HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Dahmen, J. J. Articles by Everson, D. O. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Dahmen, J. J. Articles by Everson, D. O.

Lamb Production of Panama and Finn x Panama Ewes Fed Three Energy Levels¹

University of Idaho^,2, Moscow 83843

Abstract

This study compared the performance of 111 Panama (P) and 118 Finn x Panama (FP) 2-year-old ewes (second lambing) maintained in drylot year round. All ewes were flushed prior to breeding and initially exposed to rams on September 3 for a 42-day breeding season. Previous treatment was the same for all ewes until November 13, at which time ewes were assigned at random, within breed, to three levels of digestible energy: Low (L) 85, medium (M) 100, and high (H) 115% of NRC (1975). All ewes were fed baled alfalfa hay or alfalfa hay pellets and corn silage at levels appropriate for the assigned treatment. All lambs were creep fed until weaned at approximately 90 days of age.

Ninety-three % of both breeds lambed with no breed differences in ewe lambing difficulty or ram days. Lambs born and weaned "per ewe exposed" and "per ewe lambing" were higher (P<.01) for FP ewes compared to P ewes. The difference in lambs born "per ewe lambing" was 41% greater for the crossbreds and would indicate that this could be expected from crossing with Finnsheep. Panama ewes were 6.29 kg heavier than FP ewes after breeding with nearly the same weight difference at weaning. Finn x Panama ewes weaned more (P<.05) kilogram lamb "per ewe exposed" than P ewes. Although FP ewes tended to wean more kilogram of lamb per kilogram of ewe exposed than P ewes, the difference was not significant (P>.05). Birth weights of singles, twins and all lambs combined from P ewes were heavier (P<.01) than from FP ewes. Ewes of both breeds on H and ME had more (P<.01) kilogram lamb weaned per kilogram of ewe lambing than those on LE which indicated that 85% NRC (1975) energy allowance was not adequate for lactation. Energy levels had no effect on lamb vigor score at birth when imposed on ewes at mid-gestation.

¹ Published with the approval of the Director of the Idaho Agricultural Experiment Station as Research Paper No. 7748.

² Department of Animal Sciences.

³ Department of Agricultural Economics.