Sheep CRC Practical Wisdom is a series of technical notes to assist sheep producers to make sound decisions about technology and practices and then to have the know-how to implement their decisions.

These notes are created around the technology and practices that the Sheep CRC has investigated, thus they are not intended to cover all aspects of sheep management. However, you can expect more new notes at this site as we convert our research results into useful information.

REPRODUCTION SERIES

Managing ewes for joining
Overview

Setting the time of joining for lambing is an important on-farm management decision. Where practical, aim to lamb about three to four months before the end of the growing season for a Merino enterprise. In a prime lamb enterprise, a decision based on the most profitable compromise between ewes joined per hectare, the likely reproduction rate and market price must be made.

Key points:

· The higher the condition of the ewe at joining, the higher the potential number of lambs and the lower the number of dry ewes.

· Ewes joined in the spontaneous breeding season have a greater chance of falling pregnant.

· It is cheaper to maintain ewe condition from weaning rather than let the ewes’ condition drop and then feed them supplements in the lead up to joining.

For further information please download the attached factsheet.

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Managing ewes for joining (781.43 KB)

Successful pregnancy scanning
Overview

The commercial availability of ultrasound scanning for pregnancy in ewes has been a major development for the sheep industry. It enables farmers to know the pregnancy status of their ewes about two months before they are expected to start lambing.

Efficient & accurate scanning needs:

• Length of joining to be 5 weeks and no more than 6 weeks.

• Tease ewes where joining starts before mid January.

• Keep rams out of flocks at other times.

• Stop supplements one or two days before scanning is to be done.

• Take ewes off feed and water the night before scanning.

• Ensure enough help is available on the day of scanning to keep the ewes moving.

• Good yards and panels to allow subdivision of the scanned ewes.

For further information please download the attached factsheet.

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Successful pregnancy scanning (1.04 MB)

Managing ewes for late pregnancy
Overview

There are substantial penalties for not having ewes in good condition by lambing. Ewes that are below optimal condition at lambing may have a significant cost on the sheep enterprise through decreased lamb survival and progeny production. In wool flocks poor ewe nutrition in late pregnancy influences lamb wool follicle development which adversely influences the amount and fiber diameter produced. The negative impact of under-feeding on profitability is usually much larger than the cost of over-feeding the flock.

Key points:

Ewe condition in late pregnancy affects lamb birth weight and therefore survival.
Lambs born from ewes in poor condition in late pregnancy will have lower value during their lifetime.
Twin lambs are very vulnerable to poor ewe nutrition and low survival rates will occur particularly if lambing weather is poor or low quantity and quality feed is available to the ewe at lambing.
Ewe mortality is affected by low nutrition in the lead up to lambing and individuals below condition score 2 at lambing are at risk.

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Managing ewes for late pregnancy (688.96 KB)

Managing Merino weaners
Overview

Merino weaners can be hard to manage over the summer months and most areas of Australia report higher than 6% mortality in 20% of flocks. This represents a poor welfare outcome as well as lost income through fewer replacement animals, lower sale turnoff and poor production in the remaining animals.

The key issue in facing Merino weaners is that pasture quality and quantity is at a minimum when they have a high requirement for growth, they are not yet conditioned to handle the many health issues they will face and they typically have low body reserves and so are more susceptible to infection and disease.

Key points:

Good pastures and ewe nutrition during pregnancy and lactation sets up lambs to have good weaning weights.
Heavier weaners survive summer better - lighter weaners in the mob are most at risk.
Keep weaners growing at more than 1kg/month over summer - no growth raises the mortality risk.
Weaners with poor nutrition are more likely to be affected by worms and other health problems.
Weaners need both protein and energy to grow - dry pastures quickly lose quality.

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Managing Merino weaners (686.34 KB)