| Author(s) |
Swan, Andrew
|
| Publication Date |
2009
|
| Abstract |
Breeding objectives for sheep derived from economic analysis of production systems show that litter size (LS) has a significant impact on profitability. Increasing LS can lead to increased income because more surplus animals are available for sale, but this comes at the expense of higher costs associated with increased feed requirements for ewes during pregnancy and lactation, and for finishing larger numbers of lambs. Poorer lamb survival in large litters also has an impact on costs. For these reasons the economic value for LS should be determined from a realistic bioeconomic model that accounts for the relationship between LS, feed cost and lamb survival, in addition to other economically important traits. This is particularly important when evaluating the importance of LS in harsh environments.
|
| Citation |
Use of the FecB (Booroola) gene in sheep-breeding programs: Proceedings of the Helen Newton Turner Memorial International Workshop (ACIAR Proceedings, 133), p. 170-176
|
| ISBN |
9781921615566
9781921615559
|
| Link | |
| Language |
en
|
| Publisher |
Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR)
|
| Title |
The economics of litter size in meat sheep
|
| Type of document |
Conference Publication
|
| Entity Type |
Publication
|
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