Around the Camp: pasture dieback, Picking Performer Ewes, containment feeding, pregnancy scanning

  1. Quick picks: pasture dieback, Picking Performer Ewes, containment feeding, pregnancy scanning
  2. Deep dive – Is pregnancy scanning for ewe?
  3. Upcoming events
  4. Podcasts, eBulletins and surveys

Quick picks

Keep an eye out for pasture dieback: Pasture dieback is a condition that causes the premature death of productive tropical and sub-tropical grasses (e.g. Buffel grass). Pasture dieback has been confirmed in wool growing regions of QLD (see map). Look out for yellowing and/or reddening of individual leaves, or grasses not responding to recent rain with broadleaf plants (legumes or weeds) growing in areas of dead pasture. DPI staff can assist with identification and management advice. Visit the Future Beef website for information and photos of what to look for.

Opportunities in eID: 1 January 2025 is quickly approaching. Any lambs born on or after this date must be identified with an NLIS-accredited eID device before leaving their property of birth (more here). This 5-minute video from NSW Agriculture explores the basics of eID, how you can add value to your business by collecting data and what equipment you need to get started. If you are interested in an eID workshop in 2025, please fill out this expressions of interest form.

Picking Performer Ewes: Australian Wool Innovation (AWI) have developed the picking Performer Ewes workshop to help commercial woolgrowers improve reproductive rates. Learn how within-flock selection and enhanced management can increase reproductive rates in breeding flocks, and how this can lead to consistency of production and business performance. Learn more by visiting the AWI website. Fill out this expressions of interest form if you’d like to attend this workshop in 2025.

Test don’t guess: Now is the time to test for worms, before losses in production occur and visible signs and symptoms show up in the flock. Spring rainfall, strong winds, good pasture bulk and patches of green pick provide ideal conditions for worm populations to rapidly increase. Worm egg count (WEC) testing allows you to identify a worm problem before production losses occur and can guide drenching decisions. Click here for the WormBoss drench decision guides and here for a guide to WEC testing in QLD.

WoolPoll 2024 result: Australian woolgrowers have voted to keep the 1.5% levy on wool sales to fund research, development and marketing of the natural fibre. Prior to the allocation of preferences, the 2% levy was the favoured option, securing 37.85% of the votes – an encouraging improvement on previous years. After allocation, 56% of votes favoured the 1.5% levy rate. Read more here.

Pasture budgeting tool: Accessing the Australian Feedbase Monitor has never been easier. You no longer need an MLA membership to receive free access to this grazing management tool which uses satellite data to estimate pasture biomass and ground cover. Learn more here.

Recent webinar: Are you curious about what containment feeding could look like in your operation and the key elements of design and legislative requirements to consider? The Making Maidens Weight producer demonstration site recently recorded a webinar exploring this topic, click here to watch the recording.

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Deep dive – Is pregnancy scanning for ewe?  

Australian Wool Innovation (AWI) and Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) have recently released a range of new resources that demonstrate the value of pregnancy scanning and explain the management options available. Read on to understand how this project came about and the resources available to help you decide whether scanning might add value to your business.

The latest AWI and MLA National Producer Survey revealed 45% of producers scan their ewes, an increase in the practice from 31% in 2018. The main reason cited for not scanning was a perceived lack of benefit.

    The benefit-cost analysis presented from this research provides the business case for pregnancy scanning through the benefit of improved reproduction and profitability. Scanning for multiples was found to return an average profit of $5.55 per ewe, whilst scanning for pregnancy status returns half the average profit, at $2.65 per ewe.

    Optimal management of ewes based on their pregnancy status is the key to generating profit from pregnancy scanning. Management options that use the information from scanning includes targeting management of nutrition according to the pregnancy status of the ewe (prioritising multiple-bearing ewes), allocating better paddocks to multiple-bearing ewes, selling empty ewes and selection of replacement animals that factors in birth type. The value of each management option is presented in the table below.

    The range of resources developed by AWI and MLA include:

    • The value of pregnancy scanning factsheet (2 pages) – Pregnancy scanning has a high return on investment when the information is used to guide management and selection decisions. This factsheet summarises the results of the benefit-cost analysis and highlight the management practices that provide great return on investment.
    • Ewes scanning and management checklist (2 pages) – An easy-to-use checklist you can stick on the fridge to remind you of the key dates and activities to keep you on track for a successful lambing, from targeted management and scanning through to lambing.
    • Resource guide for sheep reproduction (18 pages) – While you’re inside listening to the rain over summer, have a flick through this guide to see if you could benefit from the list of tools and resources presented in this guide. This guide brings together a collection of resources and tools for all sheep and wool producers, covering the topics of: reproduction, sheep health, feed base and nutrition, and breeding and selection.
    • Pregnancy scanning: an ultrasound investment (29 pages) – This comprehensive booklet explains the business case for pregnancy scanning, integrating it into your operation and differential management following scanning. It also includes the above 3 resources about the value of pregnancy scanning, ewe scanning and management checklist and the resource guide for sheep reproduction.
    • The value of pregnancy scanning: a benefit-cost analysis (5 pages) – This detailed report is for those who would like to understand the assumptions and numbers behind the scenario modelled in the benefit-cost analysis present in ‘The value of pregnancy scanning’ factsheet.

    Visit the AWI website to find these resources.

    Don’t forget you can visit the Leading Sheep website and search ‘pregnancy scanning’ for case studies, videos and factsheets Leading Sheep has developed that share the stories and experiences of those who scan their ewes.

    This initiative, under the Sheep Reproduction Strategic Partnership, aimed to improve lamb and ewe survival and reproductive rates in Australian sheep flocks through increased adoption of pregnancy scanning.

    This Deep Dive was written by extension officer Millie Sheales.

    From the team at Leading Sheep, we wish you a Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year.

    Upcoming events

    • 11-12 February. Carbon EDGE, Emerald. Delivered by ConnectAg. For more information and to register, click here.
    • 11 February. Livestock, Carbon and Sustainability, St George. Delivered by DPI. Register here.
    • 13 February. Livestock, Carbon and Sustainability, Stanthorpe. Delivered by DPI. Register here.
    • 26 February. GroWQ Ag Industry Roundtable, Longreach. Delivered by GroWQ. Information to come.
    • 27 March. Leading Sheep Forum, Longreach. Delivered by DPI. Information to come.
    • 3031 July. GroWQ Ag Innovation Expo: Talks, Tech, Trade Displays, Longreach. Delivered by GroWQ. Information to come.
    • 3 October. GroWQ Next Gen Event: Grassroots Growth in the Grazing Industry, Longreach. Delivered by GroWQ. Information to come.

    Podcasts, eBulletins and surveys

    Mobile Connectivity Survey: how has your mobile coverage been since the 3G network closure? AgForce are conducting a short survey to gather your thoughts and experience on the coverage since the 3G shutdown. Share your views here.

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