The effect of previous and current nutrition on wool production in southern Victoria

Abstract

The effect of different planes of nutrition on the wool production of Corriedale wethers at pasture was studied between August 1959 and December 1960. The plane of nutrition was controlled by rate of stocking. The effect of previous nutritional treatment on wool production was slight. It affected wool weight and fibre length for 160 one month and fibre diameter for two months. The differences in current nutritional treatment were accompanied by large differences in wool production except during the spring months. On the highest plane of nutrition the wool production showed little seasonal variation, apart from an initial increase in production during the autumn. On the medium and low planes of nutrition wool growth declined substantially in autumn and winter and increased again in spring. The mean fibre diameter of the wool that was clipped frequently was greater than that of fleece wool obtained from the opposite midside at shearing. Further, in the groups on medium and low planes of nutrition estimates of fleece weight based on the combined weight of periodical clippings were greater than actual fleece weights. It is concluded that, in the dry Victorian summer, wool production is influenced by the plane of nutrition in the previous spring for a short period only, and that in autumn and winter it is dependant almost entirely on the feed immediately available.