BACKGROUND This study examined the effects of dietary supplementation with rice bran, sire breed and gender on live animal performance and carcass characteristics in Australian crossbred and purebred Merino lambs. METHODS Forty-eight lambs balanced by sire breed (Dorset, White Suffolk, Merino) and gender (ewe, wether) were randomly allocated into three dietary supplementation groups (Control-...

This study was designed to evaluate the impact of weaning age on lamb and ewe productivity in an accelerated lambing system. St. Croix White (STX) and Dorper × St. Croix White (DRPX) lambs were assigned at birth based on breed, gender, and litter size to be weaned at 63 (Early-1; 106 lambs and 68 ewes) or 90 d of age (Late-1; 99 lambs and 60 ewes) in Exp.1 or at 63 (Early-2; 77 lambs and 57 ewe...

The effect of level of dietary energy and protein intake on reproductive performance was studied in 110 Finn-cross ewe lambs and in 404 Finn-cross yearling ewes during late gestation. Nitrogen metabolism was studied in 26 ewe lambs and 23 yearling ewes. Increasing digestible energy and crude protein intake for ewe lambs and yearling ewes during late gestation increased (P<.05) ewe average daily...

Lifetime (5 yr) lamb production and wool production from 207 straightbred Targhee (T) and 474 1/4 Finn-1/4 Dorset-1/2 Targhee (FDT) crossbred ewes managed in a range or farm flock system were evaluated for ewe fertility, prolificacy, ewe fleece weight, and total lamb weight weaned per ewe exposed. Data included 2,620 ewe exposures, 2,384 parturitions, 4,638 lambs born, and 3,498 lambs weaned. E...

History: The ewe was a homebred breeding ewe on a farm in the Scottish Borders. The flock was composed of 530 ewes and 150 ewe hoggs which were housed from January to April. The ewes had been dosed for liver fluke in the previous autumn but not treated for worms, and had no worm treatment at lambing. Nematode parasites were effectively controlled by integrated evasive/anthelmintic strategies an...

The objective of the current study was to determine the effects of maternal MP intake in isocaloric diets during late gestation on female offspring growth from birth to breeding and measure reproductive performance of those offspring in their first breeding season. In yr 1, maternal dietary treatments were applied at d 100 of gestation, were similar in total energy, and contained 60MP1, 60% of ...

A large sheep dataset including ewe and progeny records from 1982 through to 2006 was used in the present study. The data included the variables: sex of lamb, birth rank, weaning weight, year born and dam and sire. The aim was to firstly, determine if the age of the ewe’s dam, or the birth rank of the ewe affected her lifetime performance and secondly, to determine in twin-born lambs if the sex...

Abstract The U.S. sheep industry has experienced many changes over the last 50 years, most prominent being a 75% reduction in national breeding ewe inventory. Wool now accounts for ~10% of enterprise returns compared to ~80% from sale market lambs. Most objective work indicates greatest emphasis should be placed on traits associated with reproductive efficiency [e.g., number lambs born/weaned (...