Improved per hectare production in a lamb finishing system using mixtures of red and white clover with plantain and chicory compared to ryegrass and white clover

Made available in DSpace on 2018-11-26T15:44:22Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2017-06-01 International Sheep Research Centre and Massey University National Research Centre for Growth and Development Over a three year period the performance of lambs being finished on three sward treatments were compared. The three treatments included (i) 'Grass-clover mixture'; perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) and white clover (Trifolium repens) (ii) 'Plantain-clover mixture'; plantain (Plantago lanceolata), white clover and red clover (Trifolium pratense) (iii) 'Chicory-plantain-clover mixture'; plantain, chicory (Cichorium intybus L.), white- and red-clover. Each year was divided into five grazing periods namely; winter, early spring, late-spring, summer and autumn with only the Grass-clover mixture being utilised in the winter due to the growth profile and management requirements of the herb species. Over the three year period, a total of 3353 kg live weight per ha was produced on the Grass-clover mixture, which was less (P < 0.05) than the 3838 kg/ha produced with the Plantain-clover mixture or 3768 kg/ha on the Chicory-plantain-clover mixture. Similarly over the three year period, 1270 kg of carcass weight gain per ha was produced on the Grass-clover mixture, which was less (P < 0.05) than the 1706 kg/ha produced with the Plantain-clover mixture or 1732 kg/ha with the Chicory plantain-clover. This indicates that farmers aimed at lamb finishing can have some confidence that when utilising these herb-clovers mixtures they can increase lamb and meat productivity for at least three years. Massey Univ, Int Sheep Res Ctr, Inst Vet Anim & Biomed Sci, Private Bag 11-222, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand Sao Paulo State Univ, Dept Anim Sci, Sao Paulo, Brazil Coconut Res Inst, Bandirippuwa Estate, Lunuwila, Sri Lanka Sao Paulo State Univ, Dept Anim Sci, Sao Paulo, Brazil