Management targets for increased productivity and profitability

Management targets during pregnancy and lactation

Guidelines for condition score and feed-on-offer are derived from the Lifetime Wool project. The three zones modelled are summarised in the table below. 

The targets presented are for the optimum time of lambing, which is the time of year that provides the best match of pasture availability to the energy needs of the ewe and lamb. The exception is the cereal-sheep zone, where the guidelines presented are for a May lambing, as this is when many growers lamb for several reasons.

Management targets

You can find further information about CS and FOO targets in the LifetimeWool Ewe Management Handbooks here:

• Cereal-sheep zone 
• Medium rainfall zone
• High rainfall zone

Managing ewes to improve lamb survival

What to do:

• Differentially manage single- and twin-bearing ewes to optimise ewe nutrition and the allocation of resources, including feed-on-offer and shelter
• Test supplementary feeds to allow accurate feed budgeting
• Condition score ewes at key stages of the reproductive cycle and manage nutrition accordingly
• Administer annual booster vaccinations 4 to 6 weeks before lambing
• Give pre-lambing drenches at the same time as other pre-lambing husbandry procedures, where drenching is necessary based on a worm egg count
• Implement control programs for foxes and other pests well before lambing
• Graze ewes on paddocks with a low worm risk
• Record lamb survival for individual paddocks each year to allow the paddocks with the best performance to be identified and prioritised for the highest risk mobs (multiple-bearing ewes and those in poorer condition)
• Wet/dry ewes at lamb marking to identify dry ewes that have failed to rear a lamb
• Investigate any abnormal levels of ewe or lamb mortality with your veterinarian or animal health advisor

What to avoid:

• Shearing, crutching or other routine procedures within 4 to 6 weeks from the start of lambing, due to the time off feed, increased risk of metabolic disorders, stress to the ewe and increased energy requirements of shorn ewes 
• Disturbances to ewes during lambing, which can reduce the time spent at the birth site and result in a weak ewe-lamb bond (e.g. people, dogs, machinery)

You can find more information about the factors that impact lamb survival and management strategies to optimise lamb survival in our article here: Raising the bar with lamb survival

Useful resources:

• Making More From Sheep
• Tool 10.1 Condition scoring
• Tool 12.9 Estimate feed on offer (FOO)
• ‘Feed budgeting 101’ article

Amy Lockwood, AWI Extension WA