The growth rates of weaned lambs grazing three legume-based pastures during summer

1980 ◽  
Vol 20 (102) ◽  
pp. 9
Author(s):  
ID Sanderson ◽  
JD McFarlane ◽  
WR McManus

An experiment was conducted on the Central Western Slopes of New South Wales with Dorset Horn x Merino lambs to assess their liveweight gains during summer when weaned on to a lucernebased pasture under dryland conditions, and when weaned on to irrigated lucerne and red clover pastures. Lambs grazing irrigated lucerne, irrigated red clover and dryland lucerne had average growth rates of 155, 178 and 124 g day-1/head, respectively, throughout the 106 day experimental period. The poor growth rates of lambs on the dryland lucerne were apparently due mainly to the low digestibility of the dry feed on offer as a result of low rainfall, which also caused feed supply to be limiting during part of the experimental period. Lamb growth and intake data suggest that the diets selected from the red clover were of higher digestibility than those selected from the irrigated lucerne. It was concluded that irrigated red clover and irrigated lucerne provided useful diets for young lambs in this environment, although the growth rates achieved were less than reported elsewhere for these species in cooler climates. Growth rates achieved by lambs grazing dryland lucerne were less satisfactory for prime lamb production.


2006 ◽  
Vol 46 (4) ◽  
pp. 471 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. J. Holst ◽  
D. F. Stanley ◽  
G. D. Millar ◽  
A. Radburn ◽  
D. L. Michalk ◽  
...  

The main limitations for prime lamb production in the Central Tablelands of New South Wales are low availability of forage early in the growing season (late autumn–early winter) and low nutritive value in the summer. This paper describes the performance of a first-cross lamb breeding enterprise on 4 pasture types and 2 management systems over 4 years for the Central Tablelands region. The pastures studied comprised a traditional unfertilised naturalised pasture, a similar pasture fertilised with superphosphate, a sod-sown fertilised introduced perennial grass pasture and a sod-sown summer growing perennial, chicory (Cichorium intybus L.) pasture. Grazing management involved either continuous grazing or tactical grazing that combined a lower annual stocking rate with an optional summer rest to maintain perennial grass content above 50%. An additional area of chicory pasture was set aside for finishing lambs. Over the experiment stocking rates were increased each year as the pasture became established, with increases ranging from 1.5 ewes/ha for tactically grazed unfertilised natural pasture to 3.6 ewes/ha, for chicory and clover pasture. The feed quality v. quantity problem of summer and autumn was reaffirmed for each pasture type except chicory and the lamb enterprise appeared to be sufficiently adaptable to be promising. Ewes lambed in September and produced satisfactory lamb growth rates (about 280 g/day for twins) on the various pastures until weaning in late December. Thereafter, lamb growth rates declined as the pastures senesced, except chicory, reaffirming the feed quality v. quantity problem in summer and autumn of naturalised and sown grass pastures for producing lamb to heavyweight market specifications. Weaning liveweights (in the range of 32–40 kg) from grass-based pastures were high enough for only about 45% of the lambs to be sold as domestic trade lambs with the remainder as unfinished lambs. In contrast, the chicory and clover finishing pasture produced lamb growth rates of 125 g/day and quality large, lean lambs suitable for the export market. Vegetable matter in the late January shorn wool was insignificant and there was no significant effect of pasture on fleece weight, fibre diameter or staple strength. Position of break in staples of wool from chicory pastures differed from that of the other pasture types and warrants further study on time of shearing. It was concluded that a first cross lamb producing enterprise of suitable genetics was effective in producing trade and store lambs before pasture senescence, but the inclusion of a specialised pasture of summer growing chicory would create greater opportunities. In the unreliable summer rainfall region of the Central Tablelands, the area of chicory pasture needed to maintain lamb growth rates of >125 g/day, estimated from these results, is around 10 lamb/ha of chicory.



1991 ◽  
Vol 31 (5) ◽  
pp. 639 ◽  
Author(s):  
PL Milthorpe ◽  
PR Dann

In 1985, experiments were conducted at 4 localities in south-eastern and central New South Wales, to assess the production potential of tagasaste. The results were disappointing: 2 experiments failed to establish because of soil waterlogging, while production from the other 2 sites was only intermittent. Annual dry matter production did not exceed 3 t/ha at Condobolin or 5 t/ha at Yass. Although survival of established plants was good, production was limited by prolonged dry periods at Condobolin and by low temperatures during winter at Yass. Tagasaste is costly to establish (up to $A500/ha) and difficult to manage. In our environments, conventional pastures or fodder crops which require simpler management would probably out-produce tagasaste at most times during the experimental period.



1979 ◽  
Vol 19 (99) ◽  
pp. 437 ◽  
Author(s):  
AC Andrews ◽  
FC Crofts

Four ecotypes of hybrid Bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon) were compared with common couch (C. dactylon) and kikuyu (Pennisetum clandestinum) at five sites in coastal districts of New South Wales. The sites were Grafton and Coaldale (Lat. 30�S), Mitchells Island (Lat. 32�S) and Richmond and Badgerys Creek (Lat. 34�S). Hybrid Bermudagrass ecotypes 6389 and 692 were established quickly at all sites while ecotypes 71 9 and 632 were satsifactory. Kikuyu was strong at all sites except Grafton but the rate of establishment of common couch was poor. At the frost-free sandy site of Mitchells Island, Bermudagrass ecotypes 719, 692, 6389, and 632 outyielded kikuyu by 75, 65, 65 and 35%, respectively. However, at Grafton and Coaldale, the highest yielding Bermudagrass ecotype, 719, had only 35% higher production than kikuyu. At the frost prone southern sites of Richmond and Badgerys Creek, the annual production of kikuyu was equal to that of ecotypes 719, 6389, 692 and 632. Common couch yields were equal to kikuyu at all sites except at Richmond. At Mitchells Island, the hybrid Bermudagrasses outyielded kikuyu in spring, summer and early autumn but in the late autumn kikuyu had equal and sometimes higher growth rates than the best Bermudagrasses. In winter, the growth of both species was negligible, although kikuyu, unlike the Bermudagrasses, did produce some new shoots at the base of the sward. Data on persistence under grazing were collected from only three of the sites but trends were similar to establishment. Ecotype 6389 had the highest persistence rating of the Bermudagrasses. Kikuyu failed at the poorly drained sandy site of Grafton but remained strong at the other sites. It was concluded that hybrid Bermudagrasses were of potential value for pastures in New South Wales, especially for sites with sandy soils and low frost incidence.



2004 ◽  
Vol 55 (5) ◽  
pp. 489 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Stewart ◽  
Douglas J. Ferrell ◽  
Bryan van der Walt

The size and age compositions of yellowtail kingfish (Seriola lalandi) were studied in commercial landings in New South Wales, Australia between 1998 and 2000. The fishery was dominated by fish smaller than 65 cm fork length and these fish were estimated to be 2 and 3 year olds. Estimates of growth rates were made using size-at-age data from sectioned otoliths. The oldest yellowtail kingfish found was 21 years and measured 136 cm fork length. There were no differences in the growth rates between regions or between sexes. Yellowtail kingfish grow rapidly and reach their minimum legal length of 60 cm total length at around 2 years of age. These estimates showed that previous studies, which estimated ages using whole otoliths, may have underestimated the ages of older yellowtail kingfish. Total instantaneous mortality rates generated from catch curves ranged between 0.43 and 0.79. Yield per recruit models suggest that the population is currently growth overfished. The information provided is used to discuss the suitability of the current minimum legal length for yellowtail kingfish in New South Wales.



2014 ◽  
Vol 54 (10) ◽  
pp. 1625 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. R. McGrath ◽  
J. M. Virgona ◽  
M. A. Friend

Slow pasture growth rates during winter limit the potential gross margins from autumn and early winter lambing in southern New South Wales (NSW) by limiting stocking rates and/or increasing supplementary feed requirements. Dual-purpose crops can reduce the winter feed gap in mixed-farming systems by increasing the available feed in winter. The simulation software AusFarm was used to model a mixed-farming system at Wagga Wagga with Merino ewes joined to terminal sires and grazing lucerne-subterranean clover pasture over a 41-year period. A paddock of dual-purpose wheat was then added to the system, and ewes were allowed to graze the wheat crop when feed on offer reached 850 kg DM/ha and before GS31. Weaned lambs were sold after late August if lamb growth rates fell below 20 g/head.day, mean lamb weight reached 45 kg or production feeding of lambs was required. Lambing in June resulted in the highest median gross margin whether or not ewes were able to graze the wheat crop during winter. Grazing of a dual-purpose wheat crop resulted in greater proportional increases in gross margins as stocking rate was increased, increased lamb production and reduced supplementary feeding costs, and reduced interannual variability in gross margin returns.



1989 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
pp. 303-305
Author(s):  
Alec Pemberton


1973 ◽  
Vol 13 (64) ◽  
pp. 477
Author(s):  
DW Hennessy

The organic matter intakes (OMI) and liveweight of twenty-four weaner steers grazing either short or long irrigated annual pastures were compared during May to November in 1964 and 1965 at Leeton, New South Wales. The OMI were estimated from determinations of faeces organic matter output using chromic oxide dilution, and of digestibility estimated from a faeces nitrogen-digestibility relationship for pen-fed cattle. Weaners that grazed the short or long pasture did not differ significantly in final liveweights (356 v.361 kg respectively, 1964; 357 v.361 kg, 1965) or OMI (4.99 v.5.42 kg day-1, 1964; 5.78 v.6.06 kg day-1, 1965) although available dry matter was less (P < 0.05) in short than in long pastures in both years. The OMI were commensurate with the 0.6 kg mean daily liveweight gains of weaners, which however were smaller than other reported growth rates, and an unsatisfactory production from the costly pastures. The reasons for the small liveweight gains are unknown but it is suggested that high moisture contents (85 per cent) of pastures restricted intake, or that high clover contents (58 per cent) caused bloating and rumen distension which thereby restricted intake.



1978 ◽  
Vol 29 (4) ◽  
pp. 435 ◽  
Author(s):  
CJ Grant ◽  
TR Cowper ◽  
DD Reid

Investigation of the age and growth of snoek, L. atun, from south-eastern Australian waters indicates differences in growth rates of fish taken in Bass Strait and eastern Tasmania. These findings add support to earlier suggestions, based on other evidence, that there are at least three populations of this species inhabiting, respectively, Bass Strait, eastern Tasmanian, and eastern Victorian and southern New South Wales waters.



Soil Research ◽  
1992 ◽  
Vol 30 (3) ◽  
pp. 371 ◽  
Author(s):  
IP Little ◽  
CJ Chartres ◽  
RR Young

Poor growth of barrel medic (Medicago truncatula) has been observed in established pasture on the red duplex and gradational soils of the semi-arid sheep and wheat growing areas of western New South Wales. Red-brown earth soils were examined from three paddocks on Condobolin Research and Advisory Station in conjunction with a visual assessment of the growth of medic. The soils were sampled at 20 m intervals along three line transects in each of three paddocks with different cropping histories. Bray-P; pH, Mn and Al extracted by 0.01 M CaCl2; exchangeable plus soluble Na, K, Ca and Mg; and pH in a 1:5 soil/water suspension were measured at four depth increments at each sampling point. Although the pH in CaCl2 was often less than 5.0, in general no Al was extracted from the 0-5 cm soil layer. Classification of the soils on medic growth alone showed medics were absent from the most acid soils. However, there was considerable within class variability. A better approach was provided by classifying the soils by means of a Euclidean distance/flexible sort of scores from the first principal component. This classification showed that the poorest medic growth was associated with the most acid group with considerable amounts of Al soluble in 0.01 M CaCl2 in the 10-20 cm horizon. Medics grew best in soils with moderate pH values between 5 and 6 in CaCl2 where there was no soluble A1 and moderate levels of exchangeable Ca and Na and soluble Mn. Medics appeared also to grow less well in more alkaline soils where there was very little soluble Mn. There were no differences between classes in available P. There were differences between paddocks; the uncultivated paddock being the most acid and the paddock with the longest cropping history having more Bray-P, more exchangeable Na and more exchangeable Ca at 10-20 cm. The uncropped paddock became more acid and the base status was lowered by natural soil processes and its condition probably indicates the status of many such soils in the district.



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