Postweaning growth and carcass leanness of lambs that differed
in preweaning growth rate
A.R. Bray, R.A. Moss, R.N. Burton, D.J. Saville
MAF Technology, Canterbury Agriculture and Science Centre,
Lincoln
Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production.
1990, 50:
The influence of preweaning growth rate on postweaning growth
and carcass grading characteristics was investigated in two experiments
with lambs at pasture. Differences in preweaning growth rate due to
within mob variation, feed allowance treatments or rearing rank had
small or no effects on postweaning growth when lambs were offered the
same pasture allowance per unit of liveweight or per head after weaning.
Therefore lambs with slower preweaning growth rates had lighter
carcasses at a common age (P<0.01) or were older at a common weight
(P<0.05). Carcass GR measurements were not significantly influenced by
preweaning growth rates when compared at the same carcass weight and
slaughter date. An increase in weight-adjusted GR measurements was
observed over autumn.
Keywords: NZSAPAB;
Lamb growth; carcass; leanness; pasture allowance; rearing rank
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Last Updated 25-01-1997
