Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-lj6df Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-05T11:09:22.936Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

A note on the effect of time of weaning and weight at slaughter on feed utilization of intensively fed lambs

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2010

E. R. Ørskov ,
C. Fraser  and
J. C. Gill
E. R. Ørskov
Affiliation:
The Rowett Research Institute, Bucksburn, Aberdeen, AB2 9SB
C. Fraser
Affiliation:
The Rowett Research Institute, Bucksburn, Aberdeen, AB2 9SB
J. C. Gill
Affiliation:
The Rowett Research Institute, Bucksburn, Aberdeen, AB2 9SB
Get access

Summary

Fifty-four Suffolk × North Country Cheviot lambs were weaned at either 25, 33 or 41 days of age and slaughtered at either 35, 45 or 55 kg live weight.

Increasing the age at weaning reduced the growth check, increased creep feed consumption and decreased food required for fattening. For each kg increase in weight at slaughter there was an increase of 0·035 kg in dry matter required per kg gain. The female lambs had lower growth rates, lower efficiency of food utilization and a higher killing-out percentage than male lambs.

For the most efficient utilization of food, lambs should be weaned at about 33 days of age.

Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Production , Volume 16 , Issue 3 , June 1973 , pp. 311 - 314
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 1973

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Andrews, R. P., Kay, M. and Ørskov, E. R. 1969. The effect of different dietary energy concentrations on the voluntary intake and growth of intensively fed lambs. Anim. Prod. 11: 173–187.Google Scholar
Andrews, R. P. and Ørskov, E. R. 1970a. The nutrition of the early weaned lamb. I. The influence of protein concentration and feeding level on rate of gain in body weight. J. agric. Sci., Camb. 75: 11–18.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Andrews, R. P. and Ørskov, E. R. 1970b. The nutrition of the early weaned lamb. II. The effect of dietary protein concentration, feeding level and sex on body composition at two live weights. J. agric. Sci., Camb. 75: 19–26.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ørskov, E. R., Fraser, C., Gill, J. C. and Corse, E. L. 1971. The effect in an intensive production system of type of cereal and time of weaning on the performance of lambs. Anim. Prod. 13: 485–492.Google Scholar
Ørskov, E. R., McDonald, I., Fraser, C. and Corse, E. L. 1971. The nutrition of the early weaned lamb. III. The effect of ad libitum intake of diets varying in protein concentration on performance and on body composition at different live weights. J. agric. Sci., Camb. 77: 351–361.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Robinson, J. J., Foster, W. H. and Forbes, T. J. 1969. Estimation of the milk yield of a ewe from body weight data on the suckling lamb. J. agric. Sci., Camb. 72: 103–107.CrossRefGoogle Scholar