Preliminary development of a Weaner Management Planning Tool

Summary

The Australian sheep flock continues to experience a steady downward trend in overall sheep numbers, identified by many in the industry as a major threat to future viability.  
The adoption of industry best practice has the potential to greatly decrease sheep losses, while achieving target market weights to further maximize economic returns.  ASHEEP (Association for Sheep Husbandry, Excellence, Evaluation and Production (Inc)) is a production oriented group of regional producers and industry people. ASHEEP was formed in 2002 in direct response to a number of problems identified in the industry, at both state and national levels.   ASHEEP aims to produce a simple user-friendly tool, similar to the MLA supported Lambing Planner, which identifies best practice steps for lamb weaning for targeted lamb production.
The Weaner Planner is aimed at picking up from where the Lambing Planner concludes (84 days post birth).  To advance this project ASHEEP will conduct a scoping workshop to closely consider the actions required to effectively develop a practical and credible Weaner Planner. This workshop involved sequencing established and new information and took account of issues involving:
- Forward targeting specified body weight and score milestones progressing towards the desired final product.
- Nutritive requirements through the stages and how they may be achieved.
- Simple comparative information on nutritive values and a costing tool for optional feed sources.
- Practical issues for confined feeding and meeting market/contract specifications.
- Animal health and treatment prompts.