A COMPARISON OF MILK PRODUCTION AND ITS RELATION TO LAMB GROWTH IN FIVE BREEDS OF SHEEP

Abstract

Milk production from ewes of five breeds of sheep (Suffolk, Hampshire, Rambouillet, Canadian Corriedale, and Romnelet) and the growth of lambs suckling these ewes were compared. Milk production was measured by weighing the lambs prior to and after nursing and crediting the gain in weight to milk produced. Ewes nursing twins produced more milk than those nursing singles (P <.01). Among ewes nursing singles, Suffolk produced the greatest amount of milk (P <.01). Milk production from ewes nursing twins was greatest (P <.05) in Canadian Corriedale and Suffolk ewes. It is suggested that the milk drawn by twin lambs is a measure of milk production while that drawn by single lambs is a measure of ad lib. consumption.Single lambs gained more body weight than twin lambs (P <.01) but differences between breeds were not consistent. Gain in body weight of lambs varied with the milk consumed and, also, may have been influenced by differences in creep-feed consumption.The significant correlation coefficients between milk production and body weight gain of twin lambs in four of the five breeds suggests that milk production is a major consideration in determining the body weight gain of lambs, although other factors also apparently influence body weight gain of the lambs. Since no differences were found in the protein or fat content of the milk (P >.05), it would appear that these factors had little influence on the body weight gain of the lambs or its correlation with milk production.