Lifetime ewe cull rates

[unlacedgecko]

Google Podcasts

podcasts.google.com

Listened to this Head Shepherd podcast recently. A study followed an NZ cohort of 13,000 ewe lambs from weaning through their productive life.

Key points

Only 10% survived to cull as 6yr old
50% were culled before this point
40% died on farm

Does anyone have similar figures for UK yet? I know this is what Challenge Sheep is looking into, but I haven't seen any results yet.

How does this vibe with posters own records?

What are the implications? Does this counteract the philosophy that a big expensive replacement has her cost offset by increased cull value?

 

[Anymulewilldo]

I’d be exceptionally pee'd at losing 40% of an age group before culling… someone would be getting their arse kicked…

 

[unlacedgecko]

I’d be exceptionally pee'd at losing 40% of an age group before culling… someone would be getting their arse kicked…

Yes that was my first thought also. I'm running toothless old culls, and my mortality isn't anywhere near 40%/age class.

 

[Anymulewilldo]

Yes that was my first thought also. I'm running toothless old culls, and my mortality isn't anywhere near 40%/age class.

I’d have thought after the initial month of transition once they arrive from the North your little Shetland’s should be pretty bomb proof? Hard little sheep

 

[unlacedgecko]

I’d have thought after the initial month of transition once they arrive from the North your little Shetland’s should be pretty bomb proof? Hard little sheep

Mortality this batch to date is 1%. That's 01 Oct to present. Had a couple with pneumonia in the autumn then the odd screw that's melted since.

Also had 1% mortality in tupping F1 ewe lambs. Stud easycares and F1 2 tooths are nil. But we've still lambing to come.

 

[tepapa]

Does the died on farm figure include ewes killed for dog tucker?

 

[unlacedgecko]

Does the died on farm figure include ewes killed for dog tucker?

I don't know. Logically I think they would come under culling or premature culling, depending on age.

My understanding is died on farm means lost/found dead in the paddock.

 

[Northumberland]

10 to 20% of a age group over it's lifetime would be more like it

 

[Northern territory]

Interesting one. Must be some breed specifics as well. Would say mastitis was our number one cull, texel blood.

 

[MRT]

Google Podcasts

podcasts.google.com

Listened to this Head Shepherd podcast recently. A study followed an NZ cohort of 13,000 ewe lambs from weaning through their productive life.

Key points

Only 10% survived to cull as 6yr old
50% were culled before this point
40% died on farm

Does anyone have similar figures for UK yet? I know this is what Challenge Sheep is looking into, but I haven't seen any results yet.

How does this vibe with posters own records?

What are the implications? Does this counteract the philosophy that a big expensive replacement has her cost offset by increased cull value?

That is bonkers. Keeping and spending on those ewes for 40% to die on farm. Can they not get thier act together and cull at 5? What the devil is killing them over those years and why are they not sorting it?

 

[unlacedgecko]

10 to 20% of a age group over it's lifetime would be more like it

What about premature culling?

 

[unlacedgecko]

That is bonkers. Keeping and spending on those ewes for 40% to die on farm. Can they not get thier act together and cull at 5?

Do you think that would significantly decrease on farm mortality?

 

[unlacedgecko]

Interestingly the same episode spoke about condition scoring, and how its use it not totally widespread in NZ. Even then, some farmers that do draft on condition score do so by visual guess as the ewes run up the race.

 

[MRT]

Do you think that would significantly decrease on farm mortality?

Probably the deaths increase as the years increase, if that 40% is evenly spread however you would have to record what they was killing them and sort it out, madness

 

[unlacedgecko]

Probably the deaths increase as the years increase, if that 40% is evenly spread however you would have to record what they was killing them and sort it out, madness

My understanding (from other studies, including Australia) was mortality didn't significantly increase till 6 1/2. Hence the age cull at 6. I could be wrong though, I often am.

 

[Top Tip.]

There is something very far wrong with these figures. That level of losses is simply unsustainable.

 

[unlacedgecko]

Ewe Wastage in New Zealand Commercial Flocks: Extent, Timing, Association with Hogget Reproductive Outcomes and BCS

Ewe wastage is the combination of on-farm mortality and premature culling. Internationally, there is limited research on actual wastage incidence and causes in commercial sheep flocks. To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study that reports both lifetime wastage and detailed annual...

www.mdpi.com

For anyone interested, here's the most up to date study data. I haven't had a chance to read the detail.

 

[Northumberland]

40% lifetime mortality be 7-8% per annum mortality?

 

[unlacedgecko]

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.beeflambnz.com/sites/default/files/news-docs/longevity-wastage-ewes-anne-ridler.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwiSscrm5rP2AhVTQkEAHTtnBcsQFnoECBQQAQ&usg=AOvVaw3IHPyYxZJe5uw6504Lbhqz

And here's some slides from a presentation of prelim results.

 

[unlacedgecko]

40% lifetime mortality be 7-8% per annum mortality?

Yes. The abstract quoted a range of 6-12% annually.