Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4 Western Australia, Series 4
Volume 5
Number 3 March, 1964 Article 11
1-1-1964
Weaning lambs under pastoral conditions Weaning lambs under pastoral conditions
H Suijdendorp L. Parsons
Follow this and additional works at: https://library.dpird.wa.gov.au/journal_agriculture4
Part of the Behavior and Ethology Commons, Nutritional Epidemiology Commons, and the Sheep and Goat Science Commons
Recommended Citation Recommended Citation
Suijdendorp, H and Parsons, L. (1964) "Weaning lambs under pastoral conditions," Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4: Vol. 5: No. 3, Article 11.
Available at: https://library.dpird.wa.gov.au/journal_agriculture4/vol5/iss3/11
This article is brought to you for free and open access by the Agriculture at Digital Library. It has been accepted for inclusion in Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4 by an authorized administrator of Digital Library. For more information, please contact [email protected].
Weaning Lambs under Pastoral Conditions
By H. SUIJDENDORP and L. PARSONS
IN the summer r a i n f a l l region of the pastoral areas lambs are too often born too late to ensure their survival. In good seasons w i t h a f a i r measure of winter rain more late lambs will survive, but losses are still serious. The only solution to this problem is to make sure lambs drop in M a y - J u n e . But the presence of late and often unmarked lambs at m a t i n g time is a d i s t u r b i n g influence, which makes it hard to advance the established m a t i n g pattern.
Coolawanyah Station found itself in this predicament with some 2,300 young lambs at foot in October, 1963. To save most of these lambs and ensure an early mating in December, it was decided to wean them at a very early age and handfeed them until the break of the season.
Weaning Procedure
Some 2,300 lambs were weaned in Novem- ber. Their ages varied from six to 10 weeks. The native pasture was dry and of low nutritive value.
Three small paddocks with two water points each were selected to wean into.
A set of portable yards was essential for the success of the operation. The yards were erected around the watering trough, preferably with plenty of shade in the yard. Lambs were weaned in mobs of about 400, and were transported by truck from the drafting yards to the weaning yards.
As the lambs were unloaded a dose of vitamin A containing drench was administered.
Feeding
On arrival in the yard the lambs were given a bale of hay which was consumed readily. Next day they were fed i lb. of
Young lambs being fed oats on strips of bagging
177
oats per head spread over the top of a strip of hay. In three days most lambs were eating straight oats. On the third day the lambs were let out quietly onto a line of oats, and brought in to feed ( i lb. oats a day) every morning for a week. After this the frequency of feeding was gradually broken down to 1 lb. twice a week. In about 10 days the lambs would come in on sighting the feed truck.
General Observations
Fences had to be patrolled regularly and stray lambs put back. This was not hard
as the animals were quiet. By the end of December a few storms produced fresh shoots on the perennial grasses and feed- ing was discontinued.
It is not suggested t h a t handfeeding of weaners be adopted as a normal practice instead of lambing at the most suitable time. However, it may be worthwhile to save out-of-season lambs this way, especi- ally when lambing figures are critically low. It was considered that half the lambs would have died before the onset of early storms. By weaning in the manner described only 10 lambs were lost.
D A I R Y NOTES
A New Publication for Dairy Farmers
D A I R Y NOTES, recently i n t r o d u c e d by t h e Dairy Division of t h e Department o f A g r i c u l t u r e , aims to b r i n g a regular f l o w o f concise and practical i n f o r m a t i o n to dairy f a r m e r s .
Besides m a t t e r s of practical interest, Dairy Notes w i l l also contain statistical data o n herd r e c o r d i n g , a r t i f i c i a l b r e e d i n g and dairy p r o d u c t i o n f r o m m o n t h to m o n t h . T h i s is a i m e d at k e e p i n g d a i r y f a r m e r s u p w i t h trends in t h e industry.
Results of new f i n d i n g s in pasture research and animal husbandry on research stations a n d e x p e r i m e n t s in t h e d a i r y i n g areas w i l l also be included in Dairy Notes as they become available.
Dairy N o t e s also aims t o b r i n g f a r m e r s useful i n f o r m a t i o n o n new f i n d i n g s and trends in overseas dairy f a r m i n g .
T h e f i r s t issue was published in January 1 9 6 4 and will be produced q u a r t e r l y in f u t u r e . Dairy N o t e s is issued f r e e to dairy farmers. Inquiries about the p u b l i c a t i o n should be addressed to t h e C h i e f , D a i r y i n g Division, D e p a r t m e n t of A g r i c u l t u r e , Jarrah Road, South P e r t h .
178
Unbeatable Value!
W\H\-&
I'm on the land!
1 depend on good roads, petrol, kerosine anil Atari fuels lo work my bind . . . I depend on an organisation which
•ml only helps lo supply Ihese needs but is vitally l*.und
"I1 with my inlerests.
I his organisation is the III' Croup, producing and mar- Ming premium petroleum products from its Kwinana Refinery, south of Fremanlle.
"I" supplies bitumen for our roads, fuels and lubricants for our cars, trucks and tractors, and L P . lias and kero- sine for our cooking and lighting.
T < l l m3 tk« So,l
When you re on the land, yon look to . .
(J?
1 i j r W r j (Kwi***.^ LinritW I F Anitraba Limit*!
Providing th« Power
I P (Fr«M**i«) Li"
NOW
GET EXACTLY WHAT YOU WANT AT THE RIGHT PRICE
BUY FACTORY
DIRECT
The low cost of Bouchers steel frame farm buildings will surprise you. Standard com- ponents keep costs down and allow you to extend your building at will. Write today to Bouchers for more information on Machinery, Hay and Shearing Sheds.
I N D U S T R I E S L T D . P H O N E 2 4 1 0 4 1
Scarborough Beach Rd., Osborne Park
P l a n a mantioo ttia "Journal of Aaricultura of W J L . ' whan wrfttno fo advartutara
^ * You need\ KIR BY AJUSON
4-STROKE
PETROL ENGINES
for your equipment
ft CHECK THESE MOST WANTED FEATURES
• automatic mechanical governor for con- stant performance under changing loads
• convenient recoil starting
• revolving screens
• washable air filters
• heavy-duty mufflers CHOOSE KIRBY LAUSON TO POWER THESE MACHINES —
PUMPS • H A Y BAILERS • G R A I N AUGERS • POSTHOLE BORERS • COMPRESSORS • PAINT SPRAYS • LIGHTING PLANTS • VIBRATORS • CONCRETE MIXERS • ROTARY HOES
• CULTIVATORS • CYLINDER-TYPE LAWN MOWERS
COMPLETE STOCKS OF AUSTRALIAN MADE SPARES ARE ON THE SHELF IN EVERY STATE.
Now you can be sure of dependable, easy starting — hot or cold, summer or winter . . . now you can be sure of full rated power . . . of engineered reliability and high running performance under arduous service conditions.
The Kirby Lauson 4-stroke engine is made in Australia for Australian conditions and backed by American Lauson farm engine knowhow.
Get the technical facts on the Kirby Lauson range of 4-stroke engines. The Technical Service Department will be happy to give you engineering data.
HK25 HK30 HK40 i HK50 HK60
TYPE
BORE AND STROKE PISTON
DISPLACEMENT
HORSEPOWER
2K." x 1%"
7.61 cu. in. (125 ex.)
1.65 at 2,400 RPM 2.00 at 2,800 RPM 2.40 at 3,200 RPM 2.50 at 3,603 RPM
4 cycle, L-head, horizontal crankshaft, air cooled single cylinder.
Direction of rotation—anti-clockwise as viewed from power take-off end.
2 V x 1%"
7.61 cu. in. (125 c.c.)
1.75 at 2,400 RPM 2 20 at 2,800 RPM 2 65 at 3,200 RPM 3 00 at 3,600 RPM
8.90 cu. in. (146 c.c.)
2.60 at 2.400 RPM 3.14 at 2,800 RPM 3.70 at 3,200 RPM 4 20 at 3,600 RPM
2 % " x 2V«"
12.17 cu. in.
(199.5 c.c.) 3.25 at 2,400 RPM 3.95 at 2,800 RPM 4.50 at 3,200 RPM 5.00 at 3,600 RPM
2 % " x 2»/j"
13.5 cu. in.
(221.2 c.c.) 3.60 at 2,400 RPM 4.55 at 2,800 RPM 5.35 at 3,200 RPM 6.00 at 3,600 RPM
STATE DTSTRIBUTORS SYDNEY: Bennett & Barken, Meagher & Chippen Sts.
MELBOURNE: Milledge Bros., 2 8 7 Elizabeth St.
ADELAIDE: H. B. Sales, 72 West Terrace.
BRISBANE: Auto. Components Services,
913 Ann St., Valley.
PERTH: D. E. Withers, Goodwood Pde., Rivervale.
Please mention the "Journal of Agriculture of W.A.," when writirn to advertise™
