Ewe beaut lambing lessons twin science and farm savvy

WA sheep producers learnt the essentials of achieving a 150 per cent lambing success rate at the Sheep Easy 2021 forum held last Thursday at Williams Town Hall.

Precision lambing was one of the big topics presented to more than 180 sheep producers and industry representatives at the annual event, organised by The Sheep’s Back, an Australian Wool Innovation’s WA producer network.

Victoria-based Paradoo Prime stud and commercial producer Tim Leeming said he combined science and practical knowledge to revolutionise lambing and weaning percentages for lamb survival.

He spoke to the large crowd at Williams from his property via ZOOM technology because of COVID travel restrictions.

“Last year, for the first time, we achieved 150 per cent lambing for every ewe, and the commercials weaned 150 from ewe lambs,” Mr Leeming said.

“Our reproduction has helped us to expand our business and move forward, we are now mating 8000 non-mulesed ewes.

“Twins are the money makers on the farm.” Paradoo Prime has been based on Coopworth and Coopworth Composite, with an infusion of White Suffolk genetics since 1990.

“Having a high performing ewe base, we screened some of our best young dams and developed Paradoo Prime in 2006,” Mr Leeming said.

“Our Precision Lambing System enable us to have short joining intervals (15-day spread) with short breaks in between and we use best paddocks on farm for twin bearing ewes.

“We want to use those best sheltered paddocks for the highest income ewes — the twin bearing ewes.”

Mr Leeming said his system allowed better animal health.

“Condensing the time that you’re lambing allows you greater supervision of the lambing process,” he said.

“We prefer lambing late June at optimal feed conditions when the ewe can spend more time at the birth site to properly mother her lambs.

“Constraining single ewes’ intake as well as controlling intake may assist multiples from growing lambs too large in the utero,” he said. “My number one tip for lamb survival is shelter.”

Mr Leeming said he also minimises all disturbances of the ewes during lambing.

“Mob size is (the) second most important consideration for lamb survival; we had 1860 twin bearing ewes in average mob sizes of 49 this year, with the use temporary fencing,” he said.

“We prefer a pre-lambing condition score between 3 and 3.3 — these sheep need to be fit to raise three offsprings and birth them successfully.”