The lambing performance of range ewes was compared with that of similar ewes which were supplemented for 17 days prior to and the first 17 days of breeding (four years), were fed in drylot (four years), or grazed an improved pasture (two years) over the same period. Supplementation (2.25 kg alfalfa pellets/ewe/week, fed twice weekly) did not improve lambing performance, but drylot feeding (1.82 kg alfalfa hay/ewe/day) increased the number of lambs born/ewe present at lambing from 101 to 128% (P < 0.001). Access to improved pasture also increased lambing percentage (from 110 to 138) (P < 0.01). Current feed costs, and availability and alternative uses of an area of improved pasture will determine which of the two effective treatments is most likely to result in the greatest net returns from flushing. The observed flushing effect was associated mainly with the live-weight change over the flushing period, rather than any static live-weight effect. For every kg increase in the weight gain during flushing, lambing % increased by about 8%. This material was digitized as part of a cooperative project between the Society for Range Management and the University of Arizona Libraries. The Journal of Range Management archives are made available by the Society for Range Management and the University of Arizona Libraries. Contact lbry-journals@email.arizona.edu for further information. Migrated from OJS platform August 2020
Scholarly peer-reviewed articles published by the Society for Range Management. Access articles on a rolling-window basis from vol. 1, 1948 up to 5 years from the current year. Formerly Journal of Range Management (JRM). More recent content is available by subscription from SRM.