The effect of stocking rate on response to cobalt
supplementation in sheep
I.P.M. McQueen
Agricultural Research Division, Ministry of Agriculture and
Fisheries, Whangarei
Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production.
1984, 44: 159-162
Ewe hoggets were run at 2 stocking rates and at 4 levels of
injection with hydroxycobalamin (0, 30, 100 and 3,000 µg monthly).
Responses in live-weight gain were related to grazing intensity.
Without supplementation, mean live-weight gain/head from July to
November was 4.5 and -1.5 kg for high and low stocked groups
respectively. With 3,000 µg hydroxycobalamin the equivalent gains were
8.0 and 17.9 kg. The interaction was highly significant (P<0.001). In
an earlier period (March to July) there were much smaller responses to
injection and no discernible interaction. Serum B12 was increased by
injection with hydroxycobalamin but stocking rates had no significant
effects on serum B12. The implications of these results for cobalt
response trials and for farm management are discussed.
Keywords: NZSAPAB;
Hoggets; cobalt; B12 supplementation; stocking rate; live-
weight gain; serum B12.
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Last Updated 03-05-1997
