performance of Western Australia's ewe flock fluctuates between 60 and 70 per cent. Although this level of performance and variation between years is important for the sheep industry, individual farmers are more concerned about performance of their own flocks.

Figure shows the range in lambing performances that exist between farms in this State in 1983-84. The seriously poor performance of many flocks is apparentm - 28 percent of farms had less than 60 per cent lambing. By contrast, 24 farms had performances better than 100 per cent. The reasons for the large differences between farms ( and …

Feed For Autumn Lambing Ewes, B R. Beetson

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

Department of Agriculture feeding trials with grazing sheep have consistently shown that the level of supplementation should be set for survival and little more, because beyond that the additional costs of supplementary feeding usually outstrip the benefits from extra production.

Even sheep in the greatest need - autumn lambing ewes in late pregnancy and the early part of lactation before and during the break of season - can be fed less than was thought necessary to achieve acceptable production.

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.

Reproductive Wastage Among Merino Ewe Flocks. 2. Non-Clover Areas, T Marshall, B. R. Beetson, R. J. Lightfoot, G. R. Mcmullen

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

This research sought to define the reasons for low fertility among Merino ewes in Western Australia.

This first article looks at wastage in Non-Clover areas

Reproductive Wastage In Sheep On Clover Areas, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

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

Western Australia's 67 per cent lambing for 1970 compares poorly with that of other Australian States, and other countries. From the 12.3 million ewes mated in this State's agricultural areas in 1970, only 8.2 million lambs were marked.

This low 77.7 per cent conception rate sparked the present series of reproductive wastage investigations by the Department's Sheep and Wool Branch.

This report describes the first year's results of the project in W.A.'s "clover disease" areas.

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

Sheep Fertility In Western Australia, R J. Lightfoot

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

Why do one-quarter of the ewes that are joined in W.A. fail to lamb? Sheep and Wool Adviser Dr. R. J. Lightfoot analyses the eight stages in sheep reproduction, explaining the causes and possible prevention of infertility at each stage.

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.

High Pre-Mating Liveweights Improve The Lambing Performance Of Merino Ewes, R J. Suiter

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

Analysis of lambing trials with Merino ewes has shown a highly significant association between pre-mating liveweight and lambing performance.

With May-June lambing ewes there was a 2.9 per cent, lambing increase for every extra 10 lb. liveweight; for July-August- September lambing ewes there was a 6.9 per cent, increase for every 10 lb. liveweight increase.

With the May-June lambing there was a critical weight below which twinning was negligible.

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.

Causes Of Low Lambing Percentages, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

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

West Australian Merino flocks average about 70 per cent, lambs marked each year. Reasons for this low percentage are that as many as 30 per cent, of ewes do not lamb, twinning rates are low and from 10 to 25 per cent, of lambs born die.

Among the research projects by the Department of Agriculture's Sheep and Wool Branch have been a number directed at the various stages of reproduction in the ewe. These have given some important leads on the causes of low lambing percentages.

If you have marked less than 60 per cent, lambs in the past several …

Recommendations For Management Of Flocks During Joining, K P. Croker

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

THE age or experience of the ram, the number of ewes it has to serve and the management of the ram and ewe flock at mating time all influence the lamb-marking percentage.

These are the findings of a systematic research programme conducted over the period 1963 to 1955 by Dr. R. J. Lightfoot,* in collaboration with Mr. J. A. C. Smithf (1966) and continued by the author in the years 1967 to 1969.

Twinning Increases Production, K P. Croker

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

Many breeders claim that twinning causes too many losses among Merino lambs and does not favour breeding for twin lamb production.

But recent experiments have proved otherwise and agricultural scientists now agree that . . .

TWINNING INCREASES PRODUCTION

THE low marking percentages regularly recorded for Merino flocks suggest that the Merino is a relatively infertile breed.

Certainly, lambing percentages are low when compared with those of most British breeds of sheep.

Reproductive Wastage And The Sheep Shortage In Western Australia, Department Of Agriculture, Western Australia

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

WESTERN AUSTRALIA has an acute shortage of sheep.

It is estimated that about seven million extra sheep are needed to stock existing pastures fully; meanwhile the carrying capacity of the State's pastures is increasing at the rate of three million sheep a year.

Sheep Breeding Problems In W.A. : The Industry's View, Stanley M. Dennis

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

IN 1963 a short questionnaire was distributed to farmers and pastoralists seeking information about sheep breeding problems and lamb losses.

This was a fore-runner to the Department of Agriculture survey into the causes of abortion and lamb mortality which is reported elsewhere in this issue.

Time Of Lambing, W L. Mcgarry, I. K. Scott

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

THE time chosen for lambing depends on many factors, and the final decision rests with the individual flock-owner who has to consider how different times fit in with the overall programme of farm operations; how they will influence the marking percentage, the marketing, the thrift of his sheep and most important, how they influence the profit from his sheep operations.