A Guide to Improved Lambing Percentage for Farmers and Advisors: 200 by 2000

At high levels of animal performance, sheep farming can be very profitable. For example at 150% lambing in a ewe flock, with 80% of hoggets lambing, good lamb growth and wool production, over 10% return on capital can be achieved based on economic farm surplus. Improved lambing percentage is one of the keys to achieving high sheep farm production and profit comparable with other livestock enterprises including dairying. In 1996, in recognition of the importance of improving lambing percentage, the Meat and Wool Boards established a programme to provide relevant information to assist sheep farmers towards achieving this goal. Preliminary work in this programme, including a comprehensive review of the world literature, showed many potentially viable lambs conceived at mating time were lost by the time of lamb tailing. Subsequently a workshop including farmers, scientists, veterinarians and consultants identified areas for more research on lamb survival. They concluded that considerable information was available but not currently being used by sheep farmers. It was decided effective use of this information on the average sized sheep farm with 2,000 ewes could result in 200 additional lambs by tailing time. This goal could realistically be achieved in two or three years or by the year 2000. Hence the programme theme, 200 by 2000. This booklet contains the information gathered as part of this programme. It is presented in the order of the reproductive cycle in sheep starting with the weaning to mating period and working progressively through to lambing.