Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-2plfb Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-02T19:34:08.602Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The effect of treatment during first winter on the subsequent performance of Scottish Blackface ewes

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2010

A. F. Purser  and
R. C. Roberts
A. F. Purser
Affiliation:
A.R.C. Animal Breeding Research Organisation, Edinburgh 9
R. C. Roberts
Affiliation:
A.R.C. Animal Breeding Research Organisation, Edinburgh 9
Get access

Extract

Data on 1,795 Scottish Blackface sheep were examined to see what effect treatment during the animal's first winter had on subsequent performance. Two treatments were used, wintering on the hill with the breeding ewe flock, or wintering away on low-ground farms. Away-wintered sheep gained on average about 16 lb. more than hill-wintered sheep between 6 and 12 months of age. These live-weight differences declined with age to about ⅔lb. at 5–6 years of age. Away-wintered sheep also had heavier first fleeces by about fIb. on average and had a lower mortality rate. However, differences in subsequent fleece weights and lamb production were small and not sufficient to cover the cost of away wintering.

Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Production , Volume 6 , Issue 3 , October 1964 , pp. 273 - 284
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 1964

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

REFERENCES

Bradford, G. E., Wejr, W. C. & Torell, D. T., 1961. The effect of environment from weaning to first breeding on lifetime production of ewes. J. Anim. Sci., 20: 281.Google Scholar
Coop, I. E. & Clark, V. R., 1955. The influence of method of rearing as hoggets on the lifetime productivity of sheep. N.Z. J. Sci. Tech., A, 37: 214.Google Scholar
Davies, G. M., 1954–1955. Wintering ewe lambs. Some Welsh trials. Scot. Agric., 34: 149.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. Stat., no. 292.Google Scholar
Purser, A. F. & Roberts, R. C., 1959. The relationship of hogg weight to subsequent performance of Scottish Blackface ewes. Anim. Prod., 1: 107.Google Scholar
Schinckel, P. G., 1963. The potential for increasing efficiency of feed utilisation through newer knowledge of animal nutrition (c) sheep and goat. Proc. World Conf. Anim. Prod. [Rome], 1963. 1: 199.Google Scholar
Smith, R. G. C., 1953–1954. Wintering Blackface ewe hoggs. Scot. Agric., 33: 140.Google Scholar
Wilson, P. N. & Osbourn, D. F., 1960. Compensation growth after undernutrition in mammals and birds. Biol. Rev. 35: 324.CrossRefGoogle Scholar