Effects of heavier live weight of ewe lambs at mating on fertility, lambing percentage, subsequent live weight and the performance of their progeny

ABSTRACT

Ewe lamb live weight at first mating (7 months of age) is positively associated with reproductive performance and led to the recommendation of a minimum mating live weight of 40 kg. This experiment examined the effects of heavier mating live weight of ewe lambs on their live weight, fertility, lambing percentage and their progeny performance to weaning. Ewe lambs (n = 270) were randomly allocated to one of two treatments. The Heavy group (n = 135) was preferentially fed until mating, achieving 47.9 ± 0.36 kg, while the Control group (n = 135) had an average mating live weight of 44.9 ± 0.49 kg. Fertility, lambing percentage, ewe live weights, the survival and live weights of their progeny were recorded. There was a 28% increase in fertility and a 59% increase in lambing percentage in the Heavy group compared to the Control group. Progeny survival and live weights did not differ (P > .05) by treatment. A curvilinear relationship between fertility and ewe live weight at mating was identified, suggesting that ewe lambs should be mated at a live weight of 50–55 kg to maximise fertility and lambing percentage without reducing ewe live weight nor the progeny performance.

KEYWORDS:

• Ewe hogget
• lamb survival
• birth weight
• weaning weight
• lamb growth

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Acknowledgements

The authors wish to acknowledge Mr. Dean Burnham, Mr. Geoff Purchas, Riverside farm staff for their technical assistance and Beef & Lamb New Zealand for funding this study.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by Beef + Lamb New Zealand.