Increased Weaning Lifts Lamb Profits

DONALD - Jul 10/02 - SNS -- Increasing weaning rates of lambs can result in an increase in the number of lambs produced each year for a direct economic benefit to producers suggests research by Western Australia Department of Agriculture Research officer Ken Hart.

In a 1200 ewe prime lamb flock, increasing weaning rates from 75% to 80% could translate into 60 extra lambs worth A$70 a head.

"Industry research by Planfarm based on six years of data from the Narrogin region indicates that the average death rate of sheep is 8%. Reducing this rate to 2% would produce another 34 cull sheep resulting in a profit of $2165," Hart said. "Reducing the death rate to 2% and improving weaning rates to 80% would give an extra 94 sheep to sell at an average of $67 per head, resulting in an extra $6,365 gross income."

Development officer Lock Butler said that in addressing adult mortality it was important to have a whole flock management plan that included nutrition, worm control, flystrike and vaccinations. Regular checks of the flock's health, water supply and feed availability would improve production and decrease death rates.

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