Relationship of weaning weight to the mature liveweight of cashmere does on Australian farms
B. A. McGregor A B D and K. L. Butler CA Livestock Production Sciences, Future Farming Systems Research Division, Department of Primary Industries, Attwood, Vic. 3049, Australia.
B Present address: Centre for Material and Fibre Innovation, Deakin University, Geelong, Vic. 3217, Australia.
C Biometrics Unit, Future Farming Systems Research Division, Department of Primary Industries, Werribee, Vic. 3030, Australia.
D Corresponding author. Email: bruce.mcgregor@deakin.edu.au
Animal Production Science 50(6) 581-584 https://doi.org/10.1071/AN09220
Submitted: 14 December 2009 Accepted: 3 May 2010 Published: 11 June 2010
Abstract
Median weaning weight and its relationship with the median mature liveweight of does was quantified for four commercial Australian cashmere farms in various parts of Australia. Individual liveweights, of does of all ages at the time of weaning in December, ranged from 9 to 61 kg. Individual farm means of adult does (>1 year old) ranged from 24.6 to 38.8 kg. The model for the logarithm of liveweight was: log10(liveweight) = a + br(Age + 0.6); where a, b and r are parameters that are different for each farm. The result that the r parameter differs with farm was statistically significant (P = 9.4 × 10−6). The percentage variance accounted for was 84.4% and the residual standard deviation was 0.042. Farms differed greatly in the median mature liveweight with some farms reaching ~44 kg and others only 31 kg. Median weaning weight was 14.1 kg (range 11.4–16.8 kg). Median weaning weight as a percentage of median mature doe liveweight on a particular farm varied from 32 to 42%. These weaning weights appear low in absolute and relative terms and thus are likely to incur production penalties.
Additional keywords: farm management, mature size, nutrition, production, reproduction.
Acknowledgements
We are indebted to the cashmere farmers who participated in this project. Tim Johnson from Agriculture Western Australia assisted in taking on-farm measurements. The Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation provided financial support.
Allden WG
(1968) Undernutrition of the merino sheep and its sequelae. 3. The effect on lifetime productivity of growth restrictions imposed at two stages of early postnatal life in a Mediterranean environment. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 19, 981–996.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
[Verified 14 October 2009]
Campbell AJD,
Vizard AL, Larsen JWA
(2009) Risk factors for post-weaning mortality of Merino sheep in south-eastern Australia. Australian Veterinary Journal 87, 305–312.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
CAS |
PubMed |
Donald CM, Allden WG
(1959) The summer nutrition of weaner sheep: the deficiencies of the mature herbage of sown pasture as a feed for young sheep. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 10, 199–218.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Hocking Edwards JE,
Gould RM, Copping KJ
(2008) Putting Merino weaner management recommendations to the test. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 48, 974–978.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Holst PJ,
Peters DE,
Allan CJ, Pervez M
(1987) Properties of leather produced from a sample of Australian goats. Journal of the Society of Leather Trades Chemists 71, 134–137.
|
CAS |
McGregor BA
(1990) Boneless meat yields and prediction equations from carcass parameters of Australian cashmere goats. Small Ruminant Research 3, 465–473.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
McGregor BA
(1996a) Carcass quality and commercial acceptance of Angora goat kids fed supplementary energy and slaughtered at 5 months of age. Proceedings of the Australian Society of Animal Production 21, 135–138.
McGregor BA
(1996b) Lupin grain but not barley straw supplements allow cashmere buck kids to grow rapidly during winter. Proceedings of the Australian Society of Animal Production 21, 294–297.
McGregor BA, Butler KL
(2008a) Determinants of cashmere production: the contribution of fleece measurements and animal growth on farms. Small Ruminant Research 78, 96–105.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
McGregor BA, Butler KL
(2008b) Cashmere production and fleece attributes associated with farm of origin, age and sex of goat in Australia. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 48, 1090–1098.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
McGregor BA, Butler KL
(2009) Implications to fleece evaluation derived from sources of variation contributing to cashmere fibre curvature. Small Ruminant Research 81, 1–7.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
McGregor BA, Butler KL
(2010) Associations of mature live weight of Australian cashmere goats with farm of origin and age. Small Ruminant Research 89, 1–6.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
McGregor BA, McLaughlin JW
(1980) The influence of dietary protein and energy concentration on growth of Merino weaner sheep. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 20, 308–315.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
McGregor BA,
Wolde-Michael T, Holmes JHG
(1988) The influence of energy supplementation and zeranol implants on growth and carcass characteristics of Australian feral goat kids. Proceedings of the Australian Society of Animal Production 17, 234–237.
Warmington BG, Kirton AH
(1990) Genetic and non-genetic influences on growth and carcass traits of goats. Small Ruminant Research 3, 147–165.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Wolde-Michael T,
Miller HM,
Holmes JHG,
McGregor BA, Galloway DB
(1989) Effect of supplementary feeding and zeranol on puberty in feral cashmere goats. Australian Veterinary Journal 66, 124–126.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
CAS |
PubMed |