Effects of weaning age and suckling regime on the profitability of dual purpose sheep and goats
1991
Economides, S. (Agricultural Research Inst., Nicosia (Cyprus))
Two weaning ages in sheep (35 and 42 days) and two weaning ages in goats (49 and 56 days), the younger weaning age combined with continuous and the older with restricted suckling, were used to investigate milk yield and fat content of milk and liveweight gain and feed intake of lambs and kids from 29 to 56 days in sheep and from 42 to 70 days in goats. Milking times per kg of sheep or goat milk were also measured. Sheep and goats were offered a diet composed of 66% concentrates and 34% roughage and lambs and kids were offered a pelleted creep feed ad libitum and alfalfa hay. Ewes weaned at 42 days post-partum with restricted suckling prior to weaning produced slightly more milk and their lambs had similar liveweight gain with ewes continuously sucked and weaned at 35 days of age but at the expense of higher liveweight loss. Goats continuously sucked and weaned at 49 days post-partum had similar milk yields and liveweight gain of kids with goats weaned at 56 days and partially sucked prior to weaning. Milking time was inversely related to the quantity of milk removed from the udder. Less time was needed to milk a unit of goat milk than a unit of sheep milk. It was concluded that in sheep, continuous suckling and weaning at 35 days of age or restricted suckling and weaning at 42 days can be applied depending on the price relationships between milk, meat and the availability of labour and facilities to separate the lambs from the ewes. It was also concluded that continuous suckling and weaning of goats at 49 days had more advantages than restricted suckling and weaning at 56 days of age
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