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Very experienced livestock judges and three ultrasonic machines were compared for accuracy in predicting carcass composition.Sixty-four steers of mixed breed were visually scored for fatness and meat yield by seven judges. Subcutaneous fat depths over the eye muscle at the 13th rib were measured with three different ultrasonic devices prior to slaughter. There was little difference between the ultrasonic machines and the best visual estimates of fatness for predicting weight of commercial trimmed or total dissected fat. Visual estimates of meat yield were not as accurate as the judges' fat scores for predicting carcass composition.Subcutaneous fat depths measured by ultrasonics were shown to be as well related to carcass composition as the best judge's fat scores.

Increasing amounts (0, 0.25, 0.50, 0.75 and 1.0 kg DM/ewe/day) of chopped (10 cm) wilted silage (32.5% DM) was offered to groups of oestrous-synchronized mixed-age Coopworth ewes (n = 50/ group), grazing two restricted levels of autumn pasture (0.8 and 1.6 kg DM allowance/ewe/day). Gains over the 48-day trial .increased linearly with the amount of silage fed from -140 to 68 and from -65 to 105 g/ewe/day, respectively, at each allowance. Ovulation rates were measured by laparoscopy at two oestrous cycles. A linear model with logit transformation was used to determine treatment effects on the proportion of multiple ovulations. At both cycles there was a linear effect between multiple ovulations and level of silage intake and thereby sustained gain. Fine-chopped wilted silage proved superior to conventional silage for flushing.

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