$uperewe$ group set to capitalise on demand for high performance prime lamb mothers

Summary

Guidance is needed for LAMBPLAN maternal selection indexes. Feed conversion efficiency/mature liveweight relationships may become an important issue in the pursuit of bigger ewes. The Superewes group should consider contracting outside assistance to manage alliances with crossbred ewe breeders and market performance genetics. Further analysis of ewe breed/type/lamb finishing and marketing relationships should be undertaken.

The low emphasis put on LAMBPLAN information when selecting maternal sires is of concern and needed to be addressed. The requirement for crossbred ewes to be mulesed should be a basic requirement for ewes sold under the Superewes banner. The range in desired vs optimum fertility levels shows that some producers are working with a high margin of safety (lambing up to 45% less than their estimated optimum for their farms/areas) which could be having a marked effect on their returns.

The importance of keeping accurate records of factors such as rainfall and pasture growth - to help producers become more efficient at what they are doing and help them analyse and set benchmarks for fertility and overall lamb productivity was stressed. There may be a need to improve breeder awareness of the financial and food quality gains to be made with fewer drugs through inherited disease/parasite resistance.