LTEM Builds Indigenous People’s Sheep Management Skills in the South
DAFWA’s Sheep Industry Business Innovation (SIBI) project, in partnership with the department’s Aboriginal Business Development (ABD) team, is delivering practical livestock management training to Aboriginal landowners.
The Lifetime Ewe Management course is a nationally accredited course involving groups of 5-6 producers and six ‘hands-on’ sessions over a period of 12 months.
During the course, key topics covered include:
- weaning and preparing ewes for next year’s joining;
- linking ewe condition at joining with lambing potential;
- pregnancy management and the impacts of ewe nutrition;
- looking forward and planning for lambing — optimising lamb survival and future productivity;
- setting up for joining in the second season — manipulating ewe condition and preparing rams;
- economic analysis of different feeding strategies.
Attendees are part way through the course and include landholders from Woolkabunning Kiaka Incorporated, Dowrene Farm Aboriginal Corporation and Banjelungup Aboriginal Corporation with properties based at Bremer Bay, Cranbrook and Bunbury.
Bruce Loo, of the Banjelungup Aboriginal Corporation, which runs a sheep property at Bremer Bay, said the program had brought expert advice and knowledge to help overcome the obstacles for running successful sheep enterprises.
“As a group, we now have land but accept we have low or no skills in sheep production,” he said.
“When we arrived for training, we thought sheep farming was quite simple but what we’ve learned through this course is there is a lot of science behind it, such as the protein and energy requirements for healthy sheep throughout the year.
“The LTEM approach is a most effective model for Noongar people’s learning, in a relaxed, hands-on environment.”
For more information please visit the Lifetime Ewe Management webpage