Profiting from individual animal economic measures
| Project start date: | 01 April 2014 |
| Project end date: | 17 October 2016 |
| Project status: | Completed |
| Livestock species: | Sheep, Lamb |
| Relevant regions: | Southern Australia |
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Summary
The Wellington Producer group aims to develop business resilience amongst the group member’s sheep meat and wool businesses, through sharing of knowledge, ideas, innovation and experiences. A big challenge identified by the group was the current level of profitability in farm businesses.
This Producer Demonstration Site (PDS) quantified the economic impact from collecting and using individual animal economic performance data for hogget replacement selection in two sheep flocks in Central West NSW, using electronic identification (eID) information.
This project has demonstrated that eID is a practical technology that Producers can use to collect and store a wide range of individual animal performance data under commercial conditions. This PDS directly led to at least 8 flocks, containing around 24,000 ewes, taking up eID as a management tool, with many other producers interested in the technology.
Objectives
The project had two objectives:
• demonstrating the technology works, was robust and integrates
• identifying the impact of profit from using individual animal economic data in Hogget selection.
Progress
This PDS was able to demonstrate how Pregnancy Scanning Data, OFDA Micron testing results, Body Condition Scoring and Body Weight, Fleece Bin Line Data and Wet/Dry information can be collected and stored in one database for each animal in the flock.
This data base of individual animal performance measures for the whole flock created a powerful performance database upon which management decisions were made
The increased reliability of the technology developed through the project helped both participants gain confidence in its use and applicability. The learning curve was steep in Year One; by Year Two one of the project participants was able to use the technology with ease and confidence. The second participant decided to engage a contractor to assist with data collection at Shearing time, and this may also be an option for less technologically confident producers.
