Effect of herbage allowance on the productive performance of lactating and non-lactating hoggets

J.C. McEwan, C.D. Mathieson and H. Hawker

Woodlands Research Station, Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, Invercargill and Invermay Agricultural Research Centre, Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, Mosgiel

Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production. 1985, 45: 147-150

Herbage allowance had only a small effect on the penalty of a hogget lactation. Relative to their non-lactating counterparts, the hoggets that had lactated were on average 12.8 kg lighter at weaning and had a 0.29 kg lower clean fleece weight. These penalties are larger than those reported in other New Zealand studies in which the lactating hoggets were preferentially fed.

The lambs reared by the hoggets had live-weight gains typical of those observed in twin lambs reared by adult ewes.

Keywords: NZSAPAB; sheep; hoggets; lactation; herbage allowance; live-weight gains; wool production