Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-v9fdk Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-10T16:04:54.851Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Effects of clover in the diet of grazed lambs on production and carcass composition

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2010

J. E. Vipond ,
G. Swift ,
R. C. Noble  and
G. Horgan
J. E. Vipond
Affiliation:
Scottish Agricultural College Edinburgh, Bush Estate, Penicuik, Midlothian EH26 0QE
G. Swift
Affiliation:
Scottish Agricultural College Edinburgh, Bush Estate, Penicuik, Midlothian EH26 0QE
R. C. Noble
Affiliation:
Scottish Agricultural College Auchincruive, Ayr KA6 5HW
G. Horgan
Affiliation:
Scottish Agricultural Statistics Service, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3JZ
Get access

Abstract

The effect of grazing clover on ewes and lambs was studied using nitrogen-fertilized grass (G) and grass/white clover pastures (GC) containing proportionately 0·18 clover. Carcasses of lambs grazed on GC were significantly heavier than carcasses of lambs grazed on G pastures. An interaction with weaning occurred. Carcasses from lambs grazed on GC for 53 days post weaning were 2·3 kg heavier (F < 0·01) but lambs slaughtered at weaning had similar carcass weights. Diet had no effect on relative joint components of carcasses. The effect of clover in the diet on carcass weight was attributed to higher levels of protein retention.

Analysis of the fatty acid composition of intramuscular and subcutaneous and perirenal lipids indicated small but significant effects of diet. Lean tissue lipids of lambs grazing clover showed significant increases in C18:2 and reduced C20: 5 fatty acids. In tissue fats there were small increases in C14:0, C16:0 and C18:2 with reduced C18:1 content.

Twin suckled lambs grazing GC for 94 days from turn-out in early April showed increased live-weight gain over lambs on G of 336 v. 287 g/day (s.e.d. 84; P < 0.001). Post weaning live-weight gain of lambs was 173 and 221 g/day on G and GC respectively. Sward height was maintained at 5.18 and 5.24 (s.e.d. 0.075) cm on G and GC paddocks by adjusting ewe numbers. GC pastures carried proportionately 0.82 of the stock on G pastures but output of lamb was similar at 1289 and 1247 kg/ha for G and GC respectively.

Results showed that the production penalty of lower stocking rate associated with grass/clover v. grass fertilized with 190 kg nitrogen per ha was ameliorated by higher lamb live-weight gain and carcass weight without change in joint composition or nutritionally significant change in fatty acid composition of carcass tissues.

Keywords

carcass weightfat compositiongrazingsheepTrifolium repens
Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Production , Volume 57 , Issue 2 , October 1993 , pp. 253 - 261
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 1993

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Beever, D. E., Losada, H. R., Cammell, S. B., Evans, R. T. and Haines, M. J. 1986. Effect of forage species and season on nutrient digestion and supply in grazing cattle. British Journat of Nutrition 56: 209–225.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bircham, J. S. 1981. Herbage growth and utilisation under continuous stocking management. Ph.D. thesis, University of Edinburgh.Google Scholar
Black, J. L. and Kenney, P. A. 1984. Factors affecting diet selection by sheep. II. Height and density of pasture. Australian journal of Agricultural Research 35: 565–578.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Christie, W. W., Noble, R. C. and Moore, J. H. 1970. Determination of lipid classes by a gas-chromatographic procedure. Analyst, London 95: 940–944.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Clark, H. 1988. Beef and sheep output from grass/white clover swards. In The grassland debate: while clover versus applied nitrogen. ADAS-RASE conference, Stoncleigh.Google Scholar
Cuthbertson, A., Harrington, G. and Smith, R. J. 1972. Tissue separation — to assess beef and lamb variation. Proceedings of the British Society of Animal Production, 1972, pp. 113–122.Google Scholar
Davies, A. 1990. Utilisation of grass and clover in continuously grazed Lolium perenne/Trifolium repens sward. Proceedings of the first congress of the European Society of Agronomy, session 1, pp. 66–68.Google Scholar
Dowman, M. G. and Collins, F. C. 1982. The use of enzymes to predict the digestibility of animal feeds. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture 33: 689–696.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Folch, J., Lees, M. and Stanley, G. H. S. 1957. A simple method for the isolation and purification of total lipids from animal tissue. Journal of Biological Chemistry 226: 497–509.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gibb, M. J. and Treacher, T. T. 1983. The performance of lactating ewes offered diets containing different proportions of fresh perennial ryegrass and white clover. Animal Production 37: 433–440.Google Scholar
Hodgson, J. 1990. Grazing management. Science into practice. Longman, Harlow.Google Scholar
Hopkins, A. 1986. Botanical composition of permanent grassland in England and Wales in relation to soil, environment and management factors. Grass and Forage Science 41: 237–246.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Howard, D. W., Griffiths, M. S. and James, C. 1990. Clover development and animal production under continuous grazing. In Nnv developments in sheep production (ed. Slade, C. F. R. and Lawrence, T. L. J.), occasional publication, British Society of Animal Production, no. 14, pp. 129–130.Google Scholar
Laidlaw, A. S. and Steen, R. W. J. 1989. Turnover of grass laminae and white clover leaves in mixed swards continuously grazed with steers at a high N and low N fertiliser level. Grass and Forage Science 44: 249–258.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lawes Agricultural Trust. 1984. GENSTAT V, version 2.2. Rothamsted Experimental Station, Harpenden.Google Scholar
McDonald, P. and Henderson, A. R. 1964. Determination of water-soluble carbohydrates in grass. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture 15: 395–398.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mead, R. and Curnow, R. N. 1983. Statistical methods in agriculture and experimental biology. Chapman and Hall, London.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Meat and Livestock Commission. 1980. Commercial sheep production yearbook, 1979-80. Economics, Livestock and Marketing Services, Meat and Livestock Commission.Google Scholar
Milne, J. A., Hodgson, J., Thompson, R., Souter, W. G. and Barthram, G. T. 1982. The diet ingested by sheep grazing swards differing in white clover and perennial ryegrass content. Grass and Forage Science 37:209–218.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Purchas, R. W., Johnson, C. B., Birch, E. J., Winger, R. J., Hagyard, C. J. and Keogh, R. G. 1986. Flavour studies with beef and lamb. Department of Animal Science, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand.Google Scholar
Russel, A. J. F., Doney, J. M. and Gunn, R. G. 1969. Subjective assessment of body fat in live sheep. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 72: 451–454.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Shand, J. H. and Noble, R. C. 1980. Quantification of lipid mass by a liquid scintillation counting procedure following charring on thin-layer plates. Analytical Biochemistry 101: 427–434.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Swift, G., Vipond, J. E., McClelland, T. H., FitzSimons, J., Milne, J. A. and Hunter, E. A. 1993. A comparison of diploid and tetraploid perennial ryegrass and tetraploid ryegrass-white clover swards under continuous sheep grazing at controlled sward heights. 1. Sward characteristics. Grass and Forage Science In press.Google Scholar
Thomson, D. J. 1984. The nutritive value of white clover. In Forage legumes (ed. Thomson, D. J.), occasional symposium, British Grassland Society, no. 16, pp. 78–92.Google Scholar
Van Soest, P. J. and Wine, R. H. 1967. Use of detergents in the analysis of fibrous feeds. IV. Determination of plant cell-wall constituents. Journal of the Association of Official Analytical Chemists 50: 50–55.Google Scholar
Vipond, J. E., Swift, G., McClelland, T. H., FitzSimons, J., Milne, J. A. and Hunter, E. A. 1993. A comparison of diploid and tetraploid perennial ryegrass and tetraploid ryegrass-white clover swards under continuous sheep grazing at controlled sward heights. 2. Animal production. Grass and Forage Science In press.Google Scholar
Woledge, J., Reyneri, A., Tewson, V. and Parsons, A. J. 1992. The effect of cutting on the proportions of perennial ryegrass and white clover in mixtures. Grass and Forage Science 47:169–179.CrossRefGoogle Scholar