Lamb finishing the future?

Funding: Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA) Producer Demonstration Site

Project Duration: March 2017 – October 2019

Amount: $56,454

The Monaro is traditionally a wool growing and breeding region, though MFS member surveys indicate meat production enterprises have increased from 20% to 50% of farm enterprise over the last six years. Cold winter temperatures and limited area of high quality pastures, has meant many producers sell crossbred lambs as stores rather than reaching slaughter weights and fat scores. Recent modelling work quantified the relative profitability ($/ha) of retaining store cross bred lambs on three pasture systems (phalaris/subclover, lucerne, brassica) and in all cases retaining lambs appreciably increased farm profitability.

Second and final year results validated the original and first year modelling predictions. See the individual PDS reports for further information.