Lamb production efficiency should be measured in relation to the total pounds of lamb meat produced per pound of feed consumed by the entire flock. The quality and cost of feed consumed by the entire flock. The quality and cost of that feed also must be considered.  These assumptions imply that for greatest lamb-production efficiency--every female in the flock should begin production as early in life as possible and produce lambs as rapidly as management constraints permit. Lambs should be fed until efficient gains stop.

Four practices that can have a great impact on improving efficiency are: 1) breeding ewes to lamb at 1 year of age, 2) producing more twins, 3) improving rate and efficiency of gain, and 4) producing larger lambs.