Producers will also learn about wild dog behaviour in the upper Murray.
Wild dog control and optimising ewe and lamb nutrition to improve lamb growth rates will be the hot topics at a field day for sheep producers in the Upper Murray on Thursday 1 June.
Sheep producers who get on top of nutrition and dog control are well on their way to running a profitable sheep enterprise in the upper Murray region.
The Bullioh Bestwool/Bestlamb Group has conducted a demonstration on two local farms over the past two years, with the objective of improving their feed management to finish lambs before Christmas.
Group coordinator Dr Kristy Howard said the trial has shown how electronic identification tags (EID) can be used to monitor individual lamb growth rates. This information can be used to market lambs through accurate planning of sale dates, and it helps to optimise feeding strategies.
“Monitoring individual lamb growth rates using electronic tags has allowed us to see the effect that different feeds have had on different mobs and the impact of being a single or twin,” Dr Howard said.
“It has shown us the impact that ewe nutrition in early lambing has on lamb growth rates and the losses incurred if feed quality is lower than expected.”
There will be demonstrations around the use of EID to monitor growth rates, condition scoring of ewes, and matching feed with animal demand.
In addition to presenting the demonstration results, Dr Howard will discuss what else it takes to make sheep a profitable option in the upper Murray.
Producers will also learn about wild dog behaviour in the upper Murray. Steve Wilson from NSW Murray Local Land Services will present the results of a recent study that tracked wild dog movements using GPS collars.
The field day will be held on Thursday 1 June at the Burrowye Fire Shed, Guy’s Forrest Road, Burrowye from 9:30 am to 3:30 pm. Producers attending the day will receive a set of notes. A BBQ lunch will be supplied ($10 per person).
The Bullioh Bestwool/Bestlamb Group demonstration is funded by Agriculture Victoria and Meat and Livestock Australia through the Enhanced Producer Demonstration Site program.
For further information or to register please contact Rina Cooper at office@inspiringexcellence.com.au or phone Dr Kristy Howard 0400 282 222.