TWO of the sheep industry's peak bodies are collaborating on research to improve lamb survival and lift weaning rates.
Australian Wool Innovation (AWI) and Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA) have initiated a study of the effect of mob size and stocking density at lambing at 70 on-farm study sites across WA, South Australia, Victoria and NSW.
The research will take place on commercial wool growing and prime lamb properties over two years and AWI reproduction specialist Andrew Thompson will head the initiative.
Dr Thompson helped develop the Lifetime Ewe Management (LTEM) course funded by AWI and delivered through Rural Industries Skill Training.
He also managed the preceding AWI-funded Lifetime Wool Production program.
Dr Thompson said the study aligned with the national Sheep Reproduction Strategy and would fill an important knowledge gap.
"We will deliver improved recommendations for sheep producers regarding the allocation of ewes to paddocks, paddock size, stock density and feed on offer during lambing," he said.
"It will assist producers to make more informed decisions about the cost benefit of investing funds in paddock subdivision to improve reproductive performance and farm profitability.
"If we succeed as expected, the payoffs for the industry will potentially be massive - improving the survival of single lambs by just 5 per cent and twin lambs by 10pc would improve industry-wide farm profit by $250 million per annum," Dr Thompson said.
AWI general manager of research Paul Swan said the latest research would take reproductive performance improvement to the next level for graduates.
"The 2100 LTEM graduates have improved their weaning rates by 7-10pc, and simultaneously reduced their ewe mortality rates by assessing and optimising ewe condition score and identifying and differentially managing twin bearers," Dr Swan said.
"Yet while these performance gains are substantial, evidence has been mounting that the density of lambing ewes in the lambing paddock could also be having an influence on outcomes, particularly the risk of mis-mothering.''
Each of the 70 study sites will also be linked to a network of existing producers.
Mal Gill
Wool and dairy writer for Farm Weekly.
Wool and dairy writer for Farm Weekly.
