The science and scientists tell us it might reduce multiples by 5-10%, but was likely to reduce twins as well as triplets. The random nature of embryo survival means one or two eggs might survive or all three.
Flushing takes more feed than some farmers realise and they may not be flushing at all.
Deflushing in the sense of not flushing, but keeping ewes on a rising plane of nutrition, may be a good option. For farmers with prolific sheep, flushing can be a waste of feed. It would be a better investment targeting under-condition ewes with the feed. This was likely to give more twins.
Also underfeeding a ewe which has weaned twins introduces the danger of the ewe producing a single next lambing.
Feeding highly fertile sheep already in good nick is likely to increase the chances of triplets.
Dunedin-based AbacusBio did research on trying to change the relationship so there were fewer singles and triplets and more twins.
There was a small difference, but it would take about 100 years to get a significant result because it is so difficult to control the biological phenomenon.
Some lines of sheep have been known to have higher rates for twin lambs but no one knows why.
So farmers wanting more fecund sheep will have to put up with more triplets.
