SheepProductL1

• What's the first sheep that was imported from?

  Merino - from Spain via Australia
• What was the first breed to be developed?

  Corriedale - was a stabilized cross between Merino and several English breeds
• What was the primary export function for most of sheep production history? What is it now?

  Wool, meat
• What are the animal welfare reasons to harvest wool?

  Fly strike, heat, weight of fleece, welfare requires annual shearing
• Lambs are born in Spring from matings which occur the previous Autumn
• What's a ewes gestation length?

  ~145-150 days
• Lamb only comes from sheep which have not erupted their first adult incisors (at around 1 year of age). Therefore, lambs will have been slaughtered or be two-tooths by June the following year.
• In sheep the major income is from lamb sales, therefore efficiency and profit is determined by:

  Number of lambs born alive, number of lambs weaned, growth rates of lambs, mature weight of ewe
• As lambs grow faster, they'll consume less herbage in total. How?

  Increasing growth rate causes dilution of maintenance, feed costs decrease associated operating costs as well
• What are some benefits to faster growing lambs if they're going to slaughter?

  Lower feed requirements if destined for slaughter, reduced time on farm before slaughter, less labor requirements
• What are some benefits to faster growing lambs if they're to be replacement ewes?

  Easier breeding as a hogget, allows some some flexibility in the growth curve later on in the season
• What increases farm income?

  Increasing lambing percentage/weight
• What decreases farm income?

  Increasing lamb growth rates
• At higher lambing percentages the impact of increased weaning weights is greater than an additional increase in lambing percentages