The performance of single-rearing ewes and their lambs offered ryegrass pasture or herb–clover mix during lactation

Abstract

ABSTRACTLamb growth to weaning has important implications for the profitability of farms producing lambs for meat. Alternative forage crops such as chicory, plantain, red clover and white clover have the potential to increase lamb growth rates to weaning percentage sold to slaughter at weaning. A study was conducted over two years to examine the growth of single-born lambs offered either pasture or herb-mix (chicory, plantain, white clover and red clover) from birth to weaning. Each year, 80 single-bearing ewes were allocated to either a pasture or herb-clover mix. In 2014, ewes and lambs that were offered the herb-clover mix had greater live weights at weaning than those grazed on ryegrass pasture. In 2015, however, no differences in lamb weaning weight was observed. In both years of the study, lambs reared on the herb clover mix had growth rates in excess of 400 g/day, from birth to weaning.