The Effect of Herbage Availability and Season of Year on the Rate of Liveweight Loss during Weighing of Fasting Ewe Lambs

Jimmy Semakula, Rene A. Corner-Thomas, Stephen T. Morris, Hugh T. Blair and Paul R. Kenyon
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Jimmy Semakula: School of Agriculture and Environment, Massey University, Private Bag 11222, Palmerston North 4410, New Zealand
Rene A. Corner-Thomas: School of Agriculture and Environment, Massey University, Private Bag 11222, Palmerston North 4410, New Zealand
Stephen T. Morris: School of Agriculture and Environment, Massey University, Private Bag 11222, Palmerston North 4410, New Zealand
Hugh T. Blair: School of Agriculture and Environment, Massey University, Private Bag 11222, Palmerston North 4410, New Zealand
Paul R. Kenyon: School of Agriculture and Environment, Massey University, Private Bag 11222, Palmerston North 4410, New Zealand

Agriculture, 2021, vol. 11, issue 2, 1-20

Abstract: Sheep ( Ovis aries ) liveweight and liveweight change can contain errors when collection procedures are not standardized, or when there are varying time delays between removal from grazing and weighing. A two-stage study was conducted to determine the effect of herbage availability and season of year on the rate of liveweight loss during fasting and to develop and validate correction equations applied to sets of delayed liveweights collected under commercial conditions. Results showed that ewe lambs offered the Low herbage availability lost up to 1.7 kg and those offered the Medium or High herbage availability lost 2.4 kg during 8 h of delayed weighing without access to feed or drinking water. The rate of liveweight loss varied by season, herbage availability and farm ( p < 0.05). Applying correction equations on matching liveweight data collected under similar conditions, provided more accurate estimates (33–55%) of without delay liveweight than using the delayed liveweight. In conclusion, a short-term delay prior to weighing commonly associated with practical handling operations significantly reduced the liveweight recorded for individual sheep. Using delayed liveweights on commercial farms and in research can have significant consequences for management practices and research results globally, therefore, liveweight data should be collected without delay. However, when this is not feasible delayed liveweights should be corrected, and in the absence of locally formulated correction equations, the ones presented in this paper could be used.

Keywords: accuracy; correction equations; gut-fill; liveweight; liveweight loss (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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