Title: Effects of ewe breed and management system on efficiency of lamb production: I. Ewe productivity.
Abstract: Performance of 1/2-Suffolk, 1/2-Rambouillet (Western) and 1/2-Suffolk, 1/4-Ram-bouillet, 1/4-Finnsheep (1/4-Finn) ewes was compared in three different lamb production systems over 3 yr. System 1 (56 ewes) involved late fall lambing over 84 d. System 2 (51 ewes) involved January and February lambing for 60 d. System 3 (47 ewes) involved March and April lambing for 45 d. Pregnancy rates for yearling ewes were lower in System 1 in yr 1 (50.7% vs 87.4% for Systems 2 and 3) but differed little among systems for older ewes or in remaining years. Average pregnancy rates for 2-yr-old and older ewes were 89.5, 94.0 and 85.7% for Systems 1, 2 and 3, respectively. When the pregnancy rate was adjusted to a 45-d lambing season, means for older ewes were 78.6, 89.5 and 85.7% for System 1, 2 and 3, respectively. Ewe breeds did not differ in their pregnancy rates. Prolificacy (lambs bom per ewe lambing) was higher for 1/4-Finn ewes (1.83 ± .06 vs 1.55 ± .07) and was higher in System 3 (1.86 ± .06) than in Systems 1 (1.60 ± .07) or 2 (1.63 ± .05). Body weight at breeding in postyearling ewes was less in System 3 (64.3 kg) than in Systems 1 or 2 (average of 73.1 kg). Breeds did not differ in weight at 1 or 2 yr of age, but Western ewes were 2.1 ± 1.1 kg heavier as 3-yr-olds.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Publication Year: 1991
Publication Date: 1991-01-01
Language: en
Type: article
Indexed In: ['crossref', 'pubmed']
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Cited By Count: 13
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