The relationship of pasture parameters to liveweight gain of
hoggets on North Island hill country
C. During, C.B. Dyson and R.W. Webby
Ruakura Animal Research Station, Hamilton and Whatawhata Hill
Country Research Centre, Hamilton
Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production.
1980, 40: 98-105
On steep hill country with second-class pasture, liveweight gain
of weaned ewe lambs (LWG) was measured for 12 months after weaning in
the first year and for 9 months in the second. It was then related to
the following live pasture parameters: daily herbage allowance, herbage
allowance, residual herbage, residual white clover and residual height.
Fifteen farmlets were used to compare two rotational and one continuous
stocking managements at five feeding levels.
LWG was low in summer although autumn ill thrift was not observed.
Residual herbage related best to LWG, but the actual value associated
with a given rate of LWG varied with season, twice as much being
required in summer as in spring. Bivariate equations did not
appreciably improve the fit between pasture measurements and LWG.
Knowledge of this relationship could be useful in feed budgeting and for
day to day management decisions.
Keywords: NZSAPAB;
Last Updated 12-09-1998
