Growing Great Lambs
Due to an influx of interest, the location of the Growing Great Lambs seminar changed from the Hogg's lease woolshed to Taonui Hall. There was a great turnout with farmers from all over the lower North Island. A range of interesting speakers presented on the following topics:
Please click on the links below to download the PDFs of the presentations
Genetics and lamb growth/slaughter value -... (0.64MB) - Geoff Nicoll, Landcorp
Geoff Nicoll is a geneticist with Landcorp farming. He delved into how genetics can affect lamb growth and slaughter value. Genetics can aid in creating lamb value at its endpoint by affecting carcass weight, carcass fat and primal cuts yield. Getting the right genetics requires you to buy rams from breeders that are making the right decisions. It takes four years from their superior genetic choice to get to your progeny. Select rams that fit your production system e.g. lambs sold store versus lambs finished.
Science of lamb growth (0.56MB) - Ginny Dodunski, Totally Vets
The science of lamb growth is based on the powerhouse - the rumen. Ginny explained how the rumen contains a large number of microbes whose job it is to convert ingested feed to nutrients for the lamb. The major aim of feeding lambs is care for these microbes, the second aim of feeding is to sneak some protein past the microbes for the lamb to utilize by using high-quality forages. If energy is not limited in the feed, high protein levels will cause growth.
Red clover (1.09MB) - Dereck Ferguson, Agricom
Plantain (1.23MB) - Dereck Ferguson, Agricom
Dereck Ferguson from Agricom discussed the benefits of using plantain as a feed during lactation. Lambs from ewes fed plantain (compared to perennial ryegrass) from late pregnancy until weaning had improved liveweight gains (376 vs 296g/d), increased weaning weights (41.1 vs 33.9kg) and more lambs killed at weaning (85 vs 39%). The plantain fed ewes also had higher liveweights and were in better condition.
Red clover offers an alternative to summer brassicas which are only short-term, require nitrogen and are difficult to conserve. Red clover supports high stocking rates, rapid lamb growth, it can last two to three years, can tolerate low water levels and low nitrogen inputs and will in fact, fix nitrogen.
Lamb health (0.67MB) - Trevor Cook, Totally Vets
Double lamb growth with B12? Trevor got a lot of interested people along with that question! Lambs will not grow faster with B12 if they are not deficient. To determine deficiency, monitor lambs either by doing blood tests or getting livers tested via biopsy or on works lambs. Parasites can severely limit lamb growth, so be vigilant about regular drenching with an effective drench. Know your drench status by doing a simple drench test this summer. Pneumonia is a common problem in lambs so do not shear at weaning, avoid yarding unnecessarily or for a long time, yard in smaller mobs and minimize time off-grass and buy from a good source.
Hogg update(0.25MB) - Alastair Hogg, previous Monitor Farmer
Alastair Hogg, a previous monitor farmer reviewed his organisation with his major message being: flexibility of a system is paramount. Each season, plans change. The goal is to maintain stock throughput despite poor growing years. This can be achieved by having faith in the team around you, good marketing, utilizing crops, limiting costs and responding swiftly to a changing environment.
Where is the value in lamb? (0.56MB) - Rob Davison, B+LNZ
Rob Davison is the executive director of the economic service for B+LNZ. He emphasized the 43% reduction in sheep numbers since 1991, all due to market change. Alongside this, beef numbers have dropped by 10% and dairy cows have increased by 78%.These changes are due to our heavy reliance on exports and international price trends. To maximize our return from exports we are increasing the amount of chilled cuts and boneless product and reducing the amount of frozen carcasses. Different parts of the same carcass can then be shipped to different markets. B+LNZ predict that the good demand for our lamb and beef will continue due to tight global supplies; however, the return we get is entirely dependent on international market prices.
