It’s ewe time! Forums set for South Australia

Sheep producers across South Australia can access timely tips and tools to tailor flock management to seasonal conditions when the It’s ewe time! forums are held throughout South Australia in March.

The half-day forums are designed to deliver practical information designed to increase producer awareness and provide take home tips on the principles, practices and tools of sheep enterprise profitability and productivity.

A joint initiative of Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) and Australian Wool Innovation (AWI), the forums are part of the flagship Making More From Sheep program and provide producers with direct access to industry experts.

The forums will be held on Tuesday, 26 March, at Sir Hubert Wilkins Memorial Centre, Jamestown; Wednesday, 27 March, at Karoonda Football Club, Karoonda; and Thursday, 28 March, at Naracoorte Town Hall, Naracoorte.

Topics and guest speakers include:

• Sheepmeat and wool outlook – Nigel Gosse, AWI
• Maximising ewe performance – Helen McGregor, Redefining Agriculture
• Winning with weaners – Daniel Schuppan, Landmark Jamestown
• Sheep health is your wealth – Dr Colin Trengove, The University of Adelaide
• The effect of mulesing status and staple length on price (Jamestown & Karoonda) – Geoff Lindon, AWI
• Objective carcase measurement and feedback (Naracoorte) – Richard Apps, MLA
• Dry times decision making (Jamestown & Karoonda) – Hilary Beech, Holmes Sackett
• Capitalising on positive price cycles (Naracoorte) – Simon Vogt, Rural Directions

The University of Adelaide’s Dr Colin Trengove said managing animal health issues should represent less than 2% of operating costs for producers, but can exceed 10% if not managed correctly.

“It’s important for producers to have preventative strategies and trigger points in place when managing animal health issues,” Dr Trengove said.

“Every season throws up different scenarios and given the variable seasonal conditions across South Australia, producers can’t assume a management strategy that worked last year will have the same effect this year.

“With ongoing dry conditions continuing across many parts of the State, metabolic disorders due to nutritional stress, such as pregnancy toxaemia, also known as twin-lamb disease, is particularly pertinent.

“As ewes approach lambing, if they don’t receive adequate energy, it can result in lamb loss as well as ewe loss. We encourage more twinning and so the risk of pregnancy toxaemia is increased.

“Pregnancy toxaemia as well as other metabolic disorders such as hypocalcaemia and hypomagnesaemia will be addressed at the forums as well as best practice management strategies for tackling parasites and reproductive diseases.”

The cost to attend the forums is $35 per person, which includes a forum booklet, morning tea and lunch. The forums run from 8.30am to 12.50pm, followed by an informal lunch with speakers.

To register and for more information visit www.makingmorefromsheep.com.au/events

or call 1800 070 099.