Using Pedigree Matchmaker for ewes and lambs cuts labour costs
Thomas, Bruce and Trudy Pengilly farm 4000 hectares at Cascades, 100km north west of Esperance. They run a mixed–enterprise farming operation with 60% of the farm cropped and the balance carrying a 1600 ewe poll merino flock including a 500 ewe stud.
Previously, they would determine maternal pedigree in their stud flock by drafting off the ewes and lambs, then place each lamb in with the ewes to see who they were mothering up with. Each mob of 100 stud ewes would take 11.5 hours of labour or around seven minutes per lamb. The total cost to do the mothering up for all the stud ewes and lambs was around $1860 in labour (41 hours).
To reduce the labour cost associated with mothering up, the Pengillys invested in a Pedigree Matchmaker. It cost $3345 to purchase. With the system expected to last 10 years, the Pedigree matchmaker had a net present value (net benefits minus costs) of $8300. For each dollar invested, it resulted in a saving of around $3.20 in labour over its life. The payback period was three years.
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