A study of liveweight increments in ewes and of carcass quality and maturity rates in lambs grown on sown pastures in south-eastern Queensland.

Abstract

The use of different pastures over two years, with contrasting seasonal conditions, gave varying rates of growth amongst lambs. The pastures were (1) lucerne, (2) a perennial grass, (3) a mixture of lucerne and perennial grass and (4) a mixture of perennial grass and the annual legume Phaseolus lathyroides. Over all treatments there was a close correlation between the quality of lamb carcasses and their age at maturity, with best quality carcasses from lambs matured within 90 days.