The value to Merino ewes and lambs of continued superphosphate topdressing on a subterranean clover pasture ley

1976 ◽  
Vol 16 (79) ◽  
pp. 197 ◽  
Author(s):  
OR Southwood ◽  
DG Saville ◽  
AR Gilmour
Keyword(s):  
Body Weight ◽  
Agricultural Research ◽  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Subterranean Clover ◽  
Research Station ◽  
Stocking Rate ◽  
Wool Production ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Clover Pasture

In an experiment at the Agricultural Research Station, Temora, New South Wales, Merino breeding ewes with their lambs grazed continuously from 1966 to 1970 at three stocking rates, 5, 7.5 and 10 ewes ha-1, on annual Trifolium subterraneum clover pasture topdressed every autumn with superphosphate fertilizer at nil, 94 or 188 kg ha-1. Stocking rate had an effect on ewe body weight in autumn each year and in winter and spring of the last year but it had no effect no wool production per ewe. Apart from the dry year, stocking rate had no effect on lamb performance. Superphosphate had little effect on ewe body weight and none on wool production but there were more lambs on the fertilized treatments than on the unfertilized pastures in 1967 when rainfall was low. Fertilizer encouraged barley grass dominance whereas the pasture not topdressed grew more clover and produced more burr. With no topdressing, available soil phosphate declined steadily over the five years to less than half the initial level. The results indicate that in a spring lambing, Merino ewe enterprise in the southern New South Wales wheat belt, where clover-ley farming is the general practice, annual pasture topdressing is no longer necessary after approximately 1000 kg ha-1 superphosphate has been applied to the soil and the fertilizer is continued through the cropping phase.

Merino ewe and lamb performance in the Central Tablelands of New South Wales following joining in March-April or June-July

1988 ◽  
Vol 28 (5) ◽  
pp. 561 ◽  
Author(s):  
HL Davies ◽  
E Devaud
Keyword(s):  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Subterranean Clover ◽  
Late Pregnancy ◽  
Stocking Rate ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Group Number ◽  
Nutritional Advantage ◽  
June July ◽  
Group 1

A March-April joining of Merino ewes was compared with a June-July joining in central New South Wales at a low stocking rate on subterranean clover based pastures over 3 years. In all years, ewes joined in June were heavier (P < 0.05) than ewes joined in March (55 v. 52 kg). Liveweights at the start of lambing and liveweight change from joining to lambing were also high and favoured the later lambing group. The proportion of ewes lambing (97% March v. 93% June) and proportion of ewes twinning (29% March v. 20% June) were not significantly different between the 2 groups, but consistently favoured the March-April joining. Perinatal mortality was low (9.4% March v. 7.1% June) and not significantly different between the 2 groups, but was consistently lower in the June joined group. Number of lambs weaned per 100 ewes joined was also not significantly different, but was higher each year in the March joined group (1 13% March v. 105% June). The growth rate of the lambs (both singles [24% greater, 248 v. 200 g/day] and twins [37% greater, 2 13 v. 155 g/day]) was consistently in favour of March joined ewes. Mean greasy fleece weights of the ewes were not significantly different between the 2 groups, but were in favour of the late joined group (4.83 v. 4.50 kg). Time of joining significantly affected liveweights and greasy and clean fleece weights of the progeny at the shearing in the year following their birth in favour of March joining. These data suggest that, despite a nutritional advantage to the ewes in late pregnancy and milder weather at lambing with a June-July joining, a March- April joining is the preferred option on the Central Tablelands of New South Wales.

Effect of management system and stocking rate on the performance of ewes and lambs

1976 ◽  
Vol 16 (83) ◽  
pp. 810 ◽  
Author(s):  
BD Hill ◽  
DG Saville
Keyword(s):  
Growth Rate ◽  
Body Weight ◽  
Management System ◽  
Subterranean Clover ◽  
Trifolium Subterraneum ◽  
The Body ◽  
Stocking Rate ◽  
Wool Production ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Lamb Growth

A grazing experiment was conducted at Cowra, on the western slopes of New South Wales, on a pasture consisting of lucerne (Medicago sativa) and annual species including capeweed (Arctotheca calendula), barley grass (Hordeum leporinum). wimmera ryegrass (Lolium rigidum) and subterranean clover (Trifolium subterraneum) . The performance of Border Leicesterx Merino ewes mated to Dorset Horn rams and the growth of their progeny was compared under rotational and set stocked grazing management systems, with and without a 20 per cent area of lucerne saved for grazing when additional feed was required. There was one stocking rate (8.7 ewes ha-1) in 1966 and two (8.7 ewes ha-1 and 13.0 ewes ha-1) in 1967 to 1969. Rotational grazing decreased the lamb growth rate but increased the number of lambs born. The management system did not affect the body weight or wool production of the ewes. Lucerne was quickly eliminated from the set stocked areas and was greatly reduced in the rotational systems. Capeweed became dominant in the set stocked areas. Saving increased the number of lambs born at the high stocking rate in 1967 to 1969. In 1966 saving reduced lamb growth, ewe body weight and wool growth in the rotational system. The high stocking rate increased wool production per hectare, but decreased the number of lambs born and, in 1967, the lamb growth rate.

Effects of topdressed superphosphate on the sheep and pasture production of dryland lucerne in central western New South Wales

1975 ◽  
Vol 15 (75) ◽  
pp. 475 ◽  
Author(s):  
H Brownlee ◽  
BJ Scott ◽  
RD Kearins ◽  
J Bradley
Keyword(s):  
New South ◽  
Soil Phosphorus ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Stocking Rate ◽  
Gross Margin ◽  
Pasture Production ◽  
Wool Production ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Dry Conditions ◽  
Soil Phosphorus Test

Merino ewes at 3.7, 4.9 and 6.2 ha-1 grazed dryland lucerne (Medicago sativa cv. Hunter River) topdressed annually with superphosphate at 0, 125 and 251 kg ha-1, from September 1969 until December 1972, in an experiment at Condobolin, New South Wales. Superphosphate increased ewe liveweights, total forage available and phosphorus content of the forage by a small amount but did not increase wool production per head. The Bray soil phosphorus test in the top 8 cm of the soil profile rose from 8 p.p.m. to 48 p.p.m., but most of the phosphorus was concentrated in the 0-4 cm layer, where we consider that dry conditions reduced its availability to the lucerne. As stocking rate increased, ewe liveweights and wool production per head decreased and the sheep required more handfeeding for survival. The treatment with the greatest gross margin was the lowest stocking rate with nil fertilizer.

Seasonal variation in the fertility and fecundity of Bungaree and Peppin Merinos in central-western New South Wales

1969 ◽  
Vol 9 (37) ◽  
pp. 151 ◽  
Author(s):  
JR Giles ◽  
JP Drinan
Keyword(s):  
Seasonal Variation ◽  
Agricultural Research ◽  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Ovulation Rate ◽  
Research Station ◽  
Agricultural Research Station ◽  
South Wales

The seasonal variation in fertility and fecundity of Bungaree and Peppin Merinos was compared at the Agricultural Research Station, Trangie, New South Wales. Ewes of both strains were joined to rams of both strains for 32 days on nine occasions ; each joining being separated from adjacent periods by an interval of 10 days. For six weeks after joining the ewes were run with vasectomized rams and were then slaughtered over the following six weeks. Incidence of oestrus and ovulation rate of the two strains were similar at all times. More Bungaree than Peppin ewes returned to service, particularly during the autumn, irrespective of the strain of rams to which they were joined. There was no difference between ram strains in percentage of ewes returning to service or percentage of ewes pregnant, but a significantly higher proportion of ova were lost in pregnant ewes with multiple ovulations after joining to Bungaree rams in winter and spring.

Skin folds and Merino breeding. 8. Fertility of individual rams in flocks selected for high and low skin fold

1969 ◽  
Vol 9 (37) ◽  
pp. 147 ◽  
Author(s):  
BJ McGuirk
Keyword(s):  
Artificial Insemination ◽  
Agricultural Research ◽  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Research Station ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Skin Fold ◽  
Single Character ◽  
Lower Fertility ◽  
Selection For

Single character selection flocks-Folds Plus (selection for high fold score) and Folds Minus (selection for low fold score) were established in 1951 from a Peppin Merino flock at Trangie Agricultural Research Station, New South Wales. For the period 1951 to 1966, 25 per cent of rams selected for the Folds Plus flock were rejected following semen examination before joining, compared to only three per cent of Folds Minus rams (P<0.05). The fertility of individual rams in the two flocks has been estimated from the lambing performance of the ewes to which they were mated in the period 1951 to 1963. Averaged over the twelve joinings, a higher proportion of ewes mated to Folds Minus rams lambed following both artificial insemination (53 v. 45 per cent) and paddock joinings (57 v. 47 per cent). The lower fertility of the Folds Plus rams was not due to a higher proportion of completely infertile rams.

scholarly journals Whole-farm profit and the optimum maternal liveweight profile of Merino ewe flocks lambing in winter and spring are influenced by the effects of ewe nutrition on the progeny's survival and lifetime wool production

2011 ◽  
Vol 51 (9) ◽  
pp. 821 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. M. Young ◽  
A. N. Thompson ◽  
M. Curnow ◽  
C. M. Oldham
Keyword(s):  
Western Australia ◽  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Economic Modelling ◽  
Stocking Rate ◽  
Wool Production ◽  
South West ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Farm Profit ◽  
The Cost

Profitability of sheep production systems in southern Australia is optimised at a stocking rate that provides adequate nutrition for breeding ewes and enables efficient utilisation of grown pasture and supplements. In this paper we used bio-economic modelling to develop optimum liveweight1 profiles for spring-lambing Merino ewes in different environments. The modelling included the impacts of the ewe liveweight profile on the production of the ewe and the survival and lifetime wool production of her progeny. Fifteen ewe liveweight profiles were analysed for each region to determine the profitability of varying ewe liveweight at joining, varying rate of loss of liveweight after joining and the rate of gain in liveweight from the minimum to lambing. The analyses support the hypotheses that whole-farm profitability is sensitive to the liveweight profile of Merino ewe flocks and that there is a liveweight profile that maximises whole-farm profit. The variation between the most and least profitable ewe liveweight profile was $69 0002 per farm ($14.30/ewe) for south-west Victoria, $51 000 per farm ($8.70/ewe) for Great Southern Western Australia and $33 300 per farm ($9.70/ewe) for southern New South Wales. The changes in profit were due to differences in costs of feeding to achieve the ewe liveweight profile and its influence on the production of both the ewes and their progeny. Failure to include the impacts of liveweight profile on progeny survival and lifetime wool production incorrectly identifies the optimum ewe liveweight profile and provided inaccurate estimates of profitability. The optimum liveweight profiles for ewes lambing in spring were similar for all three regions and insensitive to changing commodity prices, pasture productivity and management. The optimum profile was to join ewes at ~90% of the standard reference weight of the genotype, lose a small amount of weight after joining and regain weight in late pregnancy to return to the joining weight by lambing. Regaining the liveweight lost in early pregnancy by lambing is the most important target to achieve. The cost per farm of missing this liveweight target by 1 kg was $13 000 ($2.60/ewe) for south-west Victoria, $8900 ($1.45/ewe) for Great Southern Western Australia and $5500 ($1.65/ewe) for southern New South Wales. By contrast, the cost per farm of missing the joining target by 1 kg was $5500 for south-west Victoria and less than $2000 across the other two regions. Whole-farm profit increased with increasing stocking rate up to an optimum and regardless of stocking rate there is an additional opportunity to increase whole-farm profit by up to 15% by managing ewes to achieve the optimum liveweight profile. This indicates that the optimum liveweight profile should be achieved by increasing the level of grain feeding and altering the timing of utilising the farm feed resources rather than manipulating stocking rate.

Wool production, ground cover and botanical composition of pastures grazed by Merino wethers in central western New South Wales. 2. Barrel medic pasture

1973 ◽  
Vol 13 (64) ◽  
pp. 510 ◽  
Author(s):  
H Brownlee
Keyword(s):  
Agricultural Research ◽  
New South ◽  
Ground Cover ◽  
Additional Treatment ◽  
Research Station ◽  
Botanical Composition ◽  
Stocking Rate ◽  
Barrel Medic ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Pasture Area

Two grazing experiments were performed between 1965 and 1969 at the Agricultural Research Station, Condobolin, to determine the carrying capacity of Jemalong barrel medic (Medicago truncatula) pasture. In each experiment the pasture was set stocked with Merino wethers at 3.1, 4.1 and 6.2 ha-1. An additional treatment stocked at 6.2 ha-1 was included in which two-thirds of the pasture area was saved during autumn or periods of feed shortage while stock were confined to the other one-third. In both experiments the pasture supported 3.1 wethers ha-1 under set stocking for three years with little supplementary feeding and regenerated successfully each year. No major changes in botanical composition were recorded, and Jemalong medic remained the major component of the pasture. Autumn saving at 6.2 ha-1 mitigated the effects of the high stocking rate on both animal and pasture, but did not result in worthwhile animal production increases.

Evaluation of natural annual pastures at Trangie in central western New South Wales. 1. Sheep production

1973 ◽  
Vol 13 (62) ◽  
pp. 238
Author(s):  
RJ Campbell ◽  
DG Saville ◽  
GE Robards
Keyword(s):  
New South ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Grazing Pressure ◽  
Stocking Rate ◽  
Wool Production ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Sheep Production ◽  
Stocking Rates ◽  
Sheep Wool

Natural annual pasture at Trangie, New South Wales, was set stocked from August, 1967 to December 1970 at rates of 2.5, 3.7, and 4.9 merino wethers per ha to determine an optimum stocking rate for the pasture type. All stocking rates were supported without the necessity to hand feed any sheep. Wool production per head was reduced significantly by increased stocking rate in 1968, but not in 1969 and 1970. The suppression of barley grass at the higher stocking rates appeared to benefit animal production in 1969. Substitution of portion of the natural annual pasture with areas of lucerne or natural perennial pasture was also investigated and found to be ineffective in increasing wool production per head above that of wethers at similar rates of stocking on natural annual pasture alone. Possible reasons for the apparent failure of the grazing supplements, particularly lucerne, are discussed in terms of grazing pressure and management strategies.

Effectiveness of grazing and herbicide treatments for lucerne removal before cropping in southern New South Wales

2005 ◽  
Vol 45 (9) ◽  
pp. 1147 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. L. Davies ◽  
J. M. Virgona ◽  
M. H. McCallum ◽  
A. D. Swan ◽  
M. B. Peoples
Keyword(s):  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Farming Systems ◽  
Physiological Status ◽  
Research Station ◽  
Stocking Rate ◽  
Main Study ◽  
Experimental Station ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Continuous Grazing

The difficulty of reliably removing an established lucerne pasture before cropping has been identified as a major problem with phase-farming systems on mixed farms. A series of experiments were undertaken on established lucerne stands at the Ginninderra Experimental Station in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) and at the Temora Research Station in southern New South Wales (NSW) to compare the ability of grazing, either alone or in combination with herbicides, to remove a lucerne pasture. A pilot study at the Ginninderra Experimental Station in 1998–99 utilised a high stocking rate (30 dry sheep equivalents [dse]/ha), while the main study at the Ginninderra Experimental Station and the Temora Research Station in 1999–2000 used a lower stocking rate (10–12 dse/ha) considered to be closer to farmer practice in the region. Continuous grazing at the high stocking rate removed 73% of the lucerne stand over 3 months. In contrast, the stocking rates applied in the main study proved too low to substantially impact on lucerne survival at both the ACT and NSW sites (13–23% removal) under the good seasonal conditions experienced in 1999–2000 even though the pastures were continuously grazed for 8–9 months. The use of herbicides both alone or in conjunction with grazing greatly improved lucerne removal in both studies. However, herbicide efficacy was variable (53–100% removal), and seemed to be related to the time of year it was applied, the period of lucerne regrowth or the amount of rainfall before herbicide application. An additional on-farm study was undertaken near Junee Reefs in southern NSW between 2001 and 2003 that compared the survival of a range of lucerne cultivars under simulated hay-cutting (mown) and commercial grazing regimes. Dry conditions during 2002–03 resulted in a decline in lucerne frequency at about 50% in mown control plots. Grazing increased the stand decline, particularly for many winter-active cultivars where lucerne frequency was reduced by up to 70–93%. It was concluded that: (i) continuous grazing for prolonged periods can be effective at removing lucerne, but the rate of lucerne loss will be influenced by both stocking rate and rainfall; (ii) the application of herbicides can improve lucerne removal either in association with, or in the absence of grazing; however, herbicide efficacy appeared to be dependent upon the physiological status of the lucerne plants and/or the environmental conditions before application; and (iii) cultivar responses indicated that lucerne types could potentially be developed for phase-farming systems with increased susceptibility to grazing mismanagement.

Evaluation of natural annual pasture at Trangie in central western New South Wales. 3. Effect of stocking rate on annual-dominated and perennial-dominated natural pastures

1978 ◽  
Vol 18 (92) ◽  
pp. 361 ◽  
Author(s):  
GE Robards ◽  
DL Michalk ◽  
RJ Pither
Keyword(s):  
New South ◽  
Perennial Grass ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
Perennial Grasses ◽  
Stocking Rate ◽  
Wool Production ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Natural Pasture ◽  
Ewe Lamb ◽  
Stocking Rates

A four year experiment is reported during which breeding Merino ewes grazed two natural pasture types at three stocking rates at Trangie in central-western New South Wales. Initially, the pasture on a red brown soil was dominated by cool season annual species, particularly Hordeum leporinum, Erodium species and Medicago species. The pasture on a heavier grey soil was dominated by the perennial grasses Chloris acicularis, C. truncata and Stipa variabilis. Clean wool production of ewes grazing the annual-dominated pasture was significantly (P< 0.05) higher than that of ewes grazing the perennial grass-dominated pasture even though the wool of the ewes grazing perennial pasture had a higher percentage clean yield (P < 0.05). The ewes on the annual-dominated pasture were significantly heavier in autumn and winter, and had a faster rate of wool growth in each season except spring, than ewes grazing perennial pasture. Number of lambs born per ewe, lamb birth weight and lamb growth rate were not affected by pasture type or stocking rate. Stocking rate had a small but statistically significant effect on clean wool production and only small effects on ewe liveweight, regardless of pasture type. When hand feeding of the pregnant ewes became necessary in the poor winters of 1971 and 1972 all stocking rates had to be commenced simultaneously. The significance of perennial grasses in these natural pastures is discussed in relationship to animal production, stocking rate, pasture and soil stability, and regeneration of grasses following favourable seasons.

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