The scanning procedures developed and used by ALSS now offer high rates of throughput (1000 to 1500 in half a day) and very high levels of accuracy. However, the question is, does it pay a producer to scan the ewes?

Over the last decade, dozens of gross margins, partial budgets and whole of farm econometric simulation studies, have been completed in order to examine the “profitability of scanning”. Most producers have been more interested in knowing when the benefits of scanning will be realized in their flock and the ease with which the benefits can be exploited for the purpose of making money?  Producers who have been scanning their ewes for a number of years have found the following.

Immediate benefits

1. The sale of dry ewes or the running of them as wethers, reduced feeding costs, improved pasture    utalisation, resulted in fewer ewes dying in late pregnancy/lactation and improved general management of the flock.
2. Improved wool quality in twin-bearing/rearing ewes, in the pregnant maiden
   ewes, and in the progeny of these ewes (for their lifetimes).
3. The weaning of twins at similar weights to singles (fewer “tail-end” lambs).
4. Improved single-lamb survival (plus 10 percent).
5. Improved twin-lamb survival is realized when the correct management is put into place.

In the year following scanning

1. Better quality hogget wool and greater numbers of better quality surplus stock available for sale. Single-and twin-born progeny can be classed into birth type groups in preparation for classing.
2. Fewer, twin-rearing ewes remain dry at their next joining.
3. Sixty two percent of those ewes that were twin-bearing in year 1, will, with the correct management (identified with scanning and correctly fed), twin again in year 2. The comparable figure for ewes that have not been scanned is 32 percent.

Thereafter

1. The twin-born progeny and the progeny from pregnant maiden ewes will produce heavier fleeces of a higher quality for the rest of their lives.
2. There will be a reduced incidence of “micron blowout” in scanned flocks.
3. An important factor affecting profitability is whether the whole flock needs scanning. For example, it sometimes happens that after 200 ewes have been scanned from a flock or mob of 1200 ewes, it becomes evident that the twinning rates and dry rates are low and in fact over 90 percent of the ewes are single-bearing.

This is important information because it means that the entire flock can be managed as single-bearing ewes and it is not necessary to scan all the ewes to reach this management decision. This could enable the postponement of a supplementary feeding program and more efficient utalisation of limited pasture.