High temperatures during critical periods of the reproductive cycle of sheep result in 2.1 million fewer lambs produced in Australia each year, costing sheep farmers an estimated $97 million annually.
The work, funded by Meat and Livestock Australia and conducted by a transdisciplinary team of researchers from the University of Adelaide and South Australian Research Development Institute , found that days above 32°C during the week of mating caused the significant loss of potential lambs., the study found annual losses of potential lambs would increase to 2.5 million if median global warming increased by 1°C, and 3.3 million if it increased by 3°C.
The complex research underlying this paper was informed by climate data and modelling conducted by the University's Professor Seth Westra and Dr Sam Culley, and with contributions from Dr Kathy Gatford of the School of Medicine. "This work is underpinned by multiple years of animal heat stress trials conducted at SARDI's Turretfield Research Centre in Rosedale and our Roseworthy campus."
The researchers are now investigating whether selectively breeding animals which thermoregulate more effectively can improve the climate resilience of sheep flocks, and how sheep thermoregulation and behaviour affect fertility during periods of heat. "The use of melatonin to mitigate the impacts of heat has increased our reproduction rates, and just being aware of the heat sensitivity of animals and some of the different things that you can do to help with that," she says.
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