The food conversion efficiency in lambs of two crosses of sheep

Abstract

The experiment investigated factors associated with differences in growth rate from birth to seven weeks, by two crossbreeds of lamb. The Dorset Horn x Border Leicester-Merino grew at 0.18 kg per day, and the Dorset Horn x Merino grew at 0.14 kg per day (P<0.001) although both crosses consumed the same digestible organic matter intake. Thus the second cross was significantly more efficient (P<0.05) than the first cross. Two levels of milk were also fed to both crosses and, although the high level improved growth rate (P <0.001), it did not effect the efficiency of conversion of food to animal tissue.