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Herbage intake and performance of grazing ewes and of their lambs when weaned at 6, 8, 10 or 14 weeks of age

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2010

M. J. Gibb ,
T. T. Treacher  and
V. S. Shanmugalingam
M. J. Gibb
Affiliation:
Grassland Research Institute, Hurley, Maidenhead, Berkshire SL6 5LR
T. T. Treacher
Affiliation:
Grassland Research Institute, Hurley, Maidenhead, Berkshire SL6 5LR
V. S. Shanmugalingam
Affiliation:
Grassland Research Institute, Hurley, Maidenhead, Berkshire SL6 5LR
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Abstract

Twin lambs grazing with their dams at herbage allowances of 30 or 60 gdry matter per kg live weight per day (low and high, respectively) were weaned at 6, 8, 10 or 14 weeks of age. After weaning, the lambs were given a herbage allowance of 160 g dry matter per kg live weight per day.

Ewes on the low allowance ate less herbage, produced less milk and lost more weight than those on the high allowance. The lambs on the low allowance were lighter at weaning than those on the high allowance (137 v. 168, 16·2 v. 20·5, 17·9 v. 24·2 and 21·9 v. 30·4 kg at 6, 8, 10 and 14 weeks respectively).

Lambs weaned from ewes on the low allowance grew more slowly than the unweaned lambs when removed at 6 weeks, but not when weaned at 8 and 10 weeks of age. Weaning lambs from ewes on the high allowance reduced their growth rates at all weaning ages, despite the weaned lambs being grazed at an allowance which would not limit their intake of herbage. The intake of herbage per unit live weight by weaned lambs reached its maximum at approximately 8 weeks of age. After weaning, intake was higher for lambs from ewes on the low allowance than for those on the high allowance (38 v. 33 g organic matter per kg live weight per day). Lambs slaughtered at 17 weeks of age were heavier from the high allowance than from the low allowance. However, after 17 weeks of age the remaining lambs from the low allowance grew more rapidly than those from the high allowance, and when slaughtered at 25 weeks of age had similar weights. Treatments had no effect on the weights of the body components or carcass dimensions independent of their effect on empty-body weights at slaughter.

Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Production , Volume 33 , Issue 3 , December 1981 , pp. 223 - 232
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 1981

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