Intensive Lambing System Produces Better Weaning Percentages

Theron Swanepoel of AM Swanepoel Boerdery near Smithfield in the Free State began converting his extensive lambing operation into an intensive system more than a decade ago. At the recent Free State National Wool Growers’ Association Congress, Swanepoel explained why the system works so efficiently.

- Sabrina Dean

It is a tall order to manage 600 in-lamb ewes carrying twins and not suffer any losses. This was the main reason that Theron Swanepoel, his brother, Thian, and father, Adam, owners of Mooihoek Merinos near Smithfield in the Free State, began exploring an intensive lambing system more than a decade ago.

The system is not designed to accelerate lambing so that the ewes lamb more than once a year, neither does it involve intensive production, where the ewes are fed constantly. Rather, it is designed to maximise income or weaning rate per hectare.

“I don’t think lambing pens will work for everyone,” says Swanepoel. “It must fit into your farming and management system and, most importantly, make a difference in your farming operation.”

INTRODUCTION OF LAMBING PENS

Swanepoel and his brother knew they wanted to return to the farm Mooihoek after finishing their studies, but they realised they would have to make the business more sustainable.

“We looked at those 600 ewes and saw we’d have to move towards something semi-intensive to increase the weaning percentage,” says Swanepoel. At the time, the weaning percentage was around 100%.

While Swanepoel only joined the farm full-time in 2014, and his brother only returned in 2011, both were involved with the initial stages of implementing the intensive production system in 2006 while they were still at school, working on the farm during weekends and holidays.

They started off by establishing about 20 smaller 1ha camps around the homestead.

“We put the ewes in there and definitely saw a difference in the weaning percentage.”