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The supplementary feeding of sheep consuming Mulga (Acacia aneura) with low levels of molasses and urea under field conditions.
Author
Niven, DR
Entwistle, KW
Publisher
CSIRO Publishing
Publication Year
1983
Body

Mature Merino wethers grazing mulga (Acacia aneura) in south-west Queensland were supplemented for 21 weeks with 50 or 100 g DM molasses day with or without 6 g urea day -' .Growth rates and clean fleece yields in the supplemented groups were higher (P < 0.05) than in unsupplemented controls. The control group lost liveweight during the experiment. Growth rates and clean fleece yields were higher (P < 0.05) in groups receiving 100 g DM molasses day -' than in the groups receiving 50 g DM molasses day-'. Provision of urea depressed (P <0.05) growth rates and clean fleece yields. Differences were not as evident when comparing clean wool production per unit area and fibre diameter: significant (P <0.05) differences only occurred between the two levels of molasses supplernentation. Fibre diameter was larger in each of three measure- ment periods and clean wool production per unit area was higher in the middle measurement period for groups receiving 100 g DM molasses day -' .

Language
English
Resource Type
Text
Document Type
Journal Issue/Article
Journal Volume
5
Journal Number
2
Collection
Australian Rangelands
Journal Name
The Rangeland Journal