Lamb efficiency – a bucket of worms or a bucket of bait? Nick Linden Dept of Primary Industries, Rutherglen, Victoria

1. Lamb efficiency – a bucket of worms or a bucket of bait? Nick Linden Dept of Primary Industries, Rutherglen, Victoria

2. Outline 1) Backgroundand methods 2) On-farm factors Growth path (pre-weaning restriction) Weaning weight and age at finishing 3) Can we improve efficiency - benefits/risks?

3. Acknowledgements Dr Alex Ball – MLA Tom Bull - Lambpro Dr Daniel Brown – AGBU Dr Graham Gardner – Murdoch Uni/Sheep CRC

4. Lamb or lederhosen, profit is still profit… Profit = kg’s sold x (Unit price – Cost Of Prod.) C.O.P driven by business efficiency Inputs Outputs

5. Variation in feed conversion

6. My starting point

7. Measuring feed intake Temp and humidity every 15 mins

8. Impact of a pre-weaning restriction Finishing 36.5 29.2 16 13.2 Birth to weaning Backgrounding

9. Impact of a pre weaning restriction Finishing 47 40 36.5 29.2 16 13.2 Birth to weaning Backgrounding

10. Impact of a pre weaning restriction Finishing 55, FCR 7.4 49, FCR 7.8 47 40 36.5 29.2 16 13.2 Birth to weaning Backgrounding

11. Pre-weaning restriction – older lambs Finishing 53, FCR 16 48 47, FCR 17.2 42 Birth to weaning Backgrounding

12. Weaning weight v’s age at finishing

13. Wt gain - three weaning wt and ages

14. Feed intake - three weaning wt and ages

15. FCR - three weaning wt and ages

16. FCR – sex at 3 ages

17. What does it mean for industry Most efficient lambs put on 1kg live weight for every 3 kg of feed consumed. Cost to finish $6.39 Least efficient lambs eat 15+kg of feed, for every 1kg of live weight gain. Cost to finish in the order of $30.00 (in feed costs alone) Variation between sire groups for FCR ranged from 5.17 to 8.81, average for all lambs, 7.09:1 ITS WORTH DOING SOMETHING ABOUT IT!!!!!

18. How can we capture benefits? Correlations of 0.8 and 0.4 – genomic breeding values v’s milk yield and v’s feed efficiency traits. We know what pigs and poultry have achieved. If feeding lambs at home, there are tools.

19. Industry implications Restricted growth through to weaning does not compromise the efficiency of lambs when it comes time to finish them. Lambs that are light at weaning can still be finished in a cost effective manner, HOWEVER if carrying lambs over, beware of lambs that were already heavy. Lambs that are light at weaning do have a bigger ‘window’ for finishing – still efficient at older ages. Inefficiency driven by two things – poor weight gains and they still consume a heap of feed (lambs that are heavy at weaning, but hung onto too long!) Feeding lambs at the ‘right’ stage of maturity appears to be critical to profitable outcomes – don’t try and turn them into something they shouldn’t be! We love our lamb!

20. Pre-weaningrestriction - 40kg 600 Finishing 30 mths - 35kg 400 Grow-out Live weight 220 Pre-weaning 200 • some compensation during backgrounding • similar feedlot growth performance • calves don’t catch up in weight • no adverse effect on composition - 70kg Age

21. Low birth weight 600 - 55kg Finishing 30 mths 400 Grow-out - 40kg Live weight • slower growth to weaning • no compensation during backgrounding • reduced feedlot performance • calves don’t catch up in weight • no adverse effect on composition 200 Pre-weaning - 25kg Birth - 10kg Age