Production of Hair Sheep Using Accelerated Lambing and an Extensive Management System in the Tropics

R.W. Godfrey, J.R. Collins, E.L. Hensley, H.A. Buroker, J.K. Bultman and A.j Weis

No 256194, 40th Annual Meeting, July 19-23, 2004, St. Johns, U.S. Virgin Islands from Caribbean Food Crops Society

Abstract: St. Croix White and Barbados Blackbelly hair sheep ewes were managed using accelerated lambing in an extensive management system. Ewes grazed guinea grass (Panicum maximum) in a rotational grazing system throughout the year. Single sire breeding took place during 35-d periods in February, June or October with each flock producing three lamb crops every 2 years. Lambs were weaned at 63 d of age. Overall ewe fertility was 89.8% and prolificacy was 1.77 lambs per ewe lambing. Ewes that were bred in October had higher prolificacy (P < 0.0001) than ewes that were bred in February or June (1.87 vs 1.64 vs 1.73 lambs per ewe lambing, respectively). Ewes bred during October produced more triplets and fewer singles (P < 0.0001) than ewes bred at other times of the year. Ewe productivity, expressed as the ratio of litter weaning weight to ewe body weight, increased (P < 0.0001) from 41.6 to 50.3%) during a 10-yr period. These results show that hair sheep productivity can be sustained and enhanced using accelerated lambing and extensive management in the tropics.

Keywords: Agricultural and Food Policy; Crop Production/Industries (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 9
Date: 2004-07-19
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:ags:cfcs04:256194

DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.256194

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