Fleece growth of young Lincoln, Corriedale, Polwarth, and fine Merino maiden ewes grazed on an unimproved paspalum pasture

Abstract

Two young maiden ewes of each of the Lincoln, Corriedale, Polwarth, and fine Merino breeds were kept together on 3 acres of unimproved paspalum dominant pasture at Castle Hill, near Sydney, for 42 weeks. In this time 44½ in. of rain were recorded, with fairly uniform monthly incidence. The response of the sheep to these conditions was studied and compared with that of similar sheep which were kept in housed, single pens and fed unrestricted quantities of a high-quality diet (Daly and Carter 1955). Liveweight and wool production of the field sheep were dependent on seasonal trends in pasture quality and were consistently lower than for the housed, well-fed sheep. Rain removed appreciable quantities of wax and suint from the fleeces of Lincolns, Corriedales, and Polwarths and altered the pattern of distribution of these components in them. In warm, wet conditions "canary stain" and bacterial discoloration became conspicuous in Corriedale and Polwarth fleeces but not in Lincoln and fine Merino fleeces. In all respects the fine Merino fleeces were least affected by the relatively severe climatic conditions.