The economics of litter size in meat sheep

Andrew Swan

The economics of litter size in meat sheep

Andrew Swan

Animal Genetics and Breeding Unit

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › peer-review

Abstract

Breeding objectives for sheep derived from economic analysis of production systems show that litter size (LS) has a significant impact on profitability. Increasing LS can lead to increased income because more surplus animals are available for sale, but this comes at the expense of higher costs associated with increased feed requirements for ewes during pregnancy and lactation, and for finishing larger numbers of lambs. Poorer lamb survival in large litters also has an impact on costs. For these reasons the economic value for LS should be determined from a realistic bioeconomic model that accounts for the relationship between LS, feed cost and lamb survival, in addition to other economically important traits. This is particularly important when evaluating the importance of LS in harsh environments.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Use of the FecB (Booroola) gene in sheep-breeding programs: Proceedings of the Helen Newton Turner Memorial International Workshop (ACIAR Proceedings, 133)
Editors	S W Walkden-Brown, JHJ van der Werf, C Nimbkar, VS Gupta
Place of Publication	Canberra, Australia
Publisher	Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR)
Pages	170-176
ISBN (Print)	9781921615566, 9781921615559
Publication status	Published - 2009
Event	Helen Newton Turner Memorial International Workshop - Pune, India Duration: 10 Nov 2008 → 12 Nov 2008

Conference

Conference	Helen Newton Turner Memorial International Workshop
City	Pune, India
Period	10/11/08 → 12/11/08

Keywords

Animal Breeding

Access to Document

https://hdl.handle.net/1959.11/6250

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Swan, A. (2009). The economics of litter size in meat sheep. In S. W Walkden-Brown, JHJ. van der Werf, C. Nimbkar, & VS. Gupta (Eds.), Use of the FecB (Booroola) gene in sheep-breeding programs: Proceedings of the Helen Newton Turner Memorial International Workshop (ACIAR Proceedings, 133) (pp. 170-176). Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR). https://hdl.handle.net/1959.11/6250

Swan, Andrew. / The economics of litter size in meat sheep. Use of the FecB (Booroola) gene in sheep-breeding programs: Proceedings of the Helen Newton Turner Memorial International Workshop (ACIAR Proceedings, 133). editor / S W Walkden-Brown ; JHJ van der Werf ; C Nimbkar ; VS Gupta. Canberra, Australia : Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR), 2009. pp. 170-176

@inproceedings{53d88e19d1d9441eb79272e30fce15e0,

title = "The economics of litter size in meat sheep",

abstract = "Breeding objectives for sheep derived from economic analysis of production systems show that litter size (LS) has a significant impact on profitability. Increasing LS can lead to increased income because more surplus animals are available for sale, but this comes at the expense of higher costs associated with increased feed requirements for ewes during pregnancy and lactation, and for finishing larger numbers of lambs. Poorer lamb survival in large litters also has an impact on costs. For these reasons the economic value for LS should be determined from a realistic bioeconomic model that accounts for the relationship between LS, feed cost and lamb survival, in addition to other economically important traits. This is particularly important when evaluating the importance of LS in harsh environments.",

keywords = "Animal Breeding",

author = "Andrew Swan",

year = "2009",

language = "English",

isbn = "9781921615566",

pages = "170--176",

editor = "\{W Walkden-Brown\}, S and \{van der Werf\}, JHJ and C Nimbkar and VS Gupta",

booktitle = "Use of the FecB (Booroola) gene in sheep-breeding programs: Proceedings of the Helen Newton Turner Memorial International Workshop (ACIAR Proceedings, 133)",

publisher = "Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR)",

note = "Helen Newton Turner Memorial International Workshop ; Conference date: 10-11-2008 Through 12-11-2008",

}

Swan, A 2009, The economics of litter size in meat sheep. in S W Walkden-Brown, JHJ van der Werf, C Nimbkar & VS Gupta (eds), Use of the FecB (Booroola) gene in sheep-breeding programs: Proceedings of the Helen Newton Turner Memorial International Workshop (ACIAR Proceedings, 133). Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR), Canberra, Australia, pp. 170-176, Helen Newton Turner Memorial International Workshop, Pune, India, 10/11/08. <https://hdl.handle.net/1959.11/6250>

The economics of litter size in meat sheep. / Swan, Andrew.
Use of the FecB (Booroola) gene in sheep-breeding programs: Proceedings of the Helen Newton Turner Memorial International Workshop (ACIAR Proceedings, 133). ed. / S W Walkden-Brown; JHJ van der Werf; C Nimbkar; VS Gupta. Canberra, Australia: Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR), 2009. p. 170-176.

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › peer-review

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N2 - Breeding objectives for sheep derived from economic analysis of production systems show that litter size (LS) has a significant impact on profitability. Increasing LS can lead to increased income because more surplus animals are available for sale, but this comes at the expense of higher costs associated with increased feed requirements for ewes during pregnancy and lactation, and for finishing larger numbers of lambs. Poorer lamb survival in large litters also has an impact on costs. For these reasons the economic value for LS should be determined from a realistic bioeconomic model that accounts for the relationship between LS, feed cost and lamb survival, in addition to other economically important traits. This is particularly important when evaluating the importance of LS in harsh environments.

AB - Breeding objectives for sheep derived from economic analysis of production systems show that litter size (LS) has a significant impact on profitability. Increasing LS can lead to increased income because more surplus animals are available for sale, but this comes at the expense of higher costs associated with increased feed requirements for ewes during pregnancy and lactation, and for finishing larger numbers of lambs. Poorer lamb survival in large litters also has an impact on costs. For these reasons the economic value for LS should be determined from a realistic bioeconomic model that accounts for the relationship between LS, feed cost and lamb survival, in addition to other economically important traits. This is particularly important when evaluating the importance of LS in harsh environments.

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SN - 9781921615566

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BT - Use of the FecB (Booroola) gene in sheep-breeding programs: Proceedings of the Helen Newton Turner Memorial International Workshop (ACIAR Proceedings, 133)

A2 - W Walkden-Brown, S

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PB - Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR)

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Swan A. The economics of litter size in meat sheep. In W Walkden-Brown S, van der Werf JHJ, Nimbkar C, Gupta VS, editors, Use of the FecB (Booroola) gene in sheep-breeding programs: Proceedings of the Helen Newton Turner Memorial International Workshop (ACIAR Proceedings, 133). Canberra, Australia: Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR). 2009. p. 170-176

The economics of litter size in meat sheep

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