L.LSM.0014 - Boosting lamb survival by supplementing ewes with vitamins and minerals
Lamb mortalities pose a significant barrier to the productivity and profitability of sheep enterprises in Australia?
| Project start date: | 27 January 2018 |
| Project end date: | 23 August 2021 |
| Publication date: | 16 May 2024 |
| Project status: | Terminated |
| Livestock species: | Lamb |
| Relevant regions: | National |
Summary
The number and value of trading stock, including store and prime lambs, is of enormous importance to the profitability of sheep production. Ewe reproduction, particularly lamb survival, has been identified as a priority field of research because it is critical in underpinning the profitability of lambing systems. As such, this project will deliver guidelines on the best supplementation regimes to improve lamb survival, including a cost-benefit analysis, for producers.
Objectives
This project will:
- Establish producer demonstration sites across southern Australia to validate – under commercial conditions – the results of a previous small-scale experiment which has shown that supplementing ewes during late pregnancy with vitamin D or E plus selenium may improve lamb survival by up to 10%.
- Ewes will also be tested for vitamin D, E and selenium levels on farms across southern Australia to identify when and where supplementation could be most beneficial.
- Guidelines on the best supplementation regimes to improve lamb survival (and hence welfare), including a cost-benefit analysis, will be developed for producers.
Key findings
The project completed six sites for the ‘Proof of Concept’ for Phase 2 research. Preliminary results did not provide clear evidence that supplementing ewes with vitamin D, vitamin E and selenium will improve the survival of lambs to marking. However, the results from these initial sites for Phase 2 only provided an indication of the effect of supplementation on lamb survival and hence no robust conclusions could be drawn.
Benefits to industry
Ewe reproduction, particularly lamb survival, has been identified as a priority field of research because it is critical in underpinning the profitability of lambing systems.
MLA action
MLA terminated this project due to technical barriers preventing the project from progressing.
Future research
Further producer demonstration sites were required to increase data collected to build a clearer evidence base regarding the effect of supplementing ewes on lamb survival.
More information
| Project manager: | Joe Gebbels |
| Contact email: | reports@mla.com.au |
| Primary researcher: | MURDOCH UNIVERSITY |
