Milk and herbage intakes by grazing lambs born to Merino ewes and sired by Merino, Border Leicester, Corriedale, Dorset Horn and Southdown rams

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Abstract
SUMMARY Estimates were made of milk and herbage intakes and growth rates of male lambs born to Merino ewes which had been mated to Merino, Border Leicester, Corriedale, Dorset Horn or Southdown rams. The lambs were castrated and with the ewes grazed grass-clover pastures at two stocking rates. Crossbred lambs consumed more milk and more grass, and grew more rapidly than Merino lambs. The greatest intakes and growth rates were attained by progeny of Border Leicester and Dorset Horn sires; Corriedale and Southdown crosses also grew more rapidly than Merinos. Lambs at the high stocking rate received slightly more milk and consumed less grass than those grazed at the low stocking rate. The growth rates of groups were similar.