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'Challenge Sheep' - tracking replacements
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<blockquote data-quote="Global ovine" data-source="post: 3508238" data-attributes="member: 493"><p>It is rather easy to say that subsidies are the main difference between the performances of the sheep industries of the UK and NZ. However the desire to focus on the main drivers of profit are definitely made clearer when the only income is directly received from production. </p><p></p><p>Note; NZ sheep productivity per ewe has doubled in 25 years, half of this is genetic. The effect of hybrid vigour in new composite breeds has been very minor, with the improvement in maternal breeds (mainly Romneys and their derivatives) driving most of this difference. The genetic gains in terminal breeds are less than half of the maternal breeds, however functionality (reducing costs associated with genetics, eg. survival, feet health, dagginess etc.) has been similar across both categories. With maternal traits having 7 times the value of terminal traits (because ewes produce for several years), the market pressure on maternal breed ram breeders to make an improvement has been much greater.</p><p>The other half of this outstanding performance in the NZ sheep industry (NZ dairy has increased milk solids by 32% over the same time) has been the improvement in pasture management, despite the sheep industry being largely replaced on land capable of dairy conversion, thus more centred now in hill country. Therefore more than half of NZ flocks are not shepherded at lambing, so Survival and labour saving traits are so important. Much of this country, although very steep and cannot be cultivated, is fertilised and subdivided so grazing management can be carried out to a very precise level. Very little % of NZ sheep SU has grazing limitations imposed, except for mountainous high country Crown Leaseholds for erosion or rabbit management purposes. </p><p></p><p>Whatever the Brexit outcome, uncertainty and profit volatility may mark a decade. Some of the questions will be;</p><ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">If hill country farmers cannot improve their grazing management because of environmental constraints, will they still be supported to carry on at income levels of today and will their land support a higher level of productivity?</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">If all farmers run into a profit squeeze because of poorer prices, where will they cut their costs?</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">If their current farming system cannot bear severe cost cutting, will they look to breeders for more productivity potential, to at least maintain income, and improved functionality to decrease costs?</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">What options are there to change systems that enable farmers to maintain profitability?</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">How quickly can the pedigree industry adapt to the changed market demand?</li> </ul><p>All flock improvement comes from firstly measuring what is going on now. Knowledge is power. Any program that empowers farmers to making better informed decisions about their business, has to be good. Unfortunately hard times force farmers to "focus on the ball" sooner rather than later.</p><p></p><p>Like NZ, large tracts of UK hill country are farmed using sheep, as sheep are the common default land use option. Maybe UK sheep farming is in for bigger changes than realised, as there may be no other option to survive than change for many.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Global ovine, post: 3508238, member: 493"] It is rather easy to say that subsidies are the main difference between the performances of the sheep industries of the UK and NZ. However the desire to focus on the main drivers of profit are definitely made clearer when the only income is directly received from production. Note; NZ sheep productivity per ewe has doubled in 25 years, half of this is genetic. The effect of hybrid vigour in new composite breeds has been very minor, with the improvement in maternal breeds (mainly Romneys and their derivatives) driving most of this difference. The genetic gains in terminal breeds are less than half of the maternal breeds, however functionality (reducing costs associated with genetics, eg. survival, feet health, dagginess etc.) has been similar across both categories. With maternal traits having 7 times the value of terminal traits (because ewes produce for several years), the market pressure on maternal breed ram breeders to make an improvement has been much greater. The other half of this outstanding performance in the NZ sheep industry (NZ dairy has increased milk solids by 32% over the same time) has been the improvement in pasture management, despite the sheep industry being largely replaced on land capable of dairy conversion, thus more centred now in hill country. Therefore more than half of NZ flocks are not shepherded at lambing, so Survival and labour saving traits are so important. Much of this country, although very steep and cannot be cultivated, is fertilised and subdivided so grazing management can be carried out to a very precise level. Very little % of NZ sheep SU has grazing limitations imposed, except for mountainous high country Crown Leaseholds for erosion or rabbit management purposes. Whatever the Brexit outcome, uncertainty and profit volatility may mark a decade. Some of the questions will be; [LIST] [*]If hill country farmers cannot improve their grazing management because of environmental constraints, will they still be supported to carry on at income levels of today and will their land support a higher level of productivity? [*]If all farmers run into a profit squeeze because of poorer prices, where will they cut their costs? [*]If their current farming system cannot bear severe cost cutting, will they look to breeders for more productivity potential, to at least maintain income, and improved functionality to decrease costs? [*]What options are there to change systems that enable farmers to maintain profitability? [*]How quickly can the pedigree industry adapt to the changed market demand? [/LIST] All flock improvement comes from firstly measuring what is going on now. Knowledge is power. Any program that empowers farmers to making better informed decisions about their business, has to be good. Unfortunately hard times force farmers to "focus on the ball" sooner rather than later. Like NZ, large tracts of UK hill country are farmed using sheep, as sheep are the common default land use option. Maybe UK sheep farming is in for bigger changes than realised, as there may be no other option to survive than change for many. [/QUOTE]
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