Weaning weight, wool cut a bonus
For more see: An old plan pays in the long term at Tullamore
DESPITE a heavy focus on twinning, Tullamore breeder Don Edwards’ flock has shown a definite improvement in performance.
Mr Edwards has also seen an improvement in weaning weight and wool cut of the twin-born lambs.
In 1969, twin born lambs were 27.6pc lighter than single-born lambs at marking and 15.3pc lighter than singles at weaning.
A random sample in 2011, however, showed the dynamic had changed, and twin-born weaners were heavier than their single-born flock mates.
Also in 1969, twin lambs cut 24pc less wool than singles at six months old, and by 18 months, the difference was just 5.6pc.
At his 2012 March shearing, both twin-born and single-born weaners cut 2.4 kilograms of wool.
