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The influence of nutrition during winter on growth rate and sulphur content of wool of pregnant Scottish Blackface and Romney ewes

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 March 2009

J. M. Doney  and
C. C. Evans
J. M. Doney
Affiliation:
Hill Farming Research Organization, 29 Lauder Road, Edinburgh 9
C. C. Evans
Affiliation:
Hill Farming Research Organization, 29 Lauder Road, Edinburgh 9
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Summary

Pregnant ewes of the Scottish Blackface and Romney breeds were group fed to achieve different patterns of live-weight change between mating and parturition. One group had a net maternal live-weight increase of about 8%, the second a net loss of about 5% and the third a loss of about 16%. Wool growth and sulphur content of the wool were measured at intervals. During the period 6–8 weeks prepartum wool growth rate in the Blackface breed was low and there were no significant differences amongst treatments. Differences in sulphur content were highly significant (ranging between 3·97 and 3·46% for fine and coarse fractions respectively in the well-nourished sheep down to 3·68 and 3·20% in the undernourished group). In the Romney breed the situation was reversed. In the prepartum period there were no significant differences amongst groups in sulphur content (mean value 3·68%), but differences in wool growth rate were highly significant (0·021, 0·012 and 0·009 g/100 cm2/day).

Type
Research Article
Information
The Journal of Agricultural Science , Volume 75 , Issue 1 , August 1970 , pp. 133 - 136
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1970

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References

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