News
National Flock Productivity Estimates (MLC)
|
1982/3 |
2002/3 |
Change |
||
|
New Zealand |
Breeding ewes (millions) |
52.5 |
29.2 |
- 44% |
|
Lambs (millions) |
50.0 |
33.4 |
-33% |
|
|
Lamb carcase weight (kg) |
13.3 |
16.9 |
+27% |
|
|
Lambs/mated ewe |
0.95 |
1.15 |
+21% |
|
|
Lamb carcase weight/ewe mated (kg) |
12.6 |
19.4 |
+54% |
|
|
United Kingdom |
Breeding ewes (millions) |
16.3 |
16.3 |
0 |
|
Lambs (millions) |
17.1 |
17.2 |
+1% |
|
|
Lamb carcase weight (kg) |
18.2 |
18.9 |
+4% |
|
|
Lambs/mated ewe |
1.05 |
1.06 |
+1% |
|
|
Lamb carcase weight/ewe mated (kg) |
19.1 |
19.9 |
+4% |
Flocks in the EBLEX costing sample are recording substantially higher levels of productivity – 1.46 lambs/ewe and 27.6 kg lamb/ewe for lowland enterprises, and 1.32 lambs/ewe and 25.0 kg lamb/ewe for those in Less Favoured Areas. As well as highlighting the room for national improvement, these figures and the progress made by New Zealand producers underline the scale of productivity gains possible in practice given sufficient determination.
EBLEX identifies four areas for particular improvement attention:
- Breeding ewes from recorded rams with a superior Maternal EBV Index;
- Breeding lambs from recorded rams with a superior Terminal Sire EBV Index;
- Managing ewes and rams for the best lambing percentages and early lamb growth;
- Marketing lambs that are the right weight, well-conformed and not over-fat.
Further information is available through the Defra-funded Better
Returns Programme delivered by EBLEX at
www.eblexbetterreturns.org.uk or on 0870 241 8829.
