Hostname: page-component-7c8c6479df-7qhmt Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-03-28T05:34:24.031Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Efficiency and demographics of a high-yield dairy ewe farm with two managing systems involving five or 10 lambings per year

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 January 2018

J.-L. Pesantez-Pacheco
Affiliation:
Department of Animal Reproduction, INIA, Avda Pta. de Hierro s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain School of Veterinary Medicine and Zootechnics, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, University of Cuenca, Avda. Doce de Octubre, 010220 Cuenca, Ecuador
L. Torres-Rovira
Affiliation:
Department of Animal Reproduction, INIA, Avda Pta. de Hierro s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain
F. Hernandez
Affiliation:
Granja Cerromonte SL, 05358 San Juan de la Encinilla, Ávila, Spain
M. V. Sanz-Fernandez
Affiliation:
Department of Animal Reproduction, INIA, Avda Pta. de Hierro s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain
N. P. Villalobos
Affiliation:
Facultad de Ciencias Biomédicas, Universidad Europea de Madrid, C/Tajo s/n, Villaviciosa de Odón, 28670 Madrid, Spain
A. Heras-Molina
Affiliation:
Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Complutense University of Madrid (UCM), Avda. Pta. de Hierro s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain
C. Garcia-Contreras
Affiliation:
Department of Animal Reproduction, INIA, Avda Pta. de Hierro s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain
M. Vazquez-Gomez
Affiliation:
Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Complutense University of Madrid (UCM), Avda. Pta. de Hierro s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain
P. Martinez-Ros
Affiliation:
Departamento Producción y Sanidad Animal, Salud Pública Veterinaria y Ciencia y Tecnología de los Alimentos (PASAPTA), Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad Cardenal Herrera-CEU, Tirant lo Blanc, 7. 46115 Alfara del Patriarca Valencia, Spain
J.-V. Gonzalez-Martin
Affiliation:
Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Complutense University of Madrid (UCM), Avda. Pta. de Hierro s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain TRIALVET SL, C/ Encina 22, Cabanillas de la Sierra, 28721 Madrid, Spain
A. Gonzalez-Bulnes
Affiliation:
Department of Animal Reproduction, INIA, Avda Pta. de Hierro s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain
S. Astiz*
Affiliation:
Department of Animal Reproduction, INIA, Avda Pta. de Hierro s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain
*
Get access

Abstract

This study assessed milk productivity, demographic characteristics and workload distribution on a single high-yield dairy ewe farm in Spain (Avila, Spain; continental climate, latitude of 40.90 N, altitude of 900 m) over a 7-year period considering a transition from a herd management system involving five lambings per year (5LY) to a system involving 10 lambings per year (10LY). The 5LY system was practiced on the farm from 2010 to 2012 and the 10LY system from 2014 to 2015, with 2009 and 2013 being considered transition years. During this period, 27 415 lactations were recorded from an average of 3746 Lacaune sheep/year. Several productivity parameters were higher in 2014 to 2015 than in 2010 to 2012: milk yield/lactation (370±156 v. 349±185 l), lactation length (218±75 v. 192±75 days) and dry period length (53.5±38.3 v. 69.1±34.8 days) (all P<0.0001). During 2014 to 2015, investment in new lambing facilities was possible, workload was distributed more uniformly throughout the year, workload per worker was smaller, rate of ewe culling was lower (35.39±0.53% v. 42.51±7.51%), ewe longevity was greater and higher-order lactations were more numerous (P<0.0001). On the other hand, during 2010 to 2012, daily production was higher (1.73±1.66 v. 1.70±0.62 l/day; P=0.038), the interlambing period was shorter (283±50 v. 302±44 days; P<0.0001) and lambings/ewe per year were greater (1.42±0.01 v. 1.30±0.01; P<0.05). These results suggest that a 10LY herd management system can be compatible with profitability, productivity and good animal and worker’s welfare on a high-yield dairy farm, and may even be associated with better outcomes than a 5LY system.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
© The Animal Consortium 2018 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Barillet, F, Boichard, D, Barbat, A, Astruc, JM and Bonaiti, B 1992. Use of an animal model for genetic evaluation of the Lacaune dairy sheep. Livestock Production Science 3–4, 287299.Google Scholar
Billikopf, G 2001. Managing people on the farm. Proceedings of the Library of Congress, Control Number 2001092378, University of California, Agricultural Issues Center. Retrieved on 3 January 2018, from https://nature.berkeley.edu/ucce50/ag-labor/7labor/01.htm.Google Scholar
Caja, G and de Rancourt, M 2002. Situation actuelle et perspectives de la production des ovins laitiers en Espagne. Options Méditerranéennes: Série B. Etudes et Recherches CIHEAM 39, 5766.Google Scholar
DeNicolo, G, Morris, ST, Kenyon, PR, Kemp, PD and Morel, PCH 2008a. Ewe reproduction and lambing performance in a five period mating system. New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research 51, 397407.Google Scholar
DeNicolo, G, Morris, ST, Kenyon, PR, Kemp, PD and Morel, PCH 2008b. A comparison of two lamb production systems in New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research 51, 365375.Google Scholar
Duncan, JGS and Black, WJM 1978. A twice-yearly lambing system, using Finnish Landrace×Dorset Horn ewes. Animal Production 26, 301308.Google Scholar
Dwyer, CM, Conington, J, Corbiere, F, Holmoy, IH, Muri, K, Nowak, R, Rooke, J, Vipond, J and Gautier, JM 2016. Invited review: improving neonatal survival in small ruminants: science into practice. Animal 10, 449459.Google Scholar
El-Saied, UM, de la Fuente, LF and Primitivo, FS 2006. Phenotypic study on total and partial lifetime traits for dairy ewes. Journal of Dairy Research 73, 101108.Google Scholar
Elvira, L, Hernandez, F, Cuesta, P, Cano, S, Gonzalez-Martin, JV and Astiz, S 2013a. Accurate mathematical models to describe the lactation curve of Lacaune dairy sheep under intensive management. Animal 7, 10441052.Google Scholar
Elvira, L, Hernandez, F, Cuesta, P, Cano, S, Gonzalez-Martin, JV and Astiz, S 2013b. Factors affecting the lactation curves of intensively managed sheep based on a clustering approach. Journal of Dairy Research 80, 439447.Google Scholar
FAOSTAT 2014. Food and Agriculture data 2014 – livestock in food security Rome, Italy Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO-Statistics FAOSTAT).Google Scholar
Finocchiaro, R, van Kaam, JB, Portolano, B and Misztal, I 2005. Effect of heat stress on production of Mediterranean dairy sheep. Journal of Dairy Science 88, 18551864.Google Scholar
Fogarty, NM and Mulholland, JG 2013. Annual lambing performance of crossbred ewes in out-of-season and accelerated lamb production systems. Animal Production Science 53, 10931100.Google Scholar
Gabiña, D, Arrese, F, Arranz, J and Beltran De Heredia, I 1993. Average milk yields and environmental effects on Latxa sheep. Journal of Dairy Science 76, 11911198.Google Scholar
Gootwine, E and Pollott, GE 2000. Factors affecting milk production in improved Awassi dairy ewes. Animal Science 71, 607615.Google Scholar
Hernandez, F, Elvira, L, Gonzalez-Martin, JV and Astiz, S 2012. Influence of dry period length on reproductive performance and productivity of Lacaune dairy sheep under an intensive management system. Journal of Dairy Research 79, 352360.Google Scholar
Hernandez, F, Elvira, L, Gonzalez-Martin, JV, Gonzalez-Bulnes, A and Astiz, S 2011. Influence of age at first lambing on reproductive and productive performance of Lacaune dairy sheep under an intensive management system. Journal of Dairy Research 78, 160167.Google Scholar
Holmoy, IH, Waage, S, Granquist, EG, L’Abee-Lund, TM, Ersdal, C, Hektoen, L and Sorby, R 2017. Early neonatal lamb mortality: postmortem findings. Animal 11, 295305.Google Scholar
Iniguez, LC, Quaas, RL and Van Vleck, LD 1986. Lambing performance of Morlam and Dorset ewes under accelerated lambing systems. Journal of Animal Science 63, 17691778.Google Scholar
Lewis, RM, Notter, DR, Hogue, DE and Magee, BH 1996. Ewe Fertility in the STAR Accelerated Lambing System. Journal of Animal Science 74, 15111522.Google Scholar
MAPAMA 2016. Agricultural, livestock and fisheries Ministry of Spain. Retrieved on 6 December 2017 from http://www.mapama.gob.es/es/ganaderia/temas/zootecnia/ razas-ganaderas/razas/catalogo/union-europea/ovino/lacaune/iframe-ejemplo-arca.aspx.Google Scholar
Marai, IFM, El-Darawany, AA, Abou-Fandoud, EI and Abdel-Hafez, MAM 2009. Egyptian Suffolk ewe traits bred in 3 lambings/2 years system as affected by treatment with selenium in winter, progesterone+BMSG in summer and vitamin A in autumn, under the sub-tropical environment of Egypt. Journal of Cell and Animal Biology 3, 152158.Google Scholar
Menegatos, J, Goulas, C and Kalogiannis, D 2006. The productivity, ovarian and thyroid activity of ewes in an accelerated lambing system in Greece. Small Ruminant Research 65, 209216.Google Scholar
Notter, DR and Copenhaver, JS 1980. Performance of Finnish Landrace crossbred ewes under accelerated lambing. I. Fertility, prolificacy and ewe productivity. Journal of Animal Science 51, 10331042.Google Scholar
Palacín, I, Abecia, JA, Forcada, F, Casao, A, Cebrián, JA, Muiño, T, Palacios, C and Pontes, JM 2008. Effects of exogenous melatonin treatment on out-of-season ram fertility. Italian Journal of Animal Science 7, 199206.Google Scholar
Pollott, GE and Gootwine, E 2004. Reproductive performance and milk production of Assaf sheep in an intensive management system. Journal of Dairy Science 87, 36903703.Google Scholar
Ramírez-Andrade, BR, Salama, AA, Caja, G, Castillo, V, Albanell, E and Such, X 2008. Response to lactation induction differs by season of year and breed of dairy ewes. Journal of Dairy Science 91, 22992306.Google Scholar
Regli, JG 1999. Farm adapted breeds: a panel presentation of flock performance records for Lacaune dairy sheep. Proceedings of the 5th Great Lakes Dairy Sheep Symposium, 4 to 6 November, Brattleboro, VT, USA, pp. 51–54.Google Scholar
Requejo, JA, Martín, S, López, R, Hernández, F and Ruíz Mantecón, A 2011. [Working force management and its influence on the different reproductive systems]. La gestión de la mano de obra y la influencia de los diferentes manejos reproductivos. Tierras 185, 2227.Google Scholar
Ripoll-Bosch, R, Joy, M and Bernues, A 2014. Role of self-sufficiency, productivity and diversification on the economic sustainability of farming systems with autochthonous sheep breeds in less favoured areas in Southern Europe. Animal 8, 12291237.Google Scholar
Robinson, TJ 1980. Programmed year-round sheep breeding. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture and Animal Husbandry 20, 667673.Google Scholar
Selvaggi, MA, D‘Alessandro, G and Dario, C 2017. Environmental and genetic factors affecting milk yield and quality in three Italian sheep breeds. Journal of Dairy Research 84, 2731.Google Scholar
Thomas, DL, Berger, YM, McKusick, BC and Mikolayunas, CM 2014. Dairy sheep production research at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA – a review. Journal of Animal Science and Biotechnology 5, 112.Google Scholar
Ugarte, E., Ruiz, R and Gabiña, DI 2001. Impact of high-yielding foreign breeds on the Spanish dairy sheep industry. Livestock Production Science 7, 310.Google Scholar
Walton, P and Robertson, HA 1974. Reproductive performance of Finnish Landrace ewes mated twice yearly. Canadian Journal of Animal Science 54, 35.Google Scholar
Zarkawi, M 2011. Response of fat-tailed Syrian Awassi ewes to accelerated lambing systems. Tropical Animal Health and Production 43, 13111318.Google Scholar