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Title: WEIGHT CHANGES IN FALL AND SPRING LAMBING EWES GRAZING FALLOW WHEAT FIELDS DURING THE SUMMER

Author
item PHILLIPS, WILLIAM
item MCCOLLUM, F - TEXAS A&M
item VOLESKY, JERRY - UNIV OF NEBRASKA
item MAYEUX JR, HERMAN

Submitted to: Sheep and Goat Research Journal
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/15/2003
Publication Date: 3/1/2003
Citation: Phillips, W.A., Mccollum, F.T., Volesky, J., Mayeux, H.S. 2003. Weight changes in fall and spring lambing ewes grazing fallow wheat fields during the summer. Sheep and Goat Research Journal. 18:47-54.

Interpretive Summary: Controlling the accumulation of green vegetation on wheat fields during the summer fallow period to conserve moisture for the next wheat crop requires either mechanical tillage, which uses fossil fuel, or herbicides, which increases cost of production. Sheep could be used to graze fallow fields during the summer to control the growth of weeds and grasses, which will reduce the cost of producing a wheat crop and the investment of fossil fuel and /or herbicides. Ewes ranging from one to six years of age were used to graze fallow wheat field each summer for three years to determine the feed value of the weeds and grasses that grow naturally on the fields. Ewes were able to graze fallow wheat fields for an average of 57 days during June, July and August and were able to gain weight at an acceptable rate. Although subsequent wheat production was reduced by using sheep as a biological control for weeds and grasses in summer fallow wheat fields, the production cost for both the sheep and wheat enterprises were reduced.

Technical Abstract: Fall-and spring-lambing ewes (n=2714) were used over a three-year period to determine body weight changes during the summer grazing period (June, July and August). Ewes grazed either fallow winter wheat fields at an average stocking rate of 13.3 ewes/ha or Bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon) pastures at a stocking rate of 2.5 ewes/ha. Fallow winter wheat fields provided an average of 56.7 d of grazing over the three-month grazing season. Ewes grazing bermudagrass pastures gained more (P = .02) weight over the summer than ewes grazing fallow wheat fields, but the amount gained by either group was greater than that needed for ewes in the first 15 weeks of pregnancy or for ewes that were non-pregnant and not lactating. The standing forage available for grazing in fallow winter wheat fields consisted of broadleaf weeds, warm and cool season grasses, and wheat straw. It appeared that weight gains were greater when more of the standing forage was in the form of grasses than as wheat straw. Using ewes for biological control of accumulation of above ground biomass during the summer fallow period resulted in lower fall forage and spring wheat grain production than using herbicides to fallow the fields. Fallow winter wheat fields can be used during the summer to provide standing forage that is high enough in nutrient density to support pregnant and open ewes, but not without decreasing subsequent production of forage or grain.