Responses to pasture feeding of sheep between 11 and 18 months of age

Abstract

Abstract Romney ewe hoggets were fed either an ad libitum (winter-high) or restricted (winter-low) diet of turnips and hay from 12 June until late August 1980. On 2 September, mean liveweights were 35.2 (winter-high) and 31.5 kg (winter-low). From 2 September to 20 October (early spring) and from 20 October until 10 December (late spring) the hoggets in the winter-low and winter-high treatments were offered pasture allowances of 1.5, 3.0, or 4.5 kg DM/hogget per day. On 10 December, the winter-low/high comparison ceased but the three allowance treatments continued to 26 January (early summer) and then to 26 March (late summer). Mean pasture masses were 2010, 2670, 3970, and 3370 kg DM/ha in early and late spring, and early and late summer respectively. Liveweight change (LWC; g/day) was related to pasture allowance (A; kg DM/hogget per day) for early spring, LWC = 258 − 278/A; and late spring, LWC = 245 − 186/A. Summer liveweight gains were −16, −5, and 40 g/day and 49, 68, and 126 g/day for the 1.5, 3.0,...