Getting Started With Precision Livestock Management

Precision Livestock Management (PLM) provides huge opportunities for progressive Sheep Farmers to increase the efficiency and profitability of their sheep enterprise. Combined with enabling Software and Technology these gains can be turbocharged.

Whilst these technologies support your management system and make you faster and more profitable, there is a huge knowledge gap on how this may be achieved. 

Before we dive into the benefits of PLM, let us explain exactly what Precision Livestock Management is. 

Introduction To Precision Livestock Management (PLM)

Precision Livestock Management involves making decisions at an individual sheep level using data rather than guesswork.

Each sheep you own costs you about the same amount to run, but not all sheep perform the same due to the natural variability that exists in any sheep flock. 

Each animal has slightly different genetic potential and thus slightly different production capacity. 

The difference in value between your best performing animal and your worst-performing animal can be hundreds of dollars per animal per year for commercial operators and in the thousands for stud producers selling rams.

The continuous application of PLM techniques allows you to exploit this variability over time to consistently make better decisions about which sheep to keep on your property, and what genetics will drive your profitability moving forward.

It also allows you to exploit short term opportunities in market pricing through segregation that otherwise wouldn’t be available when you run your flock to the average.

Now that you know exactly what PLM is, click here to find out how PLM can boost the efficiency and profitability of your sheep farm.