Supplementary feeding of grazing Merino ewe weaners

Abstract

Merino ewe weaner lambs grazing at a high stocking rate for 32 weeks in the Wellington region of New South Wales were fed two levels (low, medium) of oat grain plus lucerne hay supplement. Insignificant fleece-adjusted liveweight gain and significant, but small, (2.8 per cent and 9.9 per cent) increases in clean fleece weight resulted for the low and medium groups. Feeding reduced fleece tenderness and altered wool handle and colour. Merino weaner ewes grazing improved pastures at Yass were supplemented with oat grain for 12 weeks in the late summer-early autumn. There was a temporary increase in woo1 production and liveweight but subsequent fertility was not improved. The responses obtained to treatment in both trials appear to be uneconomic