WANTING to add value to their lambs and integrate the grain they grow, the Smith family set up a feedlot on-farm at Jabuk last year and saw immediate benefits.
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![GRAIN GAINS: Mallee lamb producer Philip Smith halved a paddock on-farm to create a two-paddock intensive feeding system to fatten his lambs. GRAIN GAINS: Mallee lamb producer Philip Smith halved a paddock on-farm to create a two-paddock intensive feeding system to fatten his lambs.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/Fuxf4VmvfUmd225xeYC69T/29c07332-3080-43dc-9171-3a40cc6fed21.JPG/r0_181_3696_2267_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
“A year ago, we were selling all our lambs to a feedlot, averaging about $80,” self-confessed ‘sheep man’ Philip Smith said.
“But we had the land and the feed, so we got advice from various professionals and people who had already set up feedlots and decided to try it ourselves.”
Mr Smith said they put through about 180 lambs in the first year and averaged about $140.
“We received up to $189 with one line, which eventually averaged $158, plus a $27 skin – obscene prices.
“There was a skin price spike at the time and Merino fleece was paying well – we don’t expect the prices to be that high this year.
“Plus, with the low price of grain, more people will be feedlotting, meaning there will be more lambs about. But we plan to put through 500 anyway.”
With wife Helen and son Tim, Mr Smith runs 1200 Merino ewes on 710 hectares at Jabuk, while another 580ha is leased at nearby Geranium.
The ewes are split into two mobs, with the best run in a self-replacing Merino flock using local Malleetech rams, while the other half are mated to White Suffolk rams from studs Nitram Park, Minlaton, and Carcuma North, Peake.
The crossbred lambs drop in April/May and the Merinos in May/June, with a 95 per cent lambing across the whole flock.
Mr Smith said they put out Magforce and other supplements from Compass Feeds just prior and during lambing, mainly in the crossbred flock, to help relax the ewes.
“The magnesium has helped significantly – we have hardly had to pull any lambs,” he said.
The lambs drop on to quality pastures, mainly new season feed with some hay, but the property also features 140ha of lucerne if required.
Last spring, 50pc of the crossbred lambs were sold, while the other 50pc were put into the feedlot in January, along with all the wethers.
They were about eight months old and weighed 35 kilograms or more.
“This year though, we had to put them in earlier, about six months old, to beat the grass seeds,” Mr Smith said.
“We fed them hay to get them used to the feedlot before introducing grain.”
The feedlot mix contains lupins, lamb grower pellets and barley, while salt and lime is also distributed.
A 55-60kg liveweight lamb is the aim, dressing at 25kg.
Mr Smith said this year’s lambs looked better than last year’s because of the season.
“We will sell in late January and they’ll only be 8-9 months old, compared to 11mo last January,” he said.
The lambs are sold to processors Thomas Foods International or JBS, depending on the price or specifications.
“We have in place a forward contract for the end of January, which is what we are working towards,” he said. “But that is all. We will spot price after that.”
Shearing is normally August/September for ewes and lambs in November to avoid grass seeds, after which they go into the feedlot.
Merino ewes average 20.5 micron, while lambs and hoggets average mid-18M.
Mr Smith said the longer growing season would bring shearing forward to mid-March, just before lambing.
“Because we have had green feed for longer, I think they’ll cut more wool so we’ve had to,” he said.
“It will probably conflict with seeding, but we are all about the sheep.”