Increase my flock marking percentage

The issue

The Livestock Farm Monitor Project (LFMP) has recorded reproduction data from across the North East since 2005. This data is reported under Livestock systems and benchmarks. Reproduction rates, normally referred to as marking percentages, for North East Victoria have been relatively stagnant over this period. Analysis from the LFMP shows that for properties focused on wool production, the seven year (2005-2011) average marking percentage is 75%, with the top 20% of producers averaging 79%. For business focused on prime lamb production, data is only available for 2008-2011. Over this period prime lamb businesses have achieved an average marking percentage of 100%, with the top 20% of producers (based on financial performance) averaging 99%. See South West Victoria (Lower) for marking percentages in that region.

For wool businesses benchmarked in the LFMP, it is also evident that the top 20% of business consistently;

• ran a higher stocking rate than average;
• achieved higher prices per head (for wool focused businesses) for sold sheep than average;
• cut more wool per hectare, though similar amounts per head as average farms;
• had an average micron (18.7) that was not significantly different to average farms (18.6);
• received a slightly lower clean wool price ($9.81/kg) than average farms ($10.06); and
• spent slightly more on pasture per hectare than average farms.

For prime lamb businesses benchmarked in the LFMP it is evident that the top 20% of businesses consistently;

• ran a higher stocking rate than average;
• sold more lamb per hectare than average (as a result of more lambs per hectare sold at a greater average carcase weight);
• received a price equal to the average producers of $4.38/kg carcase weight;
• spent a similar amount on pasture per hectare, compared to average farms.

For the North East there are only two (2009/10 and 2010/11) years of data available to compare the lambing percentages of Merino ewes to those of cross bred ewes, when used in a prime lamb production system and joined to terminal sires. In those years crossbred ewes achieved marking percentages of between 40% (2009/10) and 21% (2010/11) higher than Merino ewes. At the Hamilton EverGraze Proof Site, it was shown that similar profitability was achieved with Merino ewes joined to terminal sires with marking percentages of 92% compared to Coopworth ewes at 141%.

Lamb marking percentages will have a significant impact on overall farm stocking rate and labour efficiency and should be considered when reviewing the performance of farm businesses. Producers should be aiming for at least region average marking rates, given that the top 20% of farms in the North East region achieve this whilst also running increased stocking rates.

What are the options?

Factors driving marking percentages can broadly be categorised as increasing conception rates, or increasing lamb survival from birth to marking (and subsequently weaning).

Management strategies to increase conception rates include;

• managing ewes to be in optimal condition score (condition score 3) at joining;
• changes to flock genetics;
• managing rams to ensure they are up to the job;
• flushing ewes at joining.

Management strategies to increase the survival rate of lambs from birth to marking include;

• managing ewe nutrition and condition in the lead up to and at lambing (condition score 2.8-3 for single bearing ewes 3-3.3 for twin bearing ewes) to ensure adequate birth weight, milk supply (colostrum production), lamb growth after birth and reduce ewe mortality;
• ensuring adequate pasture (1200 kg/ha for single bearing ewes and 1800 kg/ha for twin bearing ewes) is available at lambing to meet nutritional needs (above) and enable the process of ewe/lamb bonding (prevent the ewe from leaving the birth site);
• provision of shelter to lambing ewes (especially twin bearers) when lambing in adverse weather conditions;
• managing the mob size at lambing;
• pregnancy scanning to enable separate management of twin bearing ewes to achieve the above objectives; and
• control of predators.

Altering the time of lambing (to lamb in milder conditions and/or when more high quality paddock feed is available) is another option available to farmers and will impact on conception rate and lamb survival.

What is your potential to improve?

The first step is identifying where the opportunities exist. Is the greatest opportunity in lifting conception rates, or is increasing lamb survival the largest opportunity for an increased marking percentage? Without any pregnancy scanning data, this will be a difficult question to answer. Pregnancy scanning data can be compared to lamb marking data to determine the number of lambs that are lost between scanning and lamb marking. If the flock marking percentage is well below the district average then there is likely to be gain from tackling both key areas of conception and survival. If the flock is closer to the target marking percentage, gaining a better understanding of how it is performing at different phases of reproduction will be useful in determining whether attention is needed.

Table 1 (adapted from the worksheet provided in the EverGraze Exchange – Improving the survival of lambs) provides a template for comparing conception, survival and overall marking percentage of your flock to a set of targets. Best practice targets (as proposed by Lifetimewool) for survival of single (90%) and twin (70%) lambing Merino ewes are used in the example. Target conception rates (124%) are then based on what is required to achieve 100% overall marking. The actual figures used are purely an example, and show that in this particular case, potential gains could be made, particularly from improving lamb survival.

To use the template, enter your ultrasound scanning data, work out the potential number of lambs you should have at marking based on the best practice survival targets and then compare that to the number of lambs you actually have at marking. This will give you an estimate of how your flock compares to what could be achieved. To help establish whether problems with survival are associated with large single lambs (eg due to dystocia) or small twin lambs, it may be useful to collect dead lambs for a few days and determine causes of death. Notes on lamb autopsy are available, or enlist the help of your district veterinarian.

Table 1. Example template for comparing scanning and marking results to targets.

	Target scanning	Target potential lambs	Actual scanning	Potential lambs at marking	Target survival	Actual lambs marked
Dry	10		10
Single	140 A	x 1 = 140	100 E	x 1 = 100	x 90% = 90
Twin	60 B	x 2 = 120	100 F	x 2 = 200	x 70% = 140
Total	210 C	260 D	210 G	300 H	230 I	200 J
Percentages	(A+B)/C = 95%	D/C = 124%	(E+F)/G = 95%	H/G = 143%	E/H = 77%	Survival: J/H x 100 = 67%Overall: J/C x 100 = 95%

Options in more detail

Increasing conception rate

Meeting ewe condition targets at joining

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Ewe condition score at the time of joining dictates ovulation rate. This ovulation rate will determine if the ewe becomes pregnant, conceives a single or multiple lambs. Lifetimewool guidelines indicate that at condition score 3 there should be no more than 10% dry ewes after joining in most Merino flocks and less than 5% dry ewes in crossbred flocks. Scanning rates of greater than 150% are common in crossbred flocks and are achievable in Merino flocks. At these relatively high scanning rates there will be more than 50% of ewes carrying multiple foetuses, and less than 5% empty. Knowing the scanning percentage of the flock is a valuable tool when managing ewes through gestation and the lambing period. See the Managing ewe condition score during gestation and lactation section below for further details.

Ewe condition score targets are a key benchmark to be monitored by producers through the year. In the context of conception, the Lifetimewool project has identified that ewes in better condition score at joining will have more lambs. The average response across Merino ewes has been about 20 extra lambs born per 100 ewes joined per condition score.

This reproduction response to condition score rate can vary considerably with some flocks having a zero response (i.e. zero extra lambs per condition score) and others achieving up to an extra 40 lambs per 100 ewes per condition score. It is therefore very important for producers to understand the response rate of their ewes to an extra condition score as that knowledge will impact on management decisions. For instance if the response is 30 extra lambs for every 100 ewes per condition score then there is more benefit in feeding to gain an extra condition score than if the response is only 20 extra lambs per 100 ewes per condition score.

EverGraze utilised the principles of Lifetimewool in the management of the ewes during the experiment period. This included separating twins and singles after pregnancy scanning, managing condition score of ewes leading up to joining, during gestation and lactation, matching available feed to the demands of ewes and supplementary feeding where required. Importantly though EverGraze research demonstrated that the Lifetimewool principles, of manipulating condition score to maximise reproduction rates, can be met profitably and effectively by utilising perennial pasture systems.

Producers wishing to gain a greater understanding of how to monitor ewe condition score and allocate feed appropriately, are encouraged to participate in a Lifetime Ewe Management course.
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Improving the genetic base of the ewe flock

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Ewes are the engine room of any lamb production system. While the bulk of genetic decisions are concerned with ram selection, more focus needs to be on the important role that ewes play in determining the reproductive performance of the flock. In a self-replacing flock (prime lamb or wool focused), there are opportunities for producers to influence the genetics of ewes through the rams purchased to sire them. In a prime lamb flock where terminal sires are being used, and replacement ewes are purchased, there are only limited opportunities to directly influence the genetics of the ewe base. This is particularly true where traditional methods of ewe purchasing are used, i.e. buying replacement ewes of unknown genetic merit from saleyards.

In the case of EverGraze, the genetics of the ewes for each of the prime lamb and Merino flocks were based on breeds (in the case of the Coopworth Composite ewes used at Hamilton) or bloodlines (in the case of the Merino ewes) that have been bred from sires of known genetic merit using Australian Sheep Breeding Values (ASBV’s). This has resulted in ewes that are of greater than average genetic merit for reproductive performance. The ewes are also responsive to management aimed at manipulating their condition score to influence conception rate. More information can be found on ASBV’s at the Sheep Genetics website.

Sheep Genetics tools, Lambplan and Merino Select can assist in identifying which rams can assist in breeding replacement ewes with greater fertility and a greater ability to wean more lambs. There are a number of direct traits that can be selected for, such as number of lambs born (NLB), number of lambs weaned (NLW), scrotal circumference (SC, to assist in breeding more fertile daughters) and maternal weaning weight (MWWT). For producers buying replacement ewes, improving their fertility can be more difficult. Options such as direct sales and AuctionsPlus allow for increased communication between seller and buyer and may allow for better feedback of their performance.

Emerging research is suggesting that a range of traits not directly related to fertility or weaning percentages may also have a positive impact on marking percentages. Of particular relevance to Merino flocks, genetic muscle (post weaning muscle (PEMD)) and fat (post weaning fat (PFAT)) have been shown to increase the reproductive performance of ewes. Bred Well, Fed Well, a one day workshop delivered through the Sheep CRC, is showing producers across the country how they can use this information in their flocks.

There are three new traits that can be used by producers to assist in selecting rams which will reduce problems associated with birthing difficulties, or dystocia. These traits are Lambing Ease Direct (LE DIR), which can be used by purchasers of terminal sires, and Lambing Ease Daughters (LE DTR), which can be used by purchasers of maternal sires and sires used to breed replacement ewes, and Gestation Length (GL). It is best to select sires with moderate GL ASBVs as either a too long or too short gestation length will have a negative effect on lamb survival.
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Ram health and management

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Once rams have been selected and purchased it is important to ensure that they are kept fit, healthy and able to perform. Rams should be prepared for joining at least three months prior to joining. When purchasing rams, buyers should check that rams have been vet checked and assessed for brucellosis. Buyers should also check existing rams for the ‘four t’s’ (testes, toes, tossle (penis) and teeth) to ensure they are suitable for joining, otherwise additional rams may need to be purchased.

Any stress in the eight weeks prior to joining can affect semen production, which will affect the performance of the ram. Rams should be maintained in a condition score 3 year round, with condition score increasing leading up to joining (condition score 3.5 to 4). Rams should be shorn 10 to 12 weeks prior to joining, allowing them time to recover from any injuries or infections that may occur. In hot weather, shearing later than eight weeks before joining can be problematic as rams are less able to regulate their body temperature when bare shorn. If rams are not shorn, they should be ring crutched around the pizzle or, preferably, remove the belly wool all together, especially if there is any bur or seed. Rams should also be drenched, with an effective drench, prior to being used, as well as given an annual booster of 6 in 1 vaccination.

Rams scrotal circumference should be at least 28cm, and testicles firm and springy – not hard. If the tone or size of the testicles is not ideal 10 to 12 weeks prior to the joining, period feeding will be required immediately. For rams greater than 80kg, feeding 0.5kg/head of lupins per day, combined with pasture or additional supplementary feed suitable for a dry sheep equivalent to the rams’ weight, will be sufficient to increase testicle size and tone. This will help ensure that the serving capacity of the rams is maximised.

In most circumstances a five week joining period with rams used at a rate of three rams per 200 ewes should be sufficient. If joining in very hilly terrain, or in large paddocks with multiple water points or variable feed, or during periods of expected hot weather, it may be necessary to increase this rate.

When rams are removed from the ewes they should again be assessed for injury, body condition and general health. Rams should be put onto good feed, returned to a condition score 3 and monitored for worms and drenched if needed. Where producers would like to use rams more than once in 12 months, they should be returned to condition score 3 as soon as possible after removing from the ewes, and once there they will be ready for use again in 10 weeks’ time. Workshops such as RamSelect or Bred Well Fed Well can assist produces learn how to assess a rams’ suitability for joining.

If joining in hot conditions, ensure paddocks have adequate shade, as hot weather can reduce sperm quality and also increase embryo mortality in ewes.
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Flushing

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The term ‘flushing’ refers to the spike in ovulation rate that can occur as a result of an increase in energy in the diet. This increase in ovulation rate can result in an increase in conception rate of the ewes, though the response can be variable. In out of season joining, flushing has traditionally been achieved using lupin grain, as there is a low risk of grain poisoning when compared to other grains. Similar results can be achieved if joining ewes at the break of the season or on green pastures such as lucerne. Relatively low amounts of green feed are required for flushing with research at the Wagga Wagga EverGraze Proof Site indicating that 90% of the maximum response is achieved with pasture quantities of 350kg green dry matter per hectare. The flushing effect can be achieved on most sources of green feed, including grass pastures which have responded to out of season rainfall.

An on-farm trial conducted near Wagga Wagga in NSW, showed that ewes grazing lucerne for one week prior to joining and through the first week of joining resulted in 33% more multiple pregnancies when compared to ewes grazed solely on dry pastures during joining. There was no change in the number of non-pregnant ewes with each treatment having 6% and 5% non-pregnant ewes respectively. Full details of experiment results and how to apply to your own farm can be found in the Wagga Wagga research message: More lambs from flushing ewes on green feed.

Producers should be mindful that an increase in conception rate will not directly result in an increase of more lambs at marking. Research at Wagga Wagga and Hamilton EverGraze sites showed that survival from birth to marking for twin and triplet lambs is lower than for single lambs. However using the findings from Wagga Wagga and Hamilton, it can be estimated that flushing ewes via this method can result in an extra 10% more lambs at marking.

Flushing should not be seen as a replacement for having a ewe in optimum condition score for joining, but it is a useful tool for getting the most out of ewes. It may also be useful when attempting to join ewes that are not at optimal joining condition. Producers who are considering using flushing to increase the ovulation rates of sub-optimal condition score ewes should have a plan in place for increasing condition prior to lambing to ensure that lamb and ewe survival is not compromised. Flushing also appears to have limited benefit when joining fat ewes, i.e. greater than condition score 4.

The EverGraze Tactical Management for Green Feed decision support tool assists producers to determine the potential returns from flushing ewes on green feed or lupins, and to compare this to allocating the green feed to other classes of livestock (e.g. lambs or weaners). Variables such as the expected response to flushing, the available feed, the availability of lupins, farm stocking rate and the classes of livestock are considered in the tool.
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Options for increasing survival from birth to lamb marking

A comprehensive review of practices for improving lamb survival is provided in the EverGraze Exchange – Improving the Survival of Lambs. A summary of the options, with reference to recent research, is provided below.

Managing ewe nutrition and condition score during gestation and at lambing

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Ewe nutrition during pregnancy affects birth weight, milk supply (colostrum production), the process of ewe/lamb bonding, lamb growth after birth and ewe mortality. Monitoring ewe condition score can again be used to determine if the nutritional needs of the ewes are being met or if supplementary feeding is required. Lamb birth weight has the biggest influence on the survival of lambs during the first 48 hours, particularly in more hostile environments. The optimum birth weight for maximum survival of Merinos is 4.5-6.0. Single bearing ewes should be in condition score 2.8 to 3.0 and twin bearing ewes should be in 3.0 to 3.3 in the last 50 days of pregnancy and at lambing to optimise lamb birth weight and survival.

At lambing, single-bearing ewes should have at least 1200 kg DM/ha available and twins should have 1800 kg DM/ha available to ensure that the ewe doesn’t leave the birth site before the ewe and lamb have bonded.  A gallery of feed on offer photos can be found here.

Pregnancy scanning ewes and managing ewes according to their pregnancy status assists in increasing the reproductive rate of the ewe flock, and can also add to total farm profitability. Young et al, modelled a property in South West Victoria, using feed budgeting and the relationships developed by Lifetimewool to look at whole farm profit from scanning ewes and adjusting management accordingly. In this study it was found than an extra $1.80/ewe/year whole farm profit could be achieved.

Pregnancy scanning 90 days after the first joining day will assist in identifying which ewes are carrying multiple lambs. These are the ewes likely to be under the most nutritional stress. Once this information is obtained a number of management options are then available as outlined by Lifetimewool:

• Identify twin bearing ewes (with option to run separately in late pregnancy) and remove dry ewes at scanning
• Draft off twin bearing ewes less than condition score 2.5 at day 90 and manage separately to increase condition score
• Draft off any single ewes less than condition score 2 at day 90 and manage separately to increase condition score

To manage ewes appropriately to gain or maintain condition, producers need to be able to understand the energy requirement of the ewe, determine what is available from pasture, understand how to estimate the difference and determine how much of an appropriate supplement to give. Lifetimewool provides a number of tools to assist producers to undertake this process including:

• Feed budgeting in the dry and droughts – annual and mixed perennial pastures
• Feed budgeting at the break of season – annual clover based pastures
• Feed budgeting in the green – mixed pastures south-eastern Australia

The EverGraze Feed Budget and Rotation Planner provides simple tools for paddock budgets and ration development, based on Lifetimewool guidelines for energy requirements. See the Feed Budgeting and Tactical Management page for examples on how to use the tool.

Producers wishing to gain a greater understanding of how to monitor ewe condition score and allocate feed appropriately are encouraged to participate in a Lifetime Ewe Management course. The EverGraze Feed Budgeting and Tactical Management workshop can also provide understanding on how to develop fodder budgets and plan ahead for meeting livestock requirements throughout the growing season.
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Paddock selection and mob size

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Paddock selection and the mob size of ewes placed in the paddock can also have an impact on overall lamb survival. The factors relating to the impact of mob size are still not well understood, however it is thought to relate to ewes having sufficient space to separate themselves from the rest of the mob whilst lambing and bonding with their lambs. Mob size recommendations can vary slightly from one source to another. The Bred Well Fed Well program suggests mob sizes as provided in Table 2.

Table 2: Maximum mob sizes for lambing ewes (Bred Well Fed Well 2013)

Making More from Sheep recommend slightly different mob sizes. DEPI Victoria with support from MLA and AWI are currently researching the impact of mob size during lambing on the survival of twin lambs. This project is in two parts. The first part (commencing 2013) aims to understand current practice of producers and then identify some clear areas for further research in part II. The project is due for completion in May 2015.
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Shelter

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Lambs lost through exposure due to wind chill and poor shelter is a common occurrence in southern Australia, and is more prevalent in areas where a high number of bad chill days occur. EverGraze research at Hamilton and Wagga Wagga has shown that shelter provided during lambing can increase survival, though the effect was less at Wagga Wagga than at Hamilton. This is especially so for twins and triplets. The factors impacting on whether providing extra shelter to lambing ewes will be beneficial or not include;

• the proportion of the lambing period likely to experience bad chill conditions due to the combination of wind, rain and cold (shelter will be less effective if chill is not associated with wind);
• the breed of the sheep; and
• the percentage of multiple births.

The EverGraze Shelter increases lamb survival research message provides detailed results and discussion around shelter. A summary is provided below.

Shelter will be successful when it breaks the flow of wind across the lambing paddocks. There are multiple options available to producers, including hedge rows of perennial pasture plants such as Tall Wheat Grass (used at the Hamilton EverGraze Proof Site) or phalaris, mechanical structures such as hessian (used at Wagga Wagga EverGraze Proof Site), or herbaceous plants such as acacia shrubs (also used at Wagga Wagga) or salt bush (used at Bengworden EverGraze Supporting Site). Results at the Wagga Wagga site indicate that phalaris may not be very suitable, as established hedge rows were eaten by sheep and did not recover after periods of drought.

Variable results were achieved at Wagga Wagga depending on the year and the type of shelter provided. During the life of the experiment the number of bad chill days experienced in the Wagga Wagga environment was too low to be able to show an effect of the shelter on chill. It was observed however that both the acacia shrubs and hessian barriers were effective in reducing wind speed compared to open areas. The variable results at Wagga Wagga were in contrast to the stark improvement that the provision of shelter made in the experiments at the Hamilton site, where an increase in twin survival of 30% at the average birth weight was observed. This suggests that producers need to consider the location and risk of exposure of their lambing paddocks, and that in areas of lower risk there may be limited benefit in providing additional shelter.

Producers should review their farm in terms of identifying suitable ‘maternity wards’ that may already exist. Paddocks that are naturally protected from prevailing winds (have gullies, rocks, hills, trees, tussocks etc.) which may provide as effective shelter at a much lower cost and management input than establishing hedgerows, should be selected as maternity ward paddocks. However, choice of such paddocks should never compromise the quality and quantity of feed available. Well sheltered paddocks but with inadequate feed will often result in poor lamb survival.

At Wagga Wagga and Hamilton, sheltered paddocks that resulted in improvements in survival were always managed to have adequate high quality feed available to lambing ewes.  Producers thinking of using acacia shrubs or herbaceous plants should consider the costs associated with establishing this form of shelter and seek further advice.

Control of predators

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Control of predators is also crucial to maximising lamb survival. The DEPI Victoria Sentinel Flock Project identified that between 2009-12, losses to primary predation accounted for 4% of lost lambs. This is considerably lower than many producers would expect, and indeed other sources suggest that primary predation can still account for greater than 10% of lamb losses. Regardless of whether its 4% or greater than 10%, predator control will have a beneficial effect with a recommended program including baiting in the three months prior to lambing as well as during lambing. Other methods of control such as shooting can also be effective, especially if carried out with neighbors. Currently there is a fox and wild dog bounty in place in Victoria to encourage private land owners to control foxes and wild dogs.
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Time of lambing

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Time of lambing can have two major impacts on the marking percentage of a sheep flock. The first impact is on the rate of cycling of ewes at joining and the second is on the survival of lambs from birth to marking. As well as the impact on reproduction, time of lambing needs to take into account pasture availability relative to the nutritional needs of ewes throughout the reproductive cycle; the cost and practicalities of supplementary feeding; the potential impact that time of lambing will have on a producer’s ability to finish lambs to target turnoff weights; and/or management of weaners over summer. Most importantly, be careful that a change in lambing time does not compromise overall stocking rate and consequent productivity and profitability. Given these different factors it is not surprising that the time of lambing can be variable within a region. For all the information on these topic areas please read EverGraze Exchange: Livestock systems for profitable and sustainable pasture use. Research and modelling on time of lambing is also discussed in more detail in the Wagga Wagga research message – flexibility in livestock systems is important for risk management in variable climates.

Shifting to a later lambing allows for a higher stocking rate (due to lower demand through the winter months) thus increasing the amount of wool or lamb produced. Lambing later also allows for ewes to have naturally higher conception rates. This is due to the naturally higher ovulation rate per condition score response that was identified by Lifetimewool. As a result there may be a greater return for investment from raising condition score of ewes if lambing in spring versus winter. This combined with the fact that ewes which are non-pregnant or in early gestation require less energy than ewes in late gestation or during lambing means, that by lambing later, the autumn break can be used to gain condition on ewes, and thus increase their natural ovulation.

The time of lambing will also dictate the environmental conditions that are experienced during lambing. The provision of shelter is important when there are bad chill days, admittedly less prevalent in the Wagga Wagga environment than the Hamilton environment, which will result in increased lamb mortalities. Lambing time will also impact on the amount of available paddock feed, with a greater quantity of highly nutritious feed available in spring than in early autumn or winter. This supply of feed is important, not only to ensure that the ewe is in good condition at lambing but also to ensure that need for supplementary feeding is reduced. Supplementary feeding of ewes during lambing can lead to ewes leaving the birth site to eat and as a result mis-mothering of lambs may occur. By minimising any disturbances during the lambing period, the opportunity that ewes have to bond with their lambs is maximised, reducing losses from mis-mothering, starvation and in some cases predation. Ideally ewes should have at least six hours at the birth site with their newborn lamb(s). See EverGraze Exchage –Improving survival of lambs for further detail.
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Meeting condition score targets

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Previous sections have referred heavily to monitoring and managing ewe condition score. This is critical for both managing conception and lamb survival. Meeting livestock condition targets is essentially about matching feed supply to feed demand. This involves;

• Setting stocking rates and lambing time to best match the feed supply while also considering target markets;
• Applying the EverGraze principle Right Plant, Right Place, Right Purpose, Right Management to selection of pasture combinations that supply quality feed when it is needed;
• Understanding pasture and livestock targets, constantly monitoring, and using fodder budgets to plan ahead and take action early.
• Supplementary feeding when pastures fall below livestock requirements;
• Managing pastures with deferred grazing (to build a feed wedge), nitrogen or gibberelic acid when required to ensure feed is available when it is most needed.

These strategies are discussed further under Filling the winter feed gap, and Filling the summer/autumn feed gap.

The EverGraze Feed Budget and Rotation Planner can be used for planning winter feed budgets and understanding your stocking rate patterns throughout the year.

Processes for considering changes to stocking rates, lambing time and enterprise selection can be found under On-Farm Options for Livestock Systems. On-Farm Options for the Feedbase and Pasture Species provides information for selecting feedbase combinations.

There are a number of tools available for estimating pasture quantity and quality. Lifetimewool provides a useful feed on offer (FOO) Photo Gallery for perennial and annual mixed pasture species, and EverGraze has developed feed on offer photo galleries for lucerne and chicory and native pastures.
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Authors

Stuart Warner, Agristology, Beechworth, Victoria

Kate Sargeant, Department of Environment and Primary Industries, Victoria