Wool growth of ewes during autumn on hill country

R.M.W. Sumner, D.C. Smeaton

Whatawhata Hill Country Research Centre, Hamilton

Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production. 1981, 41: 283-287

Increasing herbage allowance (~2.5, 5.0, 7.5, 10.0 and 12.5 total DM/head/d) of hill country pasture containing 75% dead material and a pre-grazing herbage mass of 2000 to 2500 kg total DM/ha were offered to 290 mixed age Romney, Coopworth and Perendale ewes for 6 weeks pre-mating. The order of ranking for wool growth rate changed between summer (Romney, Coopworth, Perendale) and early autumn (Perendale, Romney, Coopworth). Wool growth increased curvilinearly with feeding level and was more responsive to feeding level than liveweight gain.

Keywords: NZSAPAB;

Last Updated 12-09-1998