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The intakes and growth rates of grazing border Leicester × Merino lambs weaned at 21, 49 and 77 days

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2010

J. P. Langlands
Affiliation:
CSIRO, Pastoral Research Laboratory, Armidale, NSW, 2350, Australia
G. E. Donald
Affiliation:
CSIRO, Pastoral Research Laboratory, Armidale, NSW, 2350, Australia
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Summary

Weaning increased forage intake and depressed live weight; differences in intakes and growth rates of lambs born to South Australian and Fine wool Merinos were small. At 21 days, sucking lambs received less than 2% of their digestible organic matter from pasture and half the lambs weaned at this age died but the survivors consumed twice as much forage as unweaned sheep in the 14 days following weaning. At 49 days, unweaned lambs obtained approximately 41% of their digestible organic matter from pasture, and weaning resulted in less mortality and a proportionally smaller increase in forage consumption.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 1975

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References

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