POLL DORSET STUD | ADVERTISING FEATURE
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A new national project is under way to determine the most effective management of triplet-bearing ewes.
According to project collaborator, Dr Jason Trompf, the research results are aimed at increasing survival rates in triplet-bearing ewes which currently cost the Australian sheep industry an estimated $32 million annually.
“The management solutions developed and demonstrated by this project are expected to improve weaning rates in triplet-scanned mobs by 30 per cent to 45pc and reduce ewe mortality by at least 4pc,” he said. “This conservatively represents an increase in profit of between $13 and $24 per triplet-bearing ewe, based on a $5.50 per kilogram carcase weight (CWT) price for lamb, not the current $7.50/kg CWT.”
Run by Murdoch University in Perth, the first year of the project involves the collection of a range of data from producers and pregnancy scanning operators to determine the triplet scanning rates for different sheep breeds. Preliminary results on the proportion of triplets at different scanning rates will be available later in the year.
Dr Trompf said the next part of the project will be to benchmark and understand the survival of triplet-bearing ewes and their lambs.
“We really want to understand how much triplet-bearing ewes are adding to the bottom line of ewe loss rates, as there is a lot of potential production and profit tied up in these highly fecund ewes.
“The challenge is to manage the ewe to keep her and as many of her lambs alive and ensure the ewe’s condition score is maintained for joining the next year.
“The market research we carried out with farmers in the initial stages of the project indicated the main challenge in our Australian environment is to work on ewe survival first.”
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The project will also carry out a range of on-farm trials to investigate factors affecting triplet-bearing ewe and lamb survival rates including lambing density and ewe condition score and other variables identified in the project’s market research and benchmarking studies.
Dr Trompf said although the initial research has involved more than 150 producers from throughout Australia, the project team is keen to hear from producers in NSW, Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia, Western Australia and Queensland who are interested in evaluating various management practices of triplet-scanned ewes and willing to share ewe scanning and marking rates.
They also wish “to involve producers who are thinking about scanning for triplets for the first time or not currently separating triplets.”
He said the three-year project will develop best practice guidelines for producers to follow.
Meat & Livestock Australia, Murdoch University and Agriculture Victoria are funding the project. Assistance is also being provided by Massey University’s Professor Paul Kenyon in New Zealand.
For details on the project you can contact Dr Jason Trompf on 0408 211 864.
Also see this week’s edition of Town & Country Magazine for a five-page Poll Dorset Stud ad feature with more related stories.
