Publication Date
2-2009
Series Number
Issue No. 10
Publisher
Western Australian Agriculture Authority
City
Perth
ISSN
1449-2652
Abstract
Producers throughout Australia were surveyed in 2005, 2006 and 2007 to identify the times when they lambed their ewes. This study was undertaken by the Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia for Australian Wool Innovation Limited and the Australian Sheep Industry Cooperative Research Centre.
The start of lambing followed similar patterns in the years surveyed. However, lambing of Merino ewes began last in Tasmania and earliest in South Australia and Western Australia.
Data for Merino first cross ewes were collected in 2007 when Tasmania had the latest lambings and Queensland the earliest lambings.
Combined results for the three years showed large differences in time of lambing across various statistical divisions in some states. For example, in Queensland the start of lambing in the Darling Downs and South West was quite different to the Central West and North West.
The largest variation was between statistical divisions in New South Wales and Victoria with much smaller differences between the divisions in the other states.
A significant result was the observation that lambing begins in June or earlier in many flocks in Australia. This practice is contrary to extension campaigns encouraging producers to lamb their ewes later when pastures are better able to meet the feed requirements of ewes in many parts of Australia.
This suggests that producers should be consulted to determine the significant factors involved in deciding to change the time of lambing.
Number of Pages
21
Keywords
wool, sheep producer, forcasting, flock model, flock demographics, surveys, sheep, Western Australia, lambing, statistics
Disciplines
Agricultural Economics | Sheep and Goat Science
Recommended Citation
Croker, K,
Curtis, K,
Speijers, J,
and
Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia.
(2009), Wool Desk Report February 2009: Time of lambing in Australian flocks. Western Australian Agriculture Authority, Perth. Report Issue No. 10.
https://library.dpird.wa.gov.au/ap_publishedrpts/14
Maps
Maps are not included as part of the complete document download. If this report contains a map, it will be available in the individual parts list below.
