FINNISH LANDRACE EWES

The current economic climate has forced almost all Sheep and beef farmers to consider changes to their farm policy to increase farm profitability. Increasing the proportion of cattle on the farm has been the most recommended option to get the significant increases in profitability required to sustain the farm operation. For many farmers the capital requirement is the major barrier to this management change. With current returns in the sheep industry management changes to increase wool production from 5.Okg to 5.5kg per ewe or from 110% to 120% lambing, while important, are having a small effect on the overall farm profit. Policy options (that have a significant effect on farm profit) with a lower capital requirement than cattle. need to be explored. A sheep policy involving a Finnish Landrace ewe can fulfil these requirements.

Characteristics of the Purebred Finnish Landrace Breed

1. Prolific Breeder
Barren ewes uncommon, three to four lambs born per ewe.
2. Early Sexual Maturity
Possible to lamb as hoggets as with other sheep in New Zealand.
3. Longevity
Under European conditions the Finnish Landrace ewe gives viable offspring up to eight to ten years of age. NO information on productive life under NZ conditions.
4. Selection on Meat Production
Selected for high carcass weights while maintaining acceptable GR measurements.
5. Wool Production
- Purebred ewes in New Zealand produce about 2.7kg of wool annually.
6. Facial Eczema
- Blood testing has shown no responses due to high fungal spore counts on pasture. Results in November and May showed no Finnish Landrace response to the Ramsguard facial eczema testing programme. ie. Facial Eczema tolerant.
7. Mature Size
- Mature ewes commonly reach 60kg to 70kg liveweight. This means a greater maintenance feed requirement.

Suitable Policy.

1. Halfbred Finnish Landrace Ewes
Lambing percentages expected to increase by 50% to 60%. Wool production would be 15% to 20% lower than the base flock.
2. Quarterbred Finnish Landrace Ewes
Lambing percentage expected to be increased by 25% to 30%. Wool production would be 10% to 12% lower than the base flock. Wool productions of Finnish Landrace cross ewes will be up to 20% lower than for traditional crossbred ewes. Implementing a pre-lamb annual shear policy will reduce shearing costs and improve the length of the fleece. The lighter fleece will allow colour (Y-Z) quality to be maintained. By cutting the wool fibres at the weakest point a stronger fibre is produced. Shorn ewes seek shelter more readily, which enhances lamb survival.

Management Aspects

A. Stocking Rate
The stocking rate for a Finnish Landrace crossbred ewe system will need to be lower than for a traditional breed based sheep policy. This compensates for the increased maintenance requirement of the heavier ewe over winter, and the increased lamb drop resulting in extra feed demand over the spring. By maintaining a smaller breeding flock there is a reduction in costs - yet there are more lambs available to generate increased revenue. For example, instead of obtaining 1,210 lambs from 1,100 ewes, as with a traditional policy, the Finnish Landrace x ewe system leads to obtaining 1,700 lambs from 1,000 ewes. As well as the economic reasons, having a lower number of breeding ewes in the winter that produce a larger number of lambs in the spring, compared to the traditional breeding ewe policy, gives an improved match of feed demand to feed supply.

B. Lambing Date
Lambing date to be sufficiently early to allow lamb selling o commence in the early premium market. The three way cross lamb can be expected to grow 15% to 20% faster than a traditionally bred lamb. With Romney lambs growing at 275 g/d a 20% increase in growth rate equates to 330 g/d. Assuming a birthweight of 4kg a one hundred day period will produce a lamb of 37kg liveweight or 14.8kg carcass weight at 40% dressing out. The above assumptions have been used for this analysis. However, for profitable lamb fattening operations we feel farmers should be aiming to achieve carcass weights above 18kg before Christmas.

C. Ewe Feed Requirements
Over the winter rotation an assessment of the feed intake achieved by the ewes will need to be made to ensure adequate feeding. Over June and July intakes will need to be 1.5 to 1.8 kg DM/d/ewe. As lambing date approaches the ewe intakes should be increased up to 2.0 to 2.5 kg DM/d/ewe. Post grazing residues need to be higher to achieve the higher intakes (900 to 1000kg DM/ha for traditional systems) Post partum feeding to be adlib. For sheep this requires that pasture covers donÌt go below 1000 kg DM/ha (3crn). Sufficient pasture cover at the start of lambing will be required to permit this until pasture growth rates catch up with demand. The actual pasture cover required at the start of lambing depends on stocking rate, lambing date, and pasture growth pattern. The importance of achieving 1 May pasture cover targets to achieve lambing /calving pasture cover targets has been discussed in Ringers Stand Number 53.

D. Multiple Births
The usual difference in weaning liveweight seen between twin and single lambs is a reflection of the relative underfeeding of the twin bearing ewes over late pregnancy / early lactation and the lower mothering ability of traditional dam breeds to cope with rearing multiples. The Finnish Landrace breed has evolved with a high ability to rear Multiple lambs. This ability is seen in first-cross dams as well. To take advantage of and to grow the increased number of lambs well makes the provision of adequate feed over lambing of vital importance.

Profitability

Our analysis shows the Gross Margin of the Halfbred system to be 5480/ha compared to $266/ha for a traditional based system - an 80% increase! (Table 1). The quarterbred system shows a 55% increase in profitability. The increase in profitability is due to:

1. Larger number of lambs.
2. These lambs achieving higher carcass weights due to higher growth rates.
3. Higher premium for the heavier lambs.
4. Improved grading at heavier carcass weights.
5. Reduced costs due to maintaining a smaller breeding flock.
6. The reduced wool income is partially offset by the lower frequency of shearing required by the Finnish Landrace cross ewes due to their lower wool production.

In areas prone to facial eczema the increase in performance and associated profitability will be significantly greater due to the facial eczema tolerance of Finnish Landrace sheep.

Purchase of Replacements

The analysis assumes the same purchase price to replacement two-tooths - $30/head. Due to the potential increases in profits from the Finnish Landrace x ewes these replacements will attract premiums. A $1 0 premium above the 530/head reduces the Gross Margin by 52,500 and 52,620 (or $25/ha and $26/ha) for the halfbred and quarterbred systems respectively. An $80 premium per head for the halfbred ewe reduces the profitability of this system in the first year to that of the traditional breed policy. The breakeven point for the quarterbred system is a $55 premium. At this stage the number of Finnish Landrace x ewes available to buy is negligible. An alternative to purchasing Finnish Landrace x replacements is to have a traditional breed flock that is mated to the Finnish Landrace Ram to generate halfbred replacements. A four hundred to five hundred ewe flock would be required to provide replacements for a one thousand-ewe Finnish Landrace crossbred flock. This will reduce the area available for the more profitable Finnish, Landrace cross flock but will guarantee replacements especially in the years when Finnish Landrace type ewes are- in short supply. In the short-term halfbred ram lambs/hoggets will be able to be sold to farmers wishing to generate quarterbred flocks.

Conclusion

A sheep system involving Finnish Landrace cross ewes provides a method to substantially increase profits from the sheep flock. The era profitability (up to 80%) is gained from producing a greater number of heavier and better grading lambs for sale from a smaller breeding flock. A system involving a halfbred Finnish Landrace ewe mated to a terminal sire with the lambs sold prime pre Christmas, to attract early premiums, offers the greatest opportunity to increase profits.