VICTORIAN woolgrower Andrew Kirk is tackling the traditional challenges of weaner management by embracing a new approach to lamb weaning.
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Every year for the past two years, Mr Kirk has yard-weaned more than 4000 Merino lambs at his property "Warrambeen" near Shelford, Victoria.
This process has been his bid to minimise drops in weight gain during and after weaning, reduce weaner mortalities and eliminate tender weaner wool.
Warrambeen is one of several properties participating in a trial to assess the impact of yard weaning on lambs’ post-weaning growth rates, instigated by the Shelford Best Wool Best Lamb group and supported by Meat and Livestock Australia through the Producer Demonstration Site (PDS) program.
The project aims to establish the cost/benefit of incorporating yard weaning into a commercial sheep enterprise and evaluates its potential contribution to long-term animal performance and business profitability.
Mr Kirk said his involvement in the yard weaning PDS program reinforced the importance of a stringently managed weaning program to weaner growth, ongoing animal performance, ewe management and pasture-use efficiency.
“In this district, Merino weaners have it tough enough with our hot dry summers and we are open to any management practices that help them to survive and grow,” he said.
