Around the Camp: Facebook / ParaBoss update / tail length

Leading Sheep is on Facebook!
ParaBoss update
A tail too short costs money
Ewes in better condition at lambing have heavier lambs
Upcoming events
eBulletins

1. Leading Sheep is on Facebook!

Tell your friends, family and neighbours or anyone interested in sheep – Leading Sheep now has a Facebook page – https://www.facebook.com/leadingsheep

From condition scoring, worms, moving sheep and resources for school kids all this and more has been on the Facebook page with plenty more to come. Along with notifications about upcoming events – so why not check it out!

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2. ParaBoss update

The National ParaBoss Technical Committee met recently. Three highlights for me were:

Many people will be restocking and often the purchased sheep will be bringing worms with them. These worms will be resistant to a range of drenches. Without good quarantine you may buy yourself a lot of future problems and expense. Details of good quarantine practice are available at www.wormboss.com.au
The committee discussed how to avoid further drench resistance. The latest modelling suggests that the best way to slow resistance developing, is to reduce drench use and to use combination drenches with as many actives as possible. Drench rotation surprisingly was not very effective.
The importance of actually knowing what drenches are effective on your property was highlighted. Drench Resistance Testing for every property is important. Assumptions from historical district averages and results your neighbour may have achieved are prone to error.
WormBoss is developing resources specifically for goats throughout Australia similar to the existing extremely useful regional WormBoss Worm Control Programs for sheep.

Noel O’Dempsey odempseyn@gmail.com (Regional Coordinator South Region)

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3. A tail too short costs money

A recent MLA report investigating the relationship between tail length and arthritis has shown that sheep with short tails are at greater risk of developing arthritis. Arthritis costs the sheep industry around $39 million each year through slow growth rates, deaths and trimming at the abattoirs.

The work was carried out by veterinary consultant, Dr Joan Lloyd and compared the rate of arthritis in lambs with correct tail length and those with short docked tails, finding the rate of arthritis was significantly higher in lambs with tails that were docked too short.

For more information click here
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4. Ewes in better condition at lambing have heavier lambs

There are a number of reasons why condition scoring your ewes (and then using this information) is important. Source: www.lifetimewool.com.au

The first 48 hours of a lamb’s life are critical. Around 70% of lamb mortality that occurs between birth and weaning occurs within this period. Lamb survival is related to lamb birth-weight and ewes in better condition at lambing produce bigger lambs.

Optimal lamb birth-weights for maximum lamb survival are between 4.5 and 5.5 kg.

A Condition Score (CS) decrease in ewes during pregnancy can reduce lamb birth-weight by 0.4 to 0.5 kg in both single and twin lambs, see graph below. Birth-weights are most sensitive to changes in ewe condition in late-pregnancy.

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Even though lamb survival rate is mostly explained by differences in lamb birth-weight, the lambing environment (such as bad weather and mothering) and whether the lamb is a twin or a single also has an effect. Survival decreases sharply when lamb birth-weight drops below 4.0 kg, see graph below.

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5. Upcoming events

Assessing finance options, for more information click here.

19 September, Barcaldine
20 September, Winton
26 September, Longreach
27 September, Stonehenge

28 September, Dirranbandi, Sheep Technology field day. For more information click here.

5 October, ‘Camden Park’, Longreach, Fencing and stock handling demo day. For more information click here

6-8 October, Roma, QRRRWN State Conference. For more information click here.

11 October, ‘Glentuckie’, Cunnamulla, Flood Fencing Field Day. For more information contact Darren Jennings on 0746 568 500 or darren.jennings@swnrm.org.au

12 October, Cunnamulla, Managing for More Lambs forum and dinner. Click here for more information.

Grazing BMP workshop. For more information contact Darren Jennings on 0746 568 500 or darren.jennings@swnrm.org.au