An experimental study of the early weaning of lambs

Abstract

Two early weaning experiments are reported. When grazing young, high protein pastures, lambs weaned at 7, 10, 13 and 18 weeks of age grew equally well and there were no significant differences between their carcass weights, grades, and dressing percentages.However, when grazing pastures in the preflowering and flowering stages of growth, lambs weaned at 8 weeks of age did not grow as well as unweaned controls. Their carcass weights, grades, and dressing percentages were also inferior. It is suggested that these differences were primarily due to an inadequate protein intake.No difference in wool production was found either between the ewes of early weaned and control lambs, or between the lambs themselves.