New on-farm technology for sheep producers

Page last updated: Monday, 29 July 2019 - 4:08pm

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Data management software and electronic identification saves labour and improves stud data recording

Peter and Rochell Walker farm 6500ha at Newdegate in the Lakes region of WA. They run a mixed farming operation with around 4000ha cropped each year, 3500 merino ewes in a commercial flock and two stud sheep flocks, Suffolk and white Suffolk, with 200 ewes in each. The stud flocks capture Australian sheep breeding values (ASBVs) to improve their performance.

By investing in electronic identification and using it to determine lineage (pedigree matchmaker), recording weights and muscle scanning data on the sheep (using a Gallagher EID wand and weigh head) and then using a program to put it all together (Sapien Koolcollect and Koolperform) they managed to dramatically reduce the cost to run the stud saving over 340 hours of time in the process. Overall the investment of $11,000 is on track to save $118,000 over ten years with every dollar invested returning $11 in savings. It is an investment worth making and has freed up time during one of the busiest times of the year.

For more information see the case study on the right side of the page.

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John Collins

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