1998 Newsletter
OCTOBER 1998 TURNBERRY FARM NEWSLETTER
If I had started this Newsletter a month ago which was my intention I would have been expressing enthusiasm for the wonderful mild spring. Instead La Nina has presented its other side and for the past few days we have had gale force wind and heavy rain. Too miserable to venture forth onto the hills to see what damage the weather may have done to the last 25% of our ewes still to lamb. However I guess this is what our breeding philosophy is all about – breeding sheep that can survive! Easy care – minimum shepherding – ewes that can count and strong hardy lambs!
For many of our clients the spring summer & autumn of 97/98 is a time they would sooner forget. Nature at least has relented and given us a winter & spring that for many has come at the right time. Lets hope it continues - the rain falling at the moment is dollars in the bank! Even our summer safe Alfredton district let us down this year and like everyone else we were forced to take action to protect our capital stock.
From the point of view of the fertility level of our Coopworth sheep the most encouraging aspect to come out of this years drought was despite slightly lower body weights and a good dose of viral Pneumonia our ewes still scanned at a very high level of fertility.
Scanning 98 WGT % LBS per kg Scanning 97 WGT % LBS per kg
Commercial Ewes 172.3% 55.76kg 3.09 173.16% 56 kg 3.08
Registered Ewes 191.4% 54.52kg 3.51 205.73% 56.69kg 3.63
Total Ewes 177.4% 55.61kg 3.19 181.19% 56.63kg 3.21
The interesting point to note in respect to these figures is that the Commercial Ewes were mated 3 weeks later (27th April) than the Registered Ewes and although I can’t quantify it. Its my opinion that a greater flushing affect took place because of the availability then of more quality feed! Don’t underestimate flushing effect!
During the year we were fortunate to be able to host at Turnberry a large group from Landcorp Farming Ltd, Farm Supervisors, Farm Managers, Geneticists, Agronomists and the General Manager. As well we had Bruce Farquharson, Veterinary Consultant from Australia. Mel Bolton and Don Newman also hosted the Group at Kowhainui Station at Taihape, looking at management practices with a large Commercial Coopworth Flock, with a particular emphasis on financial considerations and implications. The theme was sheep and looking towards the year 2000 and beyond. It was one of the best days we have had for a long time – when like minded people get together a lot can be achieved. We had reinforced that our breeding philosophy and programme is heading in the right direction and Landcorp Farming is at the forefront in its initiatives to develop new technologies and put them into practice in sheep farming on a very large scale – all of which in our view will have a huge impact on the future profitability of sheep farming. Its exciting times!
Lamb Losses:
With the advent of pregnancy scanning we now have the opportunity to focus on this whole question. What percentage do we lose?
When do they die?
What is the cause?
What can we do to prevent this wastage?
Thanks to some very detailed analysis untertaken by Don Newman Farm Management Consultant from Palmerston North and Geoff Nicol, Head of Genetics Unit for Landcorp Farming Ltd., I believe we have at the very least some answers to part of the questions raised.
The Landcorp Farming analysis involved 7 recorded flocks ranging from the Te Arau basin to the Rotorua area. It envolved 7977 ewes, pregnancy scanned to produce 13’435 lambs (165.8%).
Lamb Losses were recorded ® LAMBS BORN ® LAMBS BORN LIVE ® LIVE AT 48 HRS ® LAMBS DOCKED ® LAMBS WEANED (See Graphs)
- The average loss to weaning was 22% (With a low of 13%).
- All ewes were vaccinated against “Toxo and Campylo”.
The Don Newman analysis involved 25 flocks of which only about 5 would be called recorded. This analysis only recorded the percentage lamb loss from scanning to docking. The flocks involved were located in the lower North Island.
- The average loss to docking was 19% (Range 12% – 29%).
- 5 flocks were affected by “Toxo or Campylo” significantly.
So if you compare the two sets of results they make very interesting reading.
Landcorp Farming analysis Scanning ® Docking 18% lamb loss
Don Newman analysis Scanning ® Docking 19% lamb loss
The graph produced by Geoff Nicol very clearly shows when these losses are occuring. (The Manhattens represent the average and the line graph & top figures represent the “best result”.)
You can see that the single biggest loss of lambs were those born dead at 7.9% (4.8% twins, 2.0% triplets, 1.1% singles) Clearly this indicates that we need to consider the nutrition of the ewe immediately after tupping to ensure good placental development to assist in the survival of multiple births (good birth weights) , Refer my 1997 Newsletter.
The second largest loss period was from 48 hours to weaning at 6.6% (made up of 48 hrs ® docking 2.5%, docking ® weaning 4.1%.)
On hill country I don’t think these losses are high! Do you?
Clearly do we know what is an acceptable figure?
How do losses occur after 48 hours?
Our conclusions: - Good management has a huge effect on survival at birth (Birth weight of the
lamb)
- Ewe management post tupping and an understanding of placental development
- The importance of vaccinating against “Toxo and Campylo”.
- Ensure rams are from Brucellosis accredited flocks.
- Terminal Sires purchased at the sale yards – don’t unless they are from accredited flocks.
- Lambing date – delay it to ensure the covers are there to enable maximum lactation from the ewe.
- Lamb losses percentage wise are greater as fertility increases. The more multiples born the greater the opportunity for losses to occur.
- And in our view remember the 100 day rule: Lamb birth weight + 300 grams per day x 100 days = 60% of all male lambs ready for the works at weaning.
- Try and reduce to a minimum stress levels on lambs, during that 100 days. And we suspect this will also reduce lamb losses!
Coopworth East Friesian Crosses
Two years ago the first Coopworth/East Friesian lambs were born at Turnberry. Our aim was to evaluate this cross to see what it had to offer. A random selection of Registered Ewes were inseminated with the best East Friesian semen available.
First cross Hoggets have been mated in 1997 and again in 1998 and those 1997 Hoggets have lambed as 2 thoots this year. As well we have ¼ bred Hoggets lambing this year.
1997 HGTS
CONCEPTION% SCANNED% THEIR TWIN LBS AT 80 DAYS GREW 375 GRAMS PER DAY
70% 177%
1998 HGTS
CONCEPTION% SCANNED%
95% 161%
THIS YEAR AS 2 TOOTHS THEY SCANNED 229%. WE HAVE TAGGED 209%.
At this point of time we have no relevant information on our ¼ bred Hgts.
As a basis of comparison our Coopworth Hgts with their twin lambs at 80 days were growing at 330 grams per day.
Our observations: - Don’t think we would want to farm first cross sheep on our hills.
- As mature animals they will be very large.
- They don’t appear to enjoy our mob stocking winter management
- They are a very fertile cross and have most impressive growth rates.
- The lambs have a lighter birth weight (about 1 kg) and are very active.
- The ewes show strong maternal instincts, cross suckling does occur.
- Clients with ¼ East Fresian lambs last year report most encouraging results in terms of lamb drafting (weight & confirmation). We await with interest to be able to report on the milking ability of the ¼ bred females.
NZ Ovine Sire Reference Scheme:
Since its inception in 1985 our Rams have constantly been performing at the top of all the flocks in the reference – both North and South Islands. Its good to be able report that for the 3rd year in a row a Turnberry Ram 1016-94 has come out as top and its semen was used in the 1998 Reference Programm.
Landcorp Lamb Supreme:
We are very pleased to be able to announce that we have entered into an alliance with Landcorp Farming Ltd. which will enable us to breed and market Landcorp Lamb Supreme Terminal Sires. We will have access to their very best genetics. The enclosed brochure illustrates the Lamb Supreme history, its development and the results that have been achieved to date.
Why are we heading down this path?
First and foremost to be able to source the very best genetics in terms of a Terminal Sire breed for ourselves and for our ram clients. We know that the future for lamb will be for an animal that grows rapidly, has moderate fat cover and perhaps most importanly has the right carcass confirmation to yield a high volume of red meat (Yield grading).
More and more clients as their lambing percentage increases find the need to mate increasing numbers of their ewe flock to a Terminal Sire. This coupled with the move towards mating of hoggets puts pressure on ram numbers and the selection of a suitable terminal sire to achieve the results that we aim for.
In the Coopworth ewe – we have the “best dam ewe in the country” and are very particular who we should mate her with!!
What excites us about Landcorp Lamb Supreme is where it came from and where its going! Foundation dams, 0.8% selected on hogget liveweight from over 500’000 young ewes. Selection that emphasizes carcass productivity. The use of CT scanning that measures muscle bone & fat in the live animal and identifies animals genetically superior in income earning potential. In short they have been screened from a huge genetic base – selection has been for a single trait – and they are achieving high meat productivity without excessive fat.
So if you combine the high growth rates and high milk production of our Coopworth ewes with the high meat production of Landcorp Lamb Supreme Sires – then I believe we are on to a winner. So watch this space!
Its now two days later since I started writing this Newsletter – the sun is now shining between showers, the wind is still blowing but I have just emptied 60mm of rain from out of our rain gauge. Life couldn’t be better!
I hope you all feel the same.
Look forward to seeing you at Ram Selection.
