Exclusion Feeding for Lambs in Drought

Summary

This Producer Demonstration Site aims to demonstrate that early introduction and exclusion feeding of lambs during drought can result can result in enhanced weight gain, early weaning and profitable lamb production.

Objectives

By June 2022, FarmLink in cooperation with 5 local growers in the South western region of NSW will:

1. Demonstrate the productivity and efficiency benefits of introducing lambs to grain early through exclusion feeding prior to weaning.

2. Conduct a cost benefit analysis on 5 properties to determine the economic impact of the use of exclusion feeding (eg: compared to not).

3. Measure the increase in skills and knowledge in relation to exclusion feeding for both core and observer producers

4. Measure an increase in producers within the region adopting use of exclusion feeding by the end of the trial

5. Identify and capture any barriers to adoption of exclusion feeding systems

Progress

The exclusion feeding of lambs in drought PDS project being run by FarmLink in NSW has now been running for three years and data has been collected from the core producers involved in the project. The three years commencing in 2019 have shown varied results due to the vastly different seasons. However, there is still strong evidence that exclusion feeding of lambs increases weight gain. Producers have all stated there are other benefits beside this which has become the focus for them including better pasture management, ability to join maiden ewes earlier and general animal welfare. The project has featured at various field day events and been communicated through case studies and reports which have had positive feedback from observer producers.