A research project at Charles Sturt University (CSU) using global positioning system (GPS) collars to track the movement of ewes and their newborn lambs aims to reduce the high lamb mortality rate and boost farm productivity. Starvation, mismothering and exposure contribute to up to 40 per cent of lamb mortalities and the rate for twins is higher, but appropriately designed ‘sheep shelters’ could reduce these levels. Based at the School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, PhD student Mr John Broster says a greater understanding of how animals use shelter and appropriate shelter design may lead to a decrease in deaths. “I’m looking at how both ewes and newborn lambs use two different types of shelter: shrub rows and shorter hedgerows of either phalaris (a perennial pasture), or artificial hessian cloth,” he said. Preliminary data from the electronic tracking devices has shown that reducing wind speed through shelter has influenced lamb survival rates. “The project is important because the results will demonstrate to farmers the optimum shelter design in order to improve newborn lamb survival, which will increase farmers’ income. Farmers may also choose to design tree plantings to suit the needs of sheep during lambing.” The 3 year project is funded by the Future Farm Industries Cooperative Research Centre and is using an EverGraze project site in the Tarcutta catchment in southern NSW.