Feeding ewes a diet high in omega-3 would appear to lead to a higher proportion of male lambs, while an increase in female lambs occurs when the bulk of the feed is omega-6.
These are the findings of a study at Wagga Wagga Agricultural Institute in southern New South Wales (Australia). The study began in 2009 with 300 ewes building to just over 1,500. Ewes were fed their respective diets for either six weeks prior to joining only or both six weeks prior to and three weeks following joining.
"What it has shown is that if we feed a diet based on omega-3, which is similar to what we get when we feed pasture, we get more male lambs," the researcher explained. He said future research may also look at enhancing the rams' diet.
Male lambs with their faster growth rate are attractive for prime lamb producers while those looking to bolster future flock numbers lean toward female lambs.
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These are the findings of a study at Wagga Wagga Agricultural Institute in southern New South Wales (Australia). The study began in 2009 with 300 ewes building to just over 1,500. Ewes were fed their respective diets for either six weeks prior to joining only or both six weeks prior to and three weeks following joining.
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| "Grain for girls, pasture for boys." |
Male lambs with their faster growth rate are attractive for prime lamb producers while those looking to bolster future flock numbers lean toward female lambs.
Link to original article
2 comments:
Do you have a link to the study?
I added link to original article to blog post.
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