Abstract
Simple SummaryEarly weaning of lambs may be a useful management tool when either herbage quality or quantity limits lamb growth. Herb-clover mixes containing chicory, plantain, red clover, and white clover have been shown to improve the growth of suckling lambs and those weaned at a traditional age compared to grass-predominant pastures in New Zealand. In this study, lambs were weaned at a minimum live weight of 14 kg and their liveweight gains at a conventional weaning age (~99 days of age) were compared with lambs unweaned on a grass-predominant pasture. We found that lambs weaned early onto a herb-clover mix have the potential to achieve live weights similar to lambs unweaned on grass-predominant pasture.Liveweight gain of lambs weaned early at a minimum live weight of 14 kg, at ~50 days of age, onto a herb-clover mix was compared with lambs that remained unweaned on a grass-predominant pasture or a herb-clover mix until conventional weaning (at ~99 days of age). Over two years, twin sets of lambs that had a minimum live weight of 14 kg were randomly allocated to one of three treatments: (1) Early weaning of lambs onto a herb-clover mix (HerbEW); (2) ewes and lambs grazing a herb-clover mix until conventional weaning (HerbCW); and (3) ewes and lambs grazing a grass-predominant pasture until conventional weaning (GrassCW). HerbEW lambs had slower (p < 0.05) growth rates than GrassCW lambs between early weaning and conventional weaning in 2016 and were 800 g lighter (p < 0.05) at conventional weaning. In 2017, however, both HerbEW and GrassCW had similar (p > 0.05) growth rates and did not differ (p > 0.05) in live weight at conventional weaning. HerbCW lambs had a greater (p < 0.05) growth rates than both HerbEW and GrassCW lambs in both years. Lambs weaned early onto a herb-clover mix have the potential to achieve live weights similar to lambs unweaned on grass-predominant pasture. Further research, however, is required to understand conditions under which early-weaned lambs can achieve similar live weights.
Highlights
In New Zealand, herb-clover mixes containing plantain (Plantago lanceolata), chicory (Cichorium intybus), red clover (Trifolium pratense), and white clover (Trifolium repens) have been shown to increase the growth rate of both unweaned [1,2,3] and weaned lambs [4,5], and are commonly used by farmers [6]
Not known if lambs can be successfully weaned at a younger age (~50 days of age) and at minimum live weight of 14 kg onto a herb-clover mix and still achieve similar growth rates as unweaned lambs grazing on a grass-predominant pasture
~50 days of age onto a herb-clover mix (HerbEW, n = 54 in 2016 and n = 46 in 2017); (2) ewes and lambs grazing a herb-clover mix until conventional weaning at ~ 99 days of age (HerbCW, n = 46 in 2016 and n = 42 lambs in 2017); and (3) ewes and lambs grazing a grass-predominant pasture until conventional weaning (GrassCW, n = 50 in 2016 and n = 34 lambs in 2017)
Summary
In New Zealand, herb-clover mixes containing plantain (Plantago lanceolata), chicory (Cichorium intybus), red clover (Trifolium pratense), and white clover (Trifolium repens) have been shown to increase the growth rate of both unweaned [1,2,3] and weaned lambs [4,5], and are commonly used by farmers [6]. Lambs weaned early at a minimum live weight of 16 kg, at approximately 60 days of age, onto a herb-clover mix have been shown to achieve similar or improved liveweight gains to a conventional weaning age compared with lambs that remained with their dam on a grass-predominant pasture [11]. The aim of the current study was to compare the liveweight gain of lambs weaned early at approximately 50 days of age, at a minimum live weight of 14 kg, onto a herb-clover mix with lambs who remained unweaned on a herb-clover mix or grass-predominant pasture. It was hypothesized that lambs weaned early onto a herb-clover mix could achieve similar growth rates to unweaned lambs on grass-predominant pasture
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