Logo image
Back
The wool production and reproduction of Merino ewes can be predicted from changes in liveweight during pregnancy and lactation
Journal article   Peer reviewed

The wool production and reproduction of Merino ewes can be predicted from changes in liveweight during pregnancy and lactation

M.B. Ferguson, A.N. Thompson, D.J. Gordon, M.W. Hyder, G.A. Kearney, C.M. Oldham and B.L. Paganoni
Animal Production Science, Vol.51(9), pp.763-775
2011
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1071/AN10158
url
Link to Published Version *Subscription may be requiredView

Abstract

Defining the nature of the relationship between change in liveweight throughout a breeding cycle and ewe wool production and reproduction would be useful for developing management guidelines for Merino ewes. In this paper we tested the hypotheses that (1) feed on offer has variable effects on liveweight profiles of individual ewes; and (2) liveweight profiles of individual ewes can be used to predict their fleece wool production and reproductive performance. At sites in Victoria and Western Australia in 2001 and 2002, pregnant Merino ewes were exposed to 10 nutritional treatments. In each of the four experiments, ewes in average condition score 3 at artificial insemination were fed to achieve either maintenance or loss of a condition score over the first 100 days of pregnancy before grazing one of five levels of feed on offer between Day 100 and lamb weaning. Across all four experiments, the average difference in ewe liveweight between extreme treatments was: 7.0 kg (range 4.78.7 kg) at Day 100 of pregnancy; 11.9 kg (range 4.917.8 kg) at lambing; and by weaning was 13.9 kg (range 8.822.7 kg). Liveweight at joining and liveweight change during pregnancy and lactation of individual Merino ewes were significantly related to their clean fleece weight, fibre diameter and staple length and thus the second hypothesis was supported. Heavier ewes at joining produced more wool that was longer and broader and this effect was consistent across both sites and years. A 10-kg loss in ewe liveweight between joining and mid pregnancy, mid pregnancy and lambing or during lactation reduced clean fleece weight by 0.40.7 kg and fibre diameter by 0.51.4 um. At the Victorian site, where ewes were shorn in summer, a loss of 10 kg in liveweight between joining and Day 100 of pregnancy reduced staple strength by 5 N/ktex. As expected the influence of food on offer on changes in ewe liveweight was different between years and sites and between late pregnancy and lactation due to a complex group of pasture and animal factors. Therefore, managing changes in ewe liveweight itself rather than feed on offer will achieve more predictable outcomes. A higher liveweight at joining resulted in a predictable improvement in ewe reproductive rate and liveweight at joining was more important than the liveweight profile leading up to joining. This paper has shown that it is possible to predict the differences in wool production and reproductive rate of flocks of Merino ewes if ewe liveweight records at key times are known.

Details

UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

This output has contributed to the advancement of the following goals:

#3 Good Health and Well-Being

Source: InCites

Metrics

33 Record Views
58 Times Cited - Web of Science

InCites Highlights

These are selected metrics from InCites Benchmarking & Analytics tool, related to this output

Collaboration types
Domestic collaboration
Citation topics
3 Agriculture, Environment & Ecology
3.51 Dairy & Animal Sciences
3.51.115 Livestock Reproduction
Web Of Science research areas
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
ESI research areas
Agricultural Sciences
Logo image