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Abstract
The feeding value of Aries HD perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne) was evaluated over spring (3 Sep to 1 Dec 1996) using Romney ewes suckling single lambs, with Yatsyn 1 perennial ryegrass as the control cultivar. There were three replicate plots of each cultivar of 0.33 ha continuously stocked with 6 ewes per plot after lambing to maintain a mean sward surface height of 6 cm. Ewes were removed from the area on 5 November at weaning. Ewe liveweight gain tended to be higher on Aries HD than Yatsyn 1 over September (94 versus 56 ± 14.5 g day−1, P < 0.07) which coincided with a significantly higher herbage intake (1.78 versus 1.37 ± 0.038 kg DM day−1, P < 0.04). The percentage of ryegrass leaf was higher in Aries HD pasture, as were ewe bite rate and calculated bite weight. The time spent grazing on these ryegrass cultivars was between 11.0 and 11.3 hours per 24‐h period. There was no significant difference in growth rates of suckling lambs between cultivars. Information on herbage nutritive value, herbage intake, and grazing behaviour are discussed in relation to the differences in ewe performance.