Local sheep producers wanting to know more about the impact of supplementary feeding on ewe behaviour and lamb survival have the chance to join an AWI co-funded project comparing the effects of using trail feeding or self-feeders during lambing.
The project’s results will be used to create supplementary feeding guidelines for sheep producers to optimise lamb marking rates.
Supplementary feeding is often required to meet the nutritional demands of ewes lambing in autumn and when feed-on-offer (FOO) is limited during winter or early spring.
However, there is no industry consensus on optimal supplementary feeding strategies for lambing ewes, a fact highlighted during consultation with sheep producers who are actively seeking advice on the matter.
“A survey of producers in southern Australia showed that 92 per cent of them believe further research is warranted into the best supplementary feeding regimes to optimise lamb survival,” says the AWI reproduction and nutrition project manager Emmah Goldsmith.
“The overall project is evaluating strategies for supplementary feeding at lambing via trail feeding, and self-feeders, and aims to quantify the impacts on lamb survival to marking on commercial farms across southern Australia,” Emmah says.
“It will also assess changes in mob behaviour associated with the feeding method using sensor technology.
“The ultimate outcome from this project is to produce guidelines for sheep producers to increase lamb marking rates.”
A significant proportion of producers in southern Australia lamb ewes onto dry feed in autumn. Increasing climate variability also means a greater number of producers may have dry or limited green feed available when lambing in winter or even early spring.
Anecdotal evidence has suggested that supplementary feeding ewes at lambing may cause them to abandon their lambs which could reduce lamb survival. However, there is conflicting opinion as to whether trail feeding or the use of self-feeders is more favourable for lamb survival.
Dr Amy Lockwood of Murdoch University says the project’s research sites are being located in both the medium to high and the low rainfall zones to capture variation in environmental and management conditions, including the size of lambing paddocks in which ewes are being supplementary fed.
“At least 24 on-farm research sites will be established across Australia during the project,” she says.
“We have so far completed work for our first trial at 10 research sites and are currently seeking more sheep producers across southern Australia to host the trial on their farms. We’re keen to hear from anyone that’s interested in being involved.”
The research team is seeking Victorian sheep producers who pregnancy scan at least 300 single-bearing ewes and 160 twin-bearing ewes.
Interested producers can get in touch with Steve Cotton at s.cotton@dynamicag.com.au or phone 0447 352 321.
