The relation between the lamb production and the wool production of the ewe

Abstract

In a flock of 229 three-year-old Border Leicester x Merino ewes it was found that ewes without lambs produced significantly more wool than ewes rearing single lambs, which in turn produced significantly more wool than ewes rearing twins. For all lamb-bearing ewes, the partial regression of fleece weight on slaughter weight of the lamb was -0.012 ± 0.004 lb of fleece per 1 lb increase in slaughter weight. The fleece weight of the ewe was also related to the joining weight of the ewe and the breed of ram to which the ewe was mated. It is suggested that, unless it is carried out before their first mating, selection of ewes on a fleece weight basis will mitigate against the bearing of twins.