First Weighing

This year's comparison study began on April 22 with the arrival of 65 East Friesian x Lacaune male lambs:  22 rams, 26 wethers, and 18 short-scrotum rams. The lambs ranged in weight from 28.0 to 71.0 lbs. and averaged 44.4 ± 10.6 pounds. The median weight was 42.0 lbs. The intact and short-scrotum ram lambs had slightly heavier starting weights than the wether lambs.

The lambs were weighed for the first time on May 22. They ranged in weight from 40.8 to 97.4 lbs. and averaged 64.1 ± 13.9 lbs.  The median weight was 62.6 lbs. For the first 28 days of the project, the lambs gained from 6.8 to 29.4 lbs. and averaged 19.4 ± 4.6 lbs. of gain. The median gain was 19.6 lbs. The intact and short-scrotum rams gained more weight than the wethers.

Average daily gain (ADG) ranged from 0.243 to 1.050 lbs. per day and averaged 0.703 ± 0.164 lbs. per day. The median gain was 0.703 lbs. per day. The intact and short scrotum rams had higher ADG than the wether lambs.

Sex	No.	Start wt.	28-day wt.	28-d ADG
Ram	22	45.0 ± 10.3	65.0 ± 14.0	0.717 ± 0.917
Short scrotum	18	45.1 ± 10.9	65.4 ± 14.6	0.726 ± 0.162
Wether	25	43.5 ± 10.9	62.4 ± 13.7	0.675 ± 0.133
ALL	65	44.4 ± 10.6	64.1 ± 13.9	0.703 ± 0.164

For the first 28 days of the project, the lambs have grazed mostly cool season perennial grasses. They have free choice access to grass hay and are being supplemented twice daily with a grain mixture of whole barley, soybean meal, and minerals. The grain has slowly been increased. The current feeding rate is ~5 percent of body weight.

So far, no lambs have required deworming. FAMACHA© scores have been all 1s and 2s. No other treatments have been administered. The lambs were vaccinated twice for CDT.