Ewe Management and Nutrition

Lifetime Wool Initiative
- Focuses on improving sheep management for better outcomes in lamb production and wool quality.
- Aims for more lambs, better wool, and healthier ewes.
- Sponsored by the Department of Agriculture and Food WA (DAFWA).

Purpose:
- Optimizing Merino ewe nutrition for increased farm profitability.
- Applicable to different rainfall zones:
- Cereal-sheep zone.
- Medium rainfall zone in Western Australia.

Condition at Lambing:
- Critical for:
- Progeny survival.
- Lifetime performance of lambs.
- Overall farm profitability.
Animal Condition Implications:
- Affects wool and meat production capabilities of both ewes and their offspring.
- Categories of condition:
- Skinny:
  - Difficulties in conception.
  - Low wool production and higher mortality in lambs.
- Medium:
  - Efficient feed use.
  - Good wool quality.
  - High survival rates for lambs.
- Fat:
  - Can lead to dystocia (difficult birth).
  - Increased mortality and complications.

Condition Scoring System:
- Ewes in condition score 2:
- Lean with reasonable eye muscle and rounded ribs and spine.
- Often referred to as 'store' condition.
- Ewes in condition score 3:
- Full eye muscle with no excess fat, but well-covered ribs and spine.
Variation in Sheep Weights:
- Weights can differ within the same condition score based on several factors:
- Pregnancy status.
- Recent food or water intake.
- Sheep frame size.
- Shearing versus not shearing.

Determining Weight Consistency:
- Factors impacting consistent weight at similar condition scores include:
- Pregnancy (number of fetuses and stage).
- Rumen Fill (diet type, duration since last feeding).
- Frame Size (large thin sheep versus small fat sheep may appear similar).
- Fleece Weight (individual fleece weight varies).

Average condition in flocks often seen around:
- Mean: 2.5
- Typically either side of the average would have significant proportions:
- 20% under and over average condition scores (2.0 and 3.0).
Condition Scores Sample Analysis:
- Recommended practice: Assess a minimum of 25 random ewes to estimate overall flock condition score.

Management of ewe condition affects:
- Reproductive rates.
- Foetal growth.
- Ewe milk production.
Notable Timeline:
- Starting at joining (day 0).
- Lambing around day 150.
- Weaning around day 240.
- Includes pre-joining management of ewes.

Key consideration for optimal lambing time:
- Align lambing timing to pasture availability in relation to ewe and lamb energy needs.
Example Ewe Energy Needs and Pasture Energy Available Graphs:
- Single versus twin pregnancy energy consumption:
- Energy needs escalated to account for ewe’s condition and lamb weight.

Target Condition Score (CS) for Joining:
- Generally, a score of 2.7+ for optimal outcomes in medium rainfall zones during May lambing.
Implications on Lamb Count per 100 Ewes:
- Increases in condition score correlate with increases in number of lambs born.

Relation of condition score to lamb outputs (lambs born per 100 ewes) evaluated through hypothetical scenarios.
Influence of ewe condition at joining on conception rates (Option analysis provided).

Lamb birth weight and wool quality are closely related to nutrition at various gestation stages:
- Development of lamb depends heavily on nutrition during early pregnancy and can have lasting impacts.
- Poor nutrition leads to adverse outcomes like heavy fiber diameter and reduced fleece weight for their lifetime.
Ewe Condition's Importance:
- Ewes in good condition provide better milk production, supporting larger lambs for improved survival rates.

Manage ewes consistently to maintain condition scores that optimize pasture intake and lamb outputs.
Ensure post-weaning lambs are well-fed for optimal growth before joining.