Why do Breeding Soundness Examinations?
Increase
Profits by
$10-20
per Ewe
Incorporating ram breeding soundness examinations into your production
practices can increase profits by $10-20 per ewe.
During the late 1980's, a study in south central Wyoming was conducted using
a range flock of 2,800 ewes divided into two even groups of 1,400 head apiece.
Group 1 was exposed to rams that had undergone breeding soundness examinations
(BSE's) and been evaluated as having satisfactory or better semen. Group 2 was
exposed to non-tested rams that had been selected using traditional ranch
selection criteria. At weaning, the Group 1 ewes produced an average of 17 more
pounds of weaned lamb per ewe than the ewes in Group 2.
Assuming a low market price of $60/cwt. and a high market price of $120/cwt.,
that equates to a $10-20 increase in revenue per ewe. This increase in revenue
was realized with a cost of only $0.50 per ewe for the BSE's. (Assumptions: the
cost of the BSE's is $15 per ram and the exposure rate is 30 ewes per ram.)
How many lambs can one healthy ram with excellent semen produce in one year?
Figure 1. The sire of the rams in
the picture at left served 140 ewes in one breeding season. Ninety percent of
the lambs were born within an 18 day period.
Healthy rams with excellent semen can serve more ewes in a given year and
produce more lambs. In one case, a western U.S. range flock with 1,410 ewes and
BSE tested rams with satisfactory or better semen was able to run one ram per 85
ewes. Only 50 (3.55%) ewes turned up not pregnant. More impressively, 1,050
(74.47%) of the ewes had twins while only 310 (21.99%) had singles and a total
of 90% of the lambs were born in the first 18 days of lambing.
Using healthy rams with excellent semen saves you money.
| Ram Cost/Year |
| Purchase of One $500 Ram |
|
Depreciation (4 years) |
$125.00 |
| Death Loss
(10%) |
$50.00 |
| Feed &
Maintenance |
$50.00 |
|
Cost/Year |
$225.00 |
|
Table 1.
Annual ram costs of $225 are common. |
Healthy rams with excellent semen can service more ewes. Increasing the
number of ewes served per ram in your operation can have a significant impact on
lowering your costs per lamb produced. Assuming a 150% lamb crop and $225 annual
ram costs, using one ram per 30 ewes would translate into a ram cost of $5.00
per lamb produced (see table 2). Increasing the number of ewes per ram to 50
head would lower the ram cost to $3.00 per lamb produced. A ratio of 1 ram/85
ewes would lower it to $1.77 per lamb.
| One Ram Cost = $225.00 per year |
|
Assuming 150% lamb crop |
|
# of ewes/ram |
# of lambs/ram |
Ram cost/lamb |
|
30 |
45 |
$5.00 |
|
50 |
75 |
$3.00 |
|
85 |
127 |
$1.77 |
|
Table 2. Annual ram costs per lamb born can be reduced considerably by using
healthy BSE tested rams to increase the ratio of ewes/ram during the breeding
season.
|
Good information can help you make good decisions. BSE testing your rams
provides you with good information that can both save you money and increase
your revenues.
For more information on how to incorporate ram breeding soundness
examinations into your operation contact:
Optimal Livestock Services, LLC
970-231-2477
Prepared by Cleon V. Kimberling, Gerilyn A. Parsons, Jay Parsons, and
Wayne Cunningham
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