Hostname: page-component-7479d7b7d-qlrfm Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-07-12T21:08:37.683Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Levels of first winter feeding in relation to performance of Cheviot hill ewes: IV. Body growth and development from 18 months to maturity

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 March 2009

R. G. Gunn
R. G. Gunn
Affiliation:
Hill Farming Research Organization, 29 Lauder Road, Edinburgh 9
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Extract

1. The effects of different levels of first winter nutrition over 3 years were studied from 18 months to maturity on the growth and development of groups of North and South Country Cheviot ewe hoggs (sheep between 6 months and 1½ years).

2. Differences in live weight amongst treatment groups within breeds and years were not significant at 30 months or any subsequent age. Live weight increase continued up to 54 months. Although leg growth had virtually ceased in all treatment groups by 18 months, body growth continued beyond 27 months and differences between treatments, although not always significant, were still present at that time.

3. The effects of first-winter treatment were also studied on the heavy and light hoggs (i.e. those above and below average weight) prior to treatment. Differences in weight and size between treatment groups were less persistent in the heavy animals, disappearing by 30 months, while in the light animals they were still present at that time. Regardless of treatment the within-group differences between heavy and light animals increased up to 54 months, the light animals showing relatively slower rates of gain.

4. The difficulty of interpreting data on liveweight change due to age, state of maturity, level of feed, and season interactions is commented on. The probable effects of differential productivity resulting from treatment on growth and development from 18 months onwards are discussed.

Type
Research Article
Information
The Journal of Agricultural Science , Volume 69 , Issue 3 , December 1967 , pp. 341 - 344
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1967

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Brownlie, W. M. (1954). The wintering of Blackface mountain ewe lambs. Br. vet. J. 110, 447–59.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Coop, I. E. & Clark, V. R. (1955). The influence of method of rearing as hoggets on the lifetime productivity of sheep. N.Z. Jl Sci. Technol. (A). 37, 214–28.Google Scholar
Davies, G. M. (1954–1955). Wintering ewe lambs. Some Welsh trials. Scott. Agric. 34, 149–53.Google Scholar
Esplin, A. C., Madsen, M. A. & Phillips, R. W. (1940). Effects of feeding ewe lambs during their first winter. Bull. Utah agric. Exp. Stn no. 292.Google Scholar
Fraser, A. H. H. (1937). The wintering of ewe hoggs. Scott. Agric. 20, 166–72.Google Scholar
Gunn, R. G. (1964a). Levels of first winter feeding in relation to performance of Cheviot hill ewes. I. Body growth and development during treatment period. J. agric. Sci., Camb. 62, 99–122.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gunn, R. G. (1964b). Levels of first winter feeding in relation to performance of Cheviot hill ewes. II. Body growth and development during the summer after treatment, 12–18 months. J. agric. Sci., Camb. 62, 123–49.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gunn, R. G. (1965). Levels of first winter feeding in relation to performance of Cheviot hill ewes. III. Tissue and joint development to 12 and 18 months of age. J. agric. Sci., Camb. 64, 311–21.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
M/ottro, J. (1954). Studies on the vital statistics of sheep under different conditions of husbandry. Ph.D. Thesis, Aberdeen University.Google Scholar
Purser, A. F. & Roberts, R. C. (1964). The effect of treatment during first winter on the subsequent performance of Scottish Blackface ewes. Anim. Prod. 6, 273–84.Google Scholar
Smith, R. G. C. (1953–1954). Wintering Blackface ewe hoggs. Scott. Agric. 33, 140–4.Google Scholar