The effects of shearing Finnish Landrace × Romney ewes in mid-pregnancy on lamb survival, birth weight and other weights.

Abstract

In each of 2 years, 600 Finnish Landrace x Romney ewes were subjected to a range of nutrition levels in early to midpregnancy. Half the ewes were then shorn at day 70 of pregnancy with a standard comb. In the first year (1997), shearing treatment had no impact on single lamb birth and weaning weights, which were 5 and 29 kg respectively. Treatment improved twin lamb birth weights by 0.2 kg (P<0.01) and weaning weights by 1.4 kg (P<0.10). In the second year (1998), shearing treatment benefited single lamb birth weight (0.2kg; P< 0.10), and weaning weight (1kg; P<0.01) and improved twin lamb birth weight by 0.2 kg (P<0.01). In both years, lambing rate and survival were not affected. Ewe weaning weight, also in both years, was slightly higher in the ewes shorn at day 70 of pregnancy (P< 0.05).