| This zone is characterised by long growing season and winter rainfall (450-600mm) with a mix of annual grasses, perennial rye-grasses and sub clover and a total pasture production of 6-8t/ha. Typically these enterprises have 30-50% crop. |
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The growing season and high production affects the potential stocking rate and pasture utilisation and therefore affects the recommendations for ewe management.
Details on management targets and the cost of missing production targets can be found in the economics section. The economic analysis that supports these recommendations is generated using the Wagga Wagga MIDAS model. Download the full report of the modelling for this region (250kB PDF)
Late winter-spring lambing provides the best match of pasture availability to the energy needs of the ewe and lamb. This match can allow more sheep to be run relative to lambing at other times of the year.
The optimum profile for spring lambing flocks in the Southrn Slopes is:
- to allow moderate loss of condition from joining to 'break of season', provided the condition can be regained prior to lambing on green feed
- aim for Condition Score 2.6 -3.0 at joining
The most important target for ewe flocks is to regain condition lost in early pregnancy before lambing commences. Meeting this target gives the optimum profitability. An alternative option is to start at a higher condition score, lose 0.6 of a condition score and re-gain at least 0.3 of the condition lost by lambing.
Ewes can lose some condition over early pregnancy, however, they must regain the condition lost in early pregnancy by lambing. There is a trade-off between the cost of re-gaining lost condition and and the increase in lamb mortallity, especially in twins. Gaining condition must be done with green feed as supplementary feed costs are too high tobe offset by gains in production.
Ewes require 1200 FOO (900 HM) by lambing for single ewes and 1800 FOO (1500 HM) for twinning ewes to regain lost condition. If this amount of green feed isn't likely to be available then the next best approach is to lose less condition or maintain ewe condition throughout pregnancy. Establishing pastures should be deferred so that FOO targets can be reached.
Key points:
Increasing ewe condition should only be done using green feed. It is rarely economic to feed grain to increase condition
Only lose enough condition over autumn that can be regained using green feed after the break.
If ewes are, by reason of a good summer, on a higher starting CS, continue to follow the shape of the higher profiles rather than lose more condition to start on the lower profile. This will still give a high economic return.
Download a copy of the Ewe Managment handbook for this region (1.5 Mb pdf)
Request a copy of the Ewe Management Handbook for this region
View the complete MIDAS modelling report for this region or view the summary of the report (economics section)
Tools including Pasture photos, condition scoring and feed budgeting
Improving ewe fleece weight and wool quality
Ewes in better condition at joining conceive more lambs
Improving lamb survival
More productive lambs through better ewe management
Managing twinning ewes for higher production
Managing ewe mortality
Feed Budgeting
For more information on lifetimewool please contact;
southern sheep zone: Phil Graham, DPI NSW, Yass.
northern sheep zone: Sue Hatcher, DPI NSW, Orange
NSW lifetimewool newsletters
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NSW DPI Primefacts
Maiden Merino ewe Conception Rates
How responsive is the conception rate of your Merino ewes?
Fat score of ewes at joining: the benefits of optimal nutrition
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