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In this discussion, Nigel and Mark Ferguson from neXtgen Agri talk about how stocking rate, ewe condition and breeding decisions are shaping the future of sheep production and the Merino industry.
Stocking Rate and Grass Utilisation
Mark explains that profitability in livestock and agriculture comes back to how many animals you can run inside the boundary fence, and whether those animals can maintain condition under pressure. Stocking rate is a major driver of profit, but it only works if you have Merino sheep that can thrive in those higher densities. The focus now is on breeding animals that naturally perform under these conditions, turning grass into growth without falling away in body condition.
Ewe Management and Condition Score
Ewe management has changed dramatically in the last two years. Five years ago we could not run ewes hard during early pregnancy or when they were dry. Now we can run them at higher stocking rates right up until two weeks before lambing.
Nigel explains that we used to split ewes at a 2.8 condition score for lambing, but now those same ewes can rebound from 2.8 to over 4 within a couple of weeks once feed becomes available. While we do not want them over 3.2, what is exciting is how quickly they can recover. That response time simply did not exist in the past. Ewes can now drop to 2.5 and bounce back to 3.5 almost instantly when feed arrives. This is a major change in how we think about animal condition and stocking rate in Merinos.
Seeing the Invisible
Mark adds that this kind of change is often invisible to the wider sheep industry. Until you see it happen in your own paddock, it is easy to think the sheep are not putting on condition because you are not feeding properly or because it has not rained enough. The reality is that some animals simply do not want to be in good condition. What we are seeing now in Merinos shows just how much progress has been made in breeding sheep that can hold condition and respond quickly.
Lamb Survival and Data Driven Change
Nigel explains that for us, ewe management and stocking rate link directly to lamb survival. We are now confident of achieving 86 percent survival across singles, twins and triplets on a rolling average. By the day we scan our ewes into singles, twins and triplets, we can predict the weaning percentage within a couple of percent. That confidence comes from nearly 30 years of wet and drying every ewe, and culling any ewe that does not raise a lamb through to marking.
This discipline has been about stacking one percenters year after year. It is the small improvements that build resilience into the flock. The only way to truly see change is to start measuring, because once you measure you can make data driven changes. For us, the last five years have delivered more learning about breeding Merinos than the previous forty.
Mark finishes by saying there is no reason the next five years will not be just as exciting. The sheep industry in Australia is constantly challenging itself, combining traits like fertility, stocking rate, feed efficiency and lamb survival to optimise animals for modern production systems.
