Best Practice Management Courses
AWI provides woolgrowers with new tools, information and skills to manage ewe nutrition and increase the number of lambs weaned across wool growing flocks.
AWI provides woolgrowers with new tools, information and skills to manage ewe and lamb health and increase the number of lambs weaned across wool growing flocks.
We support a number of initiatives and programs to help woolgrowers adopt best practise management and new innovations in research and development.
Lifetime Ewe Management (LTEM)
The Lifetime Ewe Management (LTEM) training program was developed by the AWI-funded Lifetime Wool project and Rural Industry Skills Training (RIST) and commenced in 2005/06. AWI and RIST jointly own LTEM and deliver this course to industry.
The content of LTEM is based largely on scientific outcomes from the Lifetime Wool project which quantified the impacts of nutrition throughout the reproductive cycle on ewe and progeny performance over their lifetime.
Over 4,000 sheep producers across Australia have completed LTEM, which means that over 12 million ewes, over 30% of the national ewe flock, are being managed by LTEM graduates.
On average, participants report an increase in stocking rate of 9.3%, increase in marking and weaning percentage by 7% and a 25% reduction in ewe mortality.
AWI actively supports woolgrower participation in LTEM by offering levy payers a $1,000 subsidy on the LTEM course fee.
ABOUT LIFETIME EWE MANAGEMENT
The LTEM course is delivered in small groups of five to seven sheep producers that meet six times per year with a professional trainer. During these hands-on sessions, the group visits each participating farm and learns skills in condition scoring, pasture assessment and best practice ewe and lamb management to increase reproduction efficiency and wool production, mainly through reducing ewe and lamb mortality.
Lifetime Ewe Management App
The popular LTEM course has a free app, putting millions of dollars of research and extension directly into the woolgrower’s palm. The development gives producers a mobile decision-making tool to optimise the performance of their flock by balancing energy requirements and the nutrition available.
The app is free to download and available to all woolgrowers. Whilst not a replacement for the on-farm course, the app is a digital extension of it.
Functions include:
- Digital feed budgeting: use the key skills of condition scoring and feed on offer (FOO) assessments covered in the course to complete a digital feed budget.
- Supplementary feeding comparison: Growers can input the amount, quality and cost of the supplementary feed they have on hand and use the app to compare the cost of each feed as fed to meet their sheep’s requirements.
The app include tutorials taking users through the functions of the app.
LTEM app users are able to input data about their mob including joining date, condition score, energy requirements, feed on offer and supplement intake.
Users are able to calculate the energy requirements of their mob on a weekly and monthly basis.
Users are able to calculate the amount, cost and value of supplementary feeding their mob.
Users are able to input condition score data in real time.
Condition scores of your mob are calculated, stored and reported on so users can compare their mob’s condition over time.
Created in-house at AWI with assistance from RIST and many woolgrowers and consultants, the LTEM app has been road tested in paddocks and sheep yards across the country.
The Lifetime Ewe Management Application is free and available to download at the App store and the Google Play store.
Further Information
To set up a LTEM group in your local area or to join a group, call RIST on 1800 883 343 or visit the RIST website.
Hear from Lifetime Ewe Management participants about their experience and the success they’ve gained from undertaking the course.
Making More From Sheep
The profitability of high performance lambing systems depends on targeting those management practices that are cost effective and will improve lamb survival. Most lamb loss occurs in the first three days after birth so reducing lamb losses must focus on factors that can improve survival of new-born lambs.
This module details the key focus areas of lambing and how to adopt best practise management. The module covers:
- Selecting lambing time
- Managing ewe density and mob size
- Early selection and pasture preparation in lambing paddocks
For more information, go to Making More From Sheep Module 10 Wean More Lambs.
AWI Practical Workshops
This practical workshop is aimed at lifting lifetime performance from Merino ewes by recognising and placing importance on the total lifetime productivity potential and value of Merino ewes (fleece, meat and surplus stock).
Participants will step through sessions relating to the whole reproductive cycle, and focus on understanding ewe lifetime performance and the concept of 'passengers vs. performers'; the importance of undertaking the three key performance practices of scanning, condition scoring an wet & drying at marking; turning potential into profit by lambing and weaning well; and strategies for success - mapping it all out in a management calendar.
Find out more in this factsheet.
This practical workshop is aimed at lifting the lifetime performance from Merino ewes through improved management of weaners. WWW assists participants in understanding the key issues affecting weaner survival and performance and guides them through developing targets for growth for this key cohort of sheep.
The workshops discuss factors that contribute to weaner mortality and illthrift and provides practical pathways for improving lifetime performance. Participants will gain an understanding of the impact of weaning weight on the survival of weaners to first joining; weaner nutrition - both energy and protein; the importance of weaner management on lifetime performance of breeding ewes; and strategies for success – mapping it all out in a management calendar.
Find out more in this factsheet.
This practical workshop is focussed on improving ram performance and working longevity in commercial sheep enterprises, increasing the skill of producers across the key components of ram performance and impacts on overall breeding enterprise performance.
Each participant is guided through a thorough pre-joining ram inspection by an accredited deliverer and given the opportunity to increase their practical skills to undertake this in their own operation. The workshop is designed to give attendees the confidence to incorporate these skills into their own routine management, thus improving the performance of their rams.
Find out more in this factsheet.
The Foundations of Sheep and Wool Production workshop has been created by Australian Wool Innovation to provide the adequate skills and knowledge to confidently and effectively manage or expand a sheep enterprise.
The workshop is suitable for all producers and all levels of experience. However, it's been developed to specifically meet the demands and skill of the next generation, younger producers and employees, and upskill those who are about to enter or re-enter the sheep and wool industry.
The course will outline what practices you should perform, when you should be doing them and how these tasks will affect the productivity of your enterprise. The workshop has both practical and theoretical components and will cover the following topics; nutrition, reproduction, breeding and selection, pasture and grazing, animal health and welfare, the sheep business; and preparing and selling the product.
Find out more in this factsheet.
LTEM case studies and articles from Beyond the bale
