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Title: FINISHING FALL BORN LAMBS ON WHEAT PASTURE WITH AD LIBITUM ACCESS TO A HIGH CONCENTRATE DIET

Author
item Phillips, William
item FITCH, J - OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY

Submitted to: American Society of Animal Science
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/11/1999
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: PHILLIPS, W.A., FITCH, J.Q. FINISHING FALL BORN LAMBS ON WHEAT PASTURE WITH AD LIBITUM ACCESS TO A HIGH CONCENTRATE DIET. AMERICAN SOCIETY OF ANIMAL SCIENCE. 1999. 78(Suppl.1): Abstract p. 24.

Interpretive Summary: Abstract only

Technical Abstract: The objective of this experiment was to measure the post-weaning performance fall born lambs finished in confinement or on wheat pasture. Fall born lambs (n=309) sired by black face rams were blocked by ewe breed (Rambouillet, Dorset X Rambouillet, Finn X Rambouillet, Romanvo X (Dorset or Rambouillet)), sex and age, and then randomly assigned to one of two finishing treatments (dry lot or wheat pasture). Lambs on pasture were stocker at 17 head/ha with ad libitum access to a self-feeder containing the same diet (12% CP and 83% TDN) as fed to the lambs in dry lot. The experiment began on February 7 and ended on May 4, 1995. Ewe lambs (n=164) weighed less (p<.03; 30.6 vs 31.8 kg) at weaning, gained less weight (p<.01; 17.1 vs 19.1 kg) during the experimental period, and weighed less (p<.01; 47.6 vs 51.0 kg) at the end of the experiment than wether lambs (n=145). Lambs finished on wheat pasture (n=182) gained weight at a slower rrate (p<.01; 200 vs 223 g/d) than lambs fed in dry lot (n=127) and weighed less (50.8 vs 48.1) at the end of the experiment. Differences in lamb performance between the finishing systems were ranked the same among the ewe breeds, but the magnitude of the differences were less for lambs from the Romanov X (Rambouillet or Dorset) ewes than for lambs from the Dorset X Rambouillet ewes. Lambs finished on wheat pasture consumed less feed during the 86-d experiment than lambs finished in dry lot (71.1 vs 152.1 kg/hd0. At the stocking rate used in this experiment (17 hd/ha), one ha of wheat pasture could replace 1377 kg of feed. Lambs finished on wheat pasture plus ad libitum access to a high concentrate diet can be finished in a timely manner with less feed.