Wednesday, 08 January 2020 14:27

Lower lambing percentage for sheep farmers

Written by Staff Reporters

font size decrease font size increase font size
Print
Email

On average, sheep and beef farmers achieved a lower lambing percentage in spring 2019 than in 2018, according to Beef + Lamb New Zealand.

B+LNZ’s Economic Service estimates the number of lambs tailed in spring 2019 decreased by 2.4% or 552,000 head on the previous spring to 22.7 million head. Most of the decline occurred in the South Island.

The lower number of lambs tailed in the South Island is expected to have reduced the number of lambs processed for export in the first quarter of the 2019-20 season, from October to December.

Lambs from ewe hoggets also fell, as fewer ewe hoggets were mated.

The number of adult sheep processed is expected to increase 9.2% from 3.4 million head in 2018-19 to 3.7 million head in 2019-20.

The lambing percentage was 127.1%, 1.5% points lower than in spring 2018.

This means 127 lambs were born per hundred ewes, compared with an average of 123 over the prior 10 years. For spring 2019, a 1% point change in the New Zealand ewe lambing percentage is equivalent to 170,000 lambs.

More like this

Beef + Lamb NZ's Lambing Kit Checklist for a Tough Season

With lambing underway in many regions, Beef + Lamb New Zealand is encouraging farmers to put together a wellequipped lambing kit to help minimise lamb losses, particularly in bad weather.

Managing Light Ewes at Scanning: Wormwise Advice

Scanning is a great time to start identifying and managing groups of ewes based on feeding priorities. Wormwise's Mary Bowron discusses some of the possible reasons ewes lose condition in early winter - and it's not necessarily internal parasites.

How to prevent pneumonia in lambs at weaning

With weaning soon to get underway, some simple management strategies can help prevent the economic losses associated with pneumonia and pleurisy.

Autumn sub clover control sets up pasture for spring

Recent widespread autumn rain will have triggered the germination of subterranean clover seeds, and the resulting seedlings should be allowed to reach the 3–4 trifoliate leaf stage before grazing, says Beef+Lamb NZ.

Hub farms, focus groups for red meat farmers

A hub farm in each of Beef + Lamb NZ’s seven regions and more focus groups are being rolled out for the red meat sector this year.

Featured

Editorial: Backing Dairy

OPINION: The stats speak for themselves.

DairyNZ Resilient Pastures Trial Expands Across North Island

Farms across the upper North Island are trialling different pasture mixes as part of a research programme that aims to build greater resilience into farming systems.

DairyNZ Sets Out Election Priorities for Dairy Farmers

Election years are always a concerning time for farmers, according to DairyNZ chair Tracy Brown.

Ballance Farm Environment Awards Launch on West Coast

The Ballance Farm Environment Awards are coming to the West Coast of the South Island.

DairyNZ's Tracy Brown Flags El Nino Risk for Dairy Farms

Most dairy regions around the country have had a pretty good season so far says Tracy Brown.

Mark Hooper Joins NZPork Board as Independent Director

Rural leader Mark Hooper has been appointed as an independent director to the NZPork board, bringing extensive farming, governance and advocacy experience to the role.