Regulin helping sheep producers lift lambing rates and tighten joining

For sheep producers, boosting lamb numbers and managing a tighter, earlier lambing period can have a direct impact on farm profitability. Regulin, developed by Ceva Animal Health, is designed to help achieve those outcomes.

By supporting ewes to express their natural reproductive capability as if it were autumn, Ceva says Regulin improves results in early joining and gives producers greater control over their breeding programs.

For South Australian producer Shaun Francis, the impact has been clear. Running Merinos and crossbred sheep at Western Flat, south of Bordertown, Mr Francis has incorporated the product into his program annually since 2020, administering it 40 days before joining.

“We were sitting at pretty average percentages before, and now we’re consistently well above that,” Mr Francis said. “This year our first-cross ewes hit 164%, which is a good 20% lift on previous years where we weren’t using Regulin. That makes a big difference once you add it up across the flock.”

Mr Francis also highlighted management benefits. “It’s not just about more lambs, it’s about lambs arriving in a tighter window. That makes everything easier - tagging, marking, even just keeping an eye on ewes and lambs.”

Ceva Animal Health stresses that the product is not a super-ovulation treatment and does not unnaturally force ewes to produce more lambs than they can support. Instead, Ceva explains, Regulin enhances natural cycles, bringing forward the reproductive performance usually seen in autumn.

The outcome, Ceva reports, is fewer dry ewes, more lambs on the ground, and flocks that are easier to manage without increasing ewe numbers.

Administering Regulin is also straightforward: a small pellet is placed just under the skin behind the ewe’s ear, releasing melatonin that signals to the ewe’s system that it is autumn.

The process is described as “quick, practical, and easily incorporated into routine flock management”, according to Mr Francis.

Regulin Farm Advisor and sheep producer Mitch Douglas said the results can be significant but emphasised the importance of sound management.

“On my farm, it allows me to manage differently to how I would have done previously. Having more lambs on the ground earlier means you can target different markets before the spring oversupply and potentially get more money per kilo. And because they’re hitting the ground earlier, we can sell before the spring flush when prices usually come back. It really helps cash flow”, Mr Douglas said.

He added that Regulin also shortens the joining period, which he considers a major benefit. “But like anything, if you’re not feeding your sheep, you won’t get the results. It’s not a silver bullet - you’ve got to be ticking the other boxes to see the true return on investment.”

Ceva maintains that with proven benefits across breeds and operations, Regulin is helping producers achieve in-season performance out of season.

For farmers like Shaun Francis, the advantages are compounding year after year.

“It’s become part of how we plan our joining,” Mr Francis said. “Once you’ve seen the difference it makes, it’s hard to go back.”

Ceva Animal Health advise reading the Regulin label for full instructions.  To talk to the Regulin team for advice please call 1300 699 916.