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Performance of Ewes Bred First as Lambs Compared with Ewes Bred First as Yearlings

U. S. Department of Agriculture¹

Abstract

THE usual practice among sheepmen is to breed their ewes for the first time at about 18 months of age, so the first lambs are produced at two years of age. Since many ewe lambs born in the early spring come in estrus the following fall, it is possible that lifetime production may be increased by breeding at this time. The present work was undertaken to determine the effect of breeding first as lambs, as compared with breeding first as yearlings, upon the performance of the ewes.

Materials and Methods

Data were collected on Hampshire ewes born during an 8-year period, 1929 to 1936 inclusive. Performance was followed for 5 years on all ewes that survived, so the last data were collected in 1941 on ewes born in 1936.

One hundred nineteen pairs were studied. The number of pairs selected for use exceeded this number, but only those of which both members survived until after shearing as yearlings were included in the analysis.

¹ The U. S. Bureaus of Animal Industry and Plant Industry, and the South Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station cooperated in obtaining the results herein reported.