Developing Low Cost, Natural Care Systems of Sheep Production - S-02-99
Duration
Team and Leader Alistair Carson
Organisations Involved Alistair Carson, (ARINI), Lynne Dawson (ARINI)
Background and Summary
With the sheep industry under sustained financial pressure options to reduce cost in lowland sheep production systems need urgent investigation. Reducing the level of labour input is particularly important as this represents the largest single input associated with sheep production. Outdoor lambing may be an important component of lower labour input systems.
Read more: Developing Low Cost, Natural Care Systems of Sheep Production - S-02-99
Developing easy-care sheep systems - S-05-02
Duration
Team and Leader Alistair Carson
Organisations Involved Alistair Carson and Lynn Dawson, ARINI.
Background and Summary
Reducing the labour requirements of sheep production systems is a key issue for the Northern Ireland sheep industry. Survey data indicates that 4 to 8 hours per ewe are required for lowland sheep production systems involving intensive shepherding indoor lambing systems.
Developing improved worm control strategies for sheep in the hill and lowland sectors - S-04-01, S-06-02
Duration
Team and Leader Alistair Carson
Organisations Involved Alistair Carson (ARINI) and Maurice McCoy (VSD)
Background and Summary
Effective control of gastrointestinal parasites is crucial in maintaining good health and performance of lambs and thereby minimising labour requirements in sheep production systems. The indiscriminate use of wormers is likely to be inefficient from a labour and economic point of view and even more importantly this type of parasite control is under threat from the growing resistance of the infectious nematode parasites to available anthelmintics.
Developing Low Cost, Easy-Care Lambing Systems - S-03-01
Duration
Team and Leader Alistair Carson
Organisations Involved Alistair Carson, (ARINI), Lynne Dawson (ARINI), Scott Laidlaw (DANI)
Background and Summary
Over the last decade returns from sheep production have fallen by 25% in real terms and this trend is set to continue (MLC, 1997). To remain competitive lower cost systems of production will have to be developed. Reducing the level of labour input will be particularly important as this represents the largest single cost associated with sheep production.
Read more: Developing Low Cost, Easy-Care Lambing Systems - S-03-01