Optimizing lambing efficiency: Alternative management strategies for Assaf ewe flocks

Context

Spain is a leading sheep milk producer in the EU, characterized by a wide variety of production systems across different regions and breeds. Achieving productive efficiency is critical for ensuring the economic viability of sheep farms, particularly in less favored territories.

Objective

This study aims to evaluate management efficiency in sheep farming by using lambing and its influencing factors as the fundamental reference element (Decision-Making Unit: DMU).

Method

The study employs the Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) method to assess the efficiency of various farming systems. We analyzed 2474 lambings of Assaf dairy ewes of different ages, collecting both productive and economic data from the study farm. The variables considered include the percentage of concentrated feed used during milking, lambing campaign, inter-lambing interval, rest days, age at lambing, number of lambings per ewe, genetic level, liveborn lambs, and milk production per lambing. The DEA method was utilized to calculate the technical efficiency of DMUs based on the best observed practices, each DMU was compared with others using six inputs and two outputs through MAXDEA software.

Results and conclusions

The results reveal that the third lambing is the most efficient, while the first lambing is the least. The model suggests a reduction in concentrate feed during lactation by 7 to 9.4 %. Optimal lambing should occur between February and April, with matings between September and November, thus avoiding the costs associated with estrus synchronization, though this may challenge continuous year-round milk production. The model also recommends reducing the inter-lambing interval to below 300 days and cutting resting days by 33.3 % to 58.5 %. The age at first lambing should be lowered to 15 months, with selection for rebreeding advised within the first three lambings. The highest number of lambs born is observed in the fourth lambing, averaging 2.4 offspring, while the most significant improvement in milk production is seen after the first lambing.

In conclusion, the DEA method optimizes the management of dairy sheep farms, leading to improved productive and economic outcomes. It suggests improving reproductive performance in order to reduce the number of days that animals remain unproductive. This involves reinforcing matings during the milking period, reducing the number of 'open' days, shortening the interval between lambings and removing unproductive animals from the flock. Contrary to traditional resource-intensive approaches, the model recommends reducing concentrate feed consumption during lactation.

Significance

The significance of this study is twofold: First, it introduces a novel dimension to management efficiency analysis by using lambing as a decision variable, offering new avenues for studying productivity. Second, it underscores the importance of such studies in providing valuable management tools that can boost the economic performance and resilience of farms in increasingly complex and dynamic environments.