The structure of this fledgling industry is a simple breeder-to-finisher-to-market model. My observation is there’s no question that better terminal-sire genetics at the finishing level would make a huge difference. How that genetic influence gets into the breeding level is the challenge.
In Mexico I saw large numbers of NZ sheep that were exported last year. Any sign they were sent for slaughter was not evident. Their susceptibility to local parasitic diseases has been their biggest challenge though, but otherwise they looked very good animals. However, regardless of where any sheep comes from, four- and two-legged predators are a constant threat in Mexico.
The reason for my visit to Mexico was to be the NZ presence at an international livestock symposium. The sheep programme was packed with papers on all sorts of technologies and research projects covering internal parasites, drench resistance, grazing options for lambs and genetics, a list not unlike that found in this country at a similar forum.
My photos of NZ sheep farming scenes painted a picture far removed from the Mexican reality, yet the interest in how Kiwi farmers performed was intense. The tools and processes used to advance this country’s sheep industry are held in awe, and not just by Mexicans.
Is this a case of helping another country grow an industry at the expense of NZ exports? I’m not sure it’s that simple but examples from other industries should sound a warning. I suspect that creating a much bigger demand for sheep meat will underpin NZ’s continued access.
The information flow, however, is not only one way. For example, Mexican research into pneumonia in lambs was impressive and could be of use to this country’s producers. It is also far more than is being done in NZ for what appears to be the same disease.
Management factors, vaccines and genetic factors are being studied as well with some interesting findings beginning to appear. The development of effective vaccines is well under way and some genetic lines are being identified as resistant.
It was interesting that East Friesian sheep had suffered badly from pneumonia, more than any other breed, the same as discovered in this country in the 1990s. This disease in NZ lambs can present a big intrusion into lamb performance. While deaths from it are often regarded as the main problem, lowered weight gains are a much bigger cost.
Various studies have shown weight gain deficits of up to 40% without deaths being a feature and reports of pleurisy in slaughtered lambs was really the only clue this disease was present or having an effect.
Poor weight gains in summer often have pneumonia as the major cause, yet it’s not diagnosable at that stage. Only on the works report a couple or so months later does it become apparent it was not just feed or worms.
We know of factors that set pneumonia off like mouth breathing, and heat and dust, but the whole syndrome is much more complex than that.
The state of the lamb at weaning, the amount of colostrum that it got and the health of the ewe are all likely factors that set the disease up. Heat and dust are the triggers for what was set-up earlier. This set-up phase is poorly defined yet vital to what is experienced in summer.
This disease is a major factor limiting lamb growth and for some farms in some summers it is debilitating to lamb performance. Various attempts have been made to quantify the economic cost of pneumonia – these have shown effects in multi-millions of dollars.
Yet one large study in 2006 remains the only comprehensive research into the disease and any ongoing work to define better tools for managing it don’t seem to exist.
One wonders where research priorities are set, but then maybe the science resources to take on this challenge are no longer available.
