Survey of Husbandry Practices

Transcription

1 2018 BREECH FLYSTRIKE RD&E TECHNICAL UPDATE Survey of Husbandry Practices Bob Sloane Kynetec 17 July 2018

2 Outline 1. Methodology and Sampling 2. Shearing 3. Crutching 4. Joining 5. Mulesing 6. Tail Docking and Castration 7. Sheep Sales 8. Communication This survey has produced a large amount of data. The results presented at the R&D Update are limited to issues raised in the Case Study of 40 Woolgrowers who have moved to A Non Mules Woolgrowing Enterprise (Agenda Item 14) and the Wool Declaration (Agenda Item 3). 2

3 Why conduct this research? Segmentation Earlier surveys did not separate merino and prime lamb practices and Mules and Non Mules practices New Products New pain relief products on the market so needed a baseline of product adoption Quantify Non Mules Exploratory Findings Highlight the key practices often mentioned in the interviews of 40 Non Mules businesses Validation Validation of anecdotal information, eg use of rings on tail when mulesing Full range of practices Monitor whole range of Merino on-farm practices over time Better Reconciliation Better reconcile practices, ie % rams bred on farm v rams purchased 3

4 1. Methodology and Sampling 4

5 Methodology Methodology: CATI surveys Duration: 25 minute non-incentivised interviews Some questions were removed after the pilot phase due to questionnaire length Sample : 1,200 merino producers 6 States 26 Regions 4 Flock size categories FARM s Rural Database of Sheep producers Fieldwork was conducted in February to April

6 Methodology Questionnaire The questionnaire consisted of 73 questions (excluding screening questions). Most questions were closed however there were a number of open ended questions and Other (Specify) options where relevant Demographic information was also collected to assist in analysis and interpretation of the results. Variables included: State MLA Region (as used for the AWI MLA Wool and Sheepmeat Survey) Flock Size Micron Body wrinkle Respondent age Gender Data points on the charts that are statistically significantly higher or lower than the national result at a 95% confidence level are shown with an up ( ) or down ( ) symbol Interviewing 1,200 producers interviewed by telephone Respondents had to be the primary decision maker regarding their 2017 sheep husbandry practices, have a sheep flock of either Merino Poll, Merino Horn or Merino Dohne Fieldwork was conducted in February to April 2018 Predominantly evening interviewing but daytime shifts were run for call backs Field work was conducted by FARM (Fairfax Agricultural Research and Marketing) using their database of over 100,000 rural producers Interview Length The questionnaire took 25 minutes to administer 6

7 2. Shearing 7

8 The vast majority of producers were shearing once a year however, SA had a greater occurrence of shearing twice a year Breeding Ewes Shearing Frequency Every 6 months Every 8 9 months Every 12 months 6% 9% 84% NSW 8% 8% 83% VIC 4% 12% 84% QLD 0% 4% 94% SA 10% 9% 79% WA 3% 9% 87% TAS 3% 0% 97% Q6: How often do you shear your merino breeding ewes? *Graph excludes other and don t know results Base: All respondents: n =

9 3. Crutching 9

10 Crutching once per year remains the standard. However, VIC and SA are more likely to double crutch Crutching frequency Not at all Once per year Twice per year Three or more times a year 6% 67% 23% 2% NSW 6% 77% 13% 1% VIC 3% 52% 37% 5% QLD 7% 85% 4% 4% SA 9% 50% 39% 0% WA 7% 76% 14% 0% TAS 0% 82% 18% 0% Q9: How often do you crutch your mixed aged ewes? *Graph excludes other and don t know results Base: All respondents: n =

11 Farmers not crutching their sheep are increasingly likely to have moved to shear twice per year Crutching frequency Not at all Once per year Twice per year Three or more times a year Every 6 months 56% 20% 14% 8% Shearing frequency Every 8 9 months 20% 48% 10% 6% Every 12 months 0% 73% 25% 1% Q9: How often do you crutch your mixed aged ewes? Q6: How often do you shear your merino breeding ewes? *Graph excludes other and don t know results Base: All respondents: n =

12 4. Joining 12

13 Polled versus Horned Merinos % Horned or Polled Polled Horned NSW VIC QLD SA WA TAS Q3: What percent of your merino sires are horned and what percent are polled? Base: All respondents: n =

14 The number of weeks ewes are joining fell predominately in the 5.1 to 8 weeks plus range with QLD producers more likely to join for significantly longer periods compared to other states # weeks ewes joined to rams > 8 Mean 4% 16% 33% 9% 17% 22% 7.9 weeks NSW 4% 18% 42% 8% 13% 16% 7.0 weeks VIC 2% 19% 30% 6% 18% 25% 8.1 weeks QLD 0% 3% 28% 8% 8% 53% 20.5 weeks SA 5% 7% 25% 11% 27% 25% 8.2 weeks WA 3% 19% 27% 12% 16% 23% 7.6 weeks TAS 1% 13% 25% 17% 28% 15% 7.4 weeks Q10: How many weeks do you join your merino ewes to your merino rams? Base: All respondents: n =

15 Producers not mulesing their ewes were more likely to join for shorter periods # weeks ewes joined to rams > 8 4% 16% 33% 9% 17% 22% Mules or not mules Mulesed 2% 14% 34% 10% 19% 20% Not Mulesed 6% 19% 30% 6% 13% 26% Q10: How many weeks do you join your merino ewes to your merino rams? Base: All respondents: n =

16 The large majority of rams were bought in rather than being bred % rams bought and bred Buy in Breed NSW VIC QLD SA WA TAS Q13: What proportion of your merino rams do you buy in / breed yourself? Validation: 2014 CRC report found 66% of wool producers buy rams and 34% breed their own Base: All respondents: n =

17 The preference for buying or breeding rams tended to be more equally shared in the larger producer category, particularly the 2,000 head flock size % rams bought and bred Buy Breed or less Flock size , ,001 2, , Q13: What proportion of your merino rams do you buy in / breed yourself? Base: All respondents: n =

18 6. Mulesing 18

19 The majority of producers were still choosing to mules their lambs, however the incidence in QLD and TAS is much lower % of producers choosing to mules their lambs in 2017 Wether Ewe NSW VIC QLD SA 33% 40% 63% 70% 54% 62% 72% 75% 74% 86% Note; There are a large number of woolgrowers who are not mulesing who do not declare their NM status on the NWD WA 73% 77% TAS 31% 48% Q28: Did you mules your merino ewe lambs in 2017? Q32: Did you mules your merino wether lambs in 2017? Validation: 2014 CRC report found 83% of merino lambs were mulesed 2013/14 AWI MLA Wool and Lamb Forecasting Survey found 73% of merino lambs were mulesed Estimates from the current study were that 77% of merino ewe lambs and 66% of merino wether lambs were mulesed Base: All respondents: n =

20 The smaller producers tended not to mules their lambs % of producers choosing to mules their lambs in 2017 Wether Ewe 63% 70% 250 or less 30% 33% Flock size ,000 69% 75% 69% 77% 1,001 2,000 76% 84% 2, % 76% Validation: 2014 CRC report found 83% of merino lambs were mulesed 2013/14 AWI MLA Wool and Lamb Forecasting Survey found 73% of merino lambs were mulesed Q28: Did you mules your merino ewe lambs in 2017? Estimates from the current study were that 77% of merino ewe lambs and 66% of merino wether lambs were mulesed Q32: Did you mules your merino wether lambs in 2017? Base: All respondents: n =

21 The majority of producers were choosing to mules their lambs at marking % of producers choosing to mules their lambs at marking Wether Ewes 96% 95% NSW 91% 89% VIC QLD 93% 97% 97% 97% SA WA TAS Q29: Did you mules your ewes at marking or post weaning? Q33: Did you mules your wethers at marking or post weaning? 99% 99% 100% 100% 100% 100% Base: Those respondents who mulesed ewes: n = 894 Base: Those respondents who mulesed wethers: n =

22 The vast majority of producers who mules were using pain relief for mulesing NSW VIC QLD SA WA TAS % of producers choosing to mules with pain relief Wether Ewes 73% 71% 84% 83% 88% 88% 86% 85% 83% 82% 83% 82% 90% 90% Note; There are a large number of woolgrowers who are using Pain Relief and not declaring this status on the NWD Q30: Did you use pain relief on your ewe lambs for mulesing in 2017? Q34: Did you use pain relief on your wether lambs for mulesing in 2017? Validation: 2014 CRC report found 61% of mulesed lambs were treated with pain relief 2013/14 AWI MLA Wool and Lamb Forecasting Survey found 77% of merino lambs mulesed received pain relief Estimates from the current study were that 85% of mulesed lambs were treated with pain relief Base: All respondents mulesing ewes: n = 894 Base: All respondents mulesing wethers: n =

23 Smaller producers were less likely to use pain relief for mulesing than larger producers % of producers choosing to mules with pain relief Ewes Wethers 250 or less 66% 74% Flock Size ,000 1,001 2,000 2, % 81% 85% 86% 87% 87% 85% 85% Q30: Did you use pain relief on your ewe lambs for mulesing in 2017? Q34: Did you use pain relief on your wether lambs for mulesing in 2017? Validation: 2014 CRC report found 61% of mulesed lambs were treated with pain relief 2013/14 AWI MLA Wool and Lamb Forecasting Survey found 77% of merino lambs mulesed received pain relief Estimates from the current study were that 85% of mulesed lambs were treated with pain relief Base: All respondents mulesing ewes: n = 894 Base: All respondents mulesing wethers: n =

24 7. Tail Docking and Castration 24

25 The Hot knife method was the main choice for producers mulesing their lambs where non-mulesed lambs had a higher use of rings Tail docking method ewes Hot knife Cold knife Shears Rings Mulesed or not mulesed Mulesed Not mulesed 38% 68% 81% 0% 3% 6% 1% 61% 27% 7% 1% 13% Q45: What method do you use to tail dock merino ewes? Q28: Did you mules your merino ewe lambs in 2017? *Graph excludes other and don t know results Base: All respondents: n =

26 The majority of producers docked ewes tail at either the second or third joint with slight differences seen in mulesed and non-mulesed lambs Ewe lambs tail docking length 1 joint 2 joints 3 joints 4 joints Tip of the vulva Mean Mulesed or not mulesed Mulesed Not Mulesed 5% 4% 8% 37% 39% 44% 48% 44% 50% 2% 2% 3% 3% 2% 1% Q47: At what length do you dock ewe lambs tails? Q28: Did you mules your merino ewe lambs in 2017? *Graph excludes other and don t know results Base: All respondents: n = 1197 Base: All respondents: n =

27 For castration, virtually all producers used the rings method on their wethers regardless of mulesing practice Castration method wethers Rings Cold knife Shears Not Mulesed 92% 6% 1% Mulesed 96% 3% 1% 95% 4% 1% Q53: What method do you use to castrate merino wethers? Q32: Did you mules your merino wether lambs in 2017? *Graph excludes other and don t know results Base: All respondents: n =

28 8. Sheep Sales 28

29 Wethers were generally sold at 1 year old. However, producers in TAS and QLD tended to hold onto wethers longer Age wethers sold 1.7 NSW 1.8 VIC 2.0 QLD 3.5 SA 1.2 WA 1.4 TAS 3.0 Q66: At what age do you typically sell your wethers? Base: All respondents: n =

30 There was very little difference in age of sale between mules and non mulesed wethers Age wethers sold 1.7 Mulesed Wethers 1.8 Non Mulesed Wethers 1.7 Q66: At what age do you typically sell your wethers? Base: All respondents selling wethers: n =

31 9. Communication 31

32 Approximately half of all producers surveyed were aware of the Flyboss website with half of these visiting the site Have you ever heard of Flyboss? Yes No Have you visited the website? Yes No 55% 45% 53% 47% NSW 58% 42% 54% 46% VIC 57% 43% 53% 47% QLD 46% 54% 39% 61% SA 56% 44% 59% 41% WA 49% 51% 50% 50% TAS 60% 40% Validation: The 2014 IPMS report found 49% of producers have heard of the Flyboss website, and of those, 28% have visited the site. In the 2014 CRC report, 34% of sheep producers were aware of the site Q68: Have you ever heard of the following websites? Flyboss Base: All respondents: n = 1200 Q69: Have you ever visited the Flyboss website? Base: All respondents who have heard of the site: n = % 56% 32

33 This publication is based on information presented at the Australian Wool Innovation Limited (AWI) Wool Research and Development Technical Update on Breech Flystrike Prevention held on 17th July Some information in this publication has been contributed by one or more third parties and licenced to AWI, and AWI has not verified whether this information is correct. This publication should only be used as a general aid and is not a substitute for specific advice. Any reliance on the information contained in this publication is done at your own risk and to the extent permitted by law, AWI and any third party contributors exclude all liability for loss or damage arising from the use of the information in this publication. Except to the extent permitted under Copyright Law no part of this publication may be reproduced by any process, electronic or otherwise without the specific written permission of AWI. Neither may information be stored electronically in any form whatsoever without such permission. AWI gratefully acknowledges the funds provided by the Australian government to support research, development and marketing of Australian wool. GD2792