PDS: More lambs from ewe lambs

Summary

​​The aim of this co-contributor PDS project is to equip sheep producers to make more informed decisions and build skills and confidence to increase the number of lambs weaned from ewe lambs through the adoption of best practice for conception, pregnancy and lambing, in particular via improved welfare outcomes through lifting ewe and lamb survival rates, as well as adopting best practice in weaning, recovery and re-joining to improve the lambs weaned from second matings.   

The opportunity this project will address is improving the reproductive performance of ewe lambs which was estimated in the analysis that  underpinned the Sheep Reproduction Strategy in 2012 to have a pay-off of AU$332 million (Young et al. 2014). This was identified as the second highest priority for the Australian sheep industry to improve weaning rates. Current estimates indicate that only about 30% of maternal producers and 5% of Merino producers mate their ewe lambs, and they achieve 65% and 35% weaning rates, respectively. 

Objectives

By December 2028 across three regions in southern Australia, this PDS project will engage a minimum of 30 core producers, and 60 observer producers to:   

1. Record the base-line practices and performance of the Lambs Alive groups in Western Vic, Southern NSW and Southeast SA, and establish 3 demonstration sites within each of the groups.  
2. Demonstrate and assess the impact of best practice weight and growth targets at critical stages throughout the first 2 years of an ewe’s life on;   
   • reproductive rate (foetuses scanned per ewe) as a ewe lamb and at hogget age,   
   • lamb survival and lambs marked as a ewe lamb, and   
   • ewe survival throughout the first 2-years of her life.  
3. To demonstrate the impact of best practice on the number of lambs weaned from ewe lambs, including;   
   • the impact of joining weight and growth rate during joining on reproductive rate,  
   • vaccination against campylobacter that causes late pregnancy abortion and ill thrift lambs,   
   • small mobs at lambing, especially for twin bearing ewe lambs, to minimize miss-mothering,   
   • the impact of growth from scanning to lambing on lamb survival and carryover reproduction,  
   • the impact of joining weight and weight gain during pregnancy on ewe lamb survival rates, and  
   • weaning age during first lactation as a ewe lamb on carry over reproductive rates as a hogget.  
4. Implement a series of skills training and development activities throughout the PDS to increase the knowledge, skills and confidence of 100% of core producers and at least 75% observer producers in each Lambs Alive group on best practice management, husbandry and genetics for joining, lambing and re-joining ewe lambs.   
5. Conduct an annual industry field day to showcase the demonstration site results to build producer community awareness and encourage adoption of best practice among a total of 300 attending producers over the 6 years,  
6. Have at least 90% of core producers and 25% of observer producers adopt best practice management for mating and lambing ewes in the first 2-years of life to improve weaning rates from ewes joined. Practice change objectives include adoption of best practice management such as more stringent minimum joining and lambing weights, and small lambing mob sizes to increase the number of lambs weaned from ewes.  
7. Re-evaluate the practices and performance of the Lambs Alive groups- Western Vic, Southern NSW and Southeast SA, related to mating ewe lambs, to quantify the impacts of the PDS. 

Progress

The project is being managed by Dr Jason Trompf and is operating in Western Victoria. In the next 6 months our PDS will be sharing results and activities on the MLA website and with the local SALRC committees. In fact, I have been invited to present at a joint SALRC meeting in late November of 3-4 SALRC regions.

 The aim of this co-contributor PDS project is to equip sheep producers to make more informed decisions and build skills and confidence to increase the number of lambs weaned from ewe lambs through the adoption of best practice management for conception, pregnancy and lambing, in particular via adoption of more stringent disciplines around minimum joining targets and minimum pregnancy weight gain targets.  This will simultaneously improve production, profit and welfare outcomes.

 A key theme of this project is, ‘less is more with ewe lambs’, achieved by doing a better, more targeted job on fewer ewe lambs, rather than over joining (in number) and experiencing significant wastage at critical stages, in particular during lambing.