Pasture length and species in relation to the autumn growth of hoggets

Abstract

A trial is described in which the liveweight growth of hoggets grazing six different pastures was compared. The six pastures comprised short perennial ryegrass (SP), long perennial ryegrass (LP), short perennial ryegrass plus white clover (SP + C), long perennial ryegrass plus white clover (LP + C), short white clover (SC), and long white clover (LC).Mean liveweight gains were 6.4, 16.9, 18.1, 24.6, 34.0, and 34.7 lb respectively from

Effect of concentrate, dried grass and dried white clover ratios on intake, digestibility and liveweight gain by early‐weaned lambs

“…Therefore DOM intake largely explained why Iiveweight gain in lambs fed dried grass increased with up to 50% clover supplementation but did not continue to increase with further clover supplementation. This differs from the almost linear response of liveweight gain to clover supplementation of grass found by Hight and Sinclair (1967) under grazing conditions and by Rattray and Joyce (1974) when both forages were offered ad libitum or restricted in the frozen state to wethers. Further studies with fresh and dried processed grasses and clover offered to sheep of different ages would be required in order to determine whether this discrepancy is a real or chance effect.…”

“…Several workers in New Zealand and the UK have shown that white clover {Trifolium repens) supports greater daily gains in sheep than grasses when grazed or offered in the frozen state (Spedding, et al, 1960;Hight and Sinclair, 1967;Ullyatt, 1971;Rattray and Joyce, 1974). No information is available, however, on the comparative performance of early-weaned lambs offered artificially dried and processed white clover and lambs offered either dried grass or concentrates.…”

“…When artifically dried grass was compared with a conventional concentrate as a partial or complete replacement daily gains by early-weaned lambs were low and proportional to the dried grass content of the total diet (Chestnutt, 1975). Several workers in New Zealand and the UK have shown that white clover (Trifolium repens) supports greater daily gains in sheep than grasses when grazed or offered in the frozen state (Spedding, et al, 1960;Hight and Sinclair, 1967;Ullyatt, 1971;Rattray and Joyce, 1974). No information is available, however, on the comparative performance of early-weaned lambs offered artificially dried and processed white clover and lambs offered either dried grass or concentrates.…”

V. Gisborne Plains

“…This trial has demonstrated that a vigorous, productive, perennial ryegrass-dominant pasture can be maintained for many years under high stocking rates of sheep. However, it is now known that the growth of young sheep increases with the white clover content of pasture (Hight & Sinclair 1965, 1967. So in an enterprise for lamb-meat production, white clover dominance should be promoted, either by pasture renewal or the use of herbicides.…”

Presidential Address*

“…White clover is unique as a pasture plant in that it maintains its high digestibility almost indefinitely. Reference can be made to several investigations even as early as the 193O's in this country reflecting its value and superiority as an animal feed (10,15) for achieving better liveweight gains; more recently confirmed by New Zealand workers (7,8).…”