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A note on the estimation of milk production in sheep

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2010

K. G. Geenty  and
A. R. Sykes
K. G. Geenty
Affiliation:
Templeton Agricultural Research Station, Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, PO Box 23-033, Templeton, New Zealand
A. R. Sykes
Affiliation:
Department of Animal Science, Lincoln College, University of Canterbury, New Zealand
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Extract

The two most widely adopted methods for measurement of milk production in sheep suckling lambs, the lamb-weight increment technique and milking-out following administration of oxytocin, give estimates which differ proportionately between 0·05 and 0·28 especially in early lactation (Doney, Peart, Smith and Louda, 1979). It is not easy to determine which method gives the most accurate estimate of milk production in suckling ewes. It is important, however, to understand the circumstances in which discrepancies between methods may occur and their magnitude. This note provides evidence that such discrepancies may vary with nutritional status of the ewe.

Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Production , Volume 43 , Issue 1 , August 1986 , pp. 171 - 174
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 1986

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References

REFERENCES

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