Abstract
A comparison has been made in five flocks with a total of 473 sheep of the effect of 15 mg. diethylstilboestrol (DES.) as a paste, 15 mg. hexoestrol as an implant, and 5·0 mg. oestradiol benzoate plus 50 mg. progesterone (O.+P.) as two implants, on the growth rate and slaughter characteristics and carcass grading of fattening male hoggets.In those flocks where the plane of nutrition was adequate, all hormone treatments resulted in a significant increase in live-weight gain. During the first 24–40 days, DES. paste resulted in significantly greater daily live-weight gain compared to hexoestrol or O.+P. in two out of five flocks, but over the whole period there were no significant differences between these treatments. In one flock which was on a lower plane of nutrition there were no significant effects of hormone treatment.The hormone treatments resulted in extra carcass weight, extra pelt weight but no change in killing-out percentage or in carcass grade. There were no significant differences between treatments in the slaughter characteristics studied.
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