Nutritional partitioning of growth for productive gain

P.M. Harris; G.C. Waghorn; J. Lee

Biotechnology Division, DSIR, Private Bag, Palmerston North

Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production. 1990, 50: 81-90

Various tissues in the sheep, because of their individual specialist roles, have very different nutrient requirements. These differences in metabolic behaviour provide a potential opportunity to manipulate biochemical pathways in specific peripheral tissues to enhance production characteristics and, consequently, commercial gain. Factors affecting such partitioning are discussed with particular reference to the sheep industry in New Zealand, which unlike most other international sheep systems, needs to produce meat and wool from the same animal. Because the relative returns from meat and wool vary from season to season there is a need to manipulate independently their relative production to achieve maximum economic return.

Keywords: NZSAPAB; Growth; tissue requirements; protein regulation; wool; meat

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Last Updated 25-01-1997