@article {3672,
	title = {Effects of alternative forages on nitrate leaching under intensive sheep grazing},
	journal = {New Zealand Journal of Animal Science and Production},
	volume = {81},
	year = {2021},
	month = {01/2022},
	pages = {146-152},
	address = {Online},
	abstract = {There is increasing interest in the use of alternative forages to improve animal performance and reduce nitrogen (N) leaching on farms. A system-scale field trial, which included 20 hydrologically isolated drainage plots (800 m2 /plot) was carried out at Massey
University{\textquoteright}s {\textquoteleft}Keeble{\textquoteright} farm to investigate the effects of forage type on ewe and lamb performance and the quantity of N lost in drainage. Four forage types (treatments) were studied: perennial ryegrass/white clover (RGWC), plantain/WC (PWC), Italian ryegrass/WC (IRWC) and swedes (Brassica). The forage types were included as ~24\% area of a self-contained farmlet, with the remaining area (~76\%) being RGWC. Ewes were weighed at mating, pre-lambing and weaning, and lambs were weighed at weaning. Drainage (mm) from each plot was measured using a tipping-bucket flow meter and sub-samples of water were analysed for nitrate-N, ammonium-N and total-N losses. The forage types had no effect (P>0.05) on ewe or lamb live weight at any occasion. The average nitrate-N losses for RGWC (0.77 kg N ha-1), PWC (0.45 kg N ha-1) and IRWC (0.56 kg N ha-1) treatments did not differ (P>0.05) and was lower than the brassica treatment (6.36 kg N ha-1). },
	issn = {1176-5283},
	author = {Maheswaran S and Cranston LM and Millner JP and Horne DJ and Hanly JA and Kenyon PR and Kemp PD}
}
@article {3672,
	title = {BRIEF COMMUNICATION: Comparison of meat quality characteristics of lambs weaned at eight or 14 weeks of age grazing perennial ryegrass-white clover pasture or a plantain-clover mix},
	journal = {New Zealand Journal of Animal Science and Production},
	volume = {79},
	year = {2019},
	month = {07/2019},
	pages = {159-161},
	address = {Palmerston North},
	abstract = {This study compared the meat quality of lambs grazing either perennial ryegrass-white clover pasture or a plantain-clover mix (plantain, red clover, and white clover) from eight to 14 weeks of age followed by a six-week finishing period on perennial ryegrass-white clover pasture. Ewes and their lambs were allocated to four treatments: 1) lambs weaned early (eight weeks of age) on a plantain-clover mix (EARLY), 2) lambs with dam grazing a plantain-clover mix (HERB), 3) lambs with dam grazing pasture  >1200 kgDM/ha (HIGH), and 4) lambs with dam grazing pasture <1200 kgDM/ha (LOW). Following the treatment period, all lambs weighing a minimum of 35 kg were sent for slaughter and all remaining lambs were managed and finished as one mob on perennial ryegrass-white clover pasture for a further six weeks. Lambs that reached a minimum 35 kg live weight were slaughtered and meat samples from each lamb were analysed for ultimate pH, meat colour (L*, a*, b*), drip loss and shear force but, no difference was found in objective meat quality characteristics of lambs from different treatments.},
	issn = {1176-5283},
	author = {Kok JC and Schreurs NM and Cranston LM and Corner-Thomas RA and Ekanayake WEMLJ and Morris ST and Kenyon PR}
}
@article {3672,
	title = {BRIEF COMMUNICATION: Does stocking rate of singleton ewes during lambing and lactation affect performance?},
	journal = {New Zealand Journal of Animal Science and Production},
	volume = {79},
	year = {2019},
	month = {07/2019},
	pages = {95-97},
	address = {Palmerston North},
	abstract = {The impact of singleton-ewe stocking rate (SR, 11, 13, 15 ewes ha) during lactation on ewe and lamb performance to weaning was examined over three years. Pasture mass before lambing in 2014 was considerably higher than that in both 2015 and 2016.  At weaning in 2014 there was no effect (P>0.05) of SR on ewe live weight, while in 2015 and 2016, SR 11 ewes were heavier (P<0.05) at weaning than both SR 13 and 15 ewes.  Lamb live weight during lactation was not affected (P>0.05) by SR in any year.  Combined, these data suggest that when pasture mass is high, SR of up to 15 ewes per ha can be utilised but at lower pasture covers increasing SR will negatively affect ewe, but not lamb live weight.  Farmers, therefore, need to consider carefully if they should utilise higher SR under these circumstances. },
	issn = {1176-5283},
	author = {Kenyon PR and Corner-Thomas RA and Cranston LM and Morris ST}
}
@article {3672,
	title = {Characterisation of the nutritional composition of plant components of a herb-clover mix during November to May in New Zealand},
	journal = {New Zealand Journal of Animal Science and Production},
	volume = {79},
	year = {2019},
	month = {07/2019},
	pages = {162-167},
	address = {Palmerston North},
	abstract = {Animal performance on herb-clover mixes (containing plantain, chicory, red clover and white clover) can be inconsistent. Potentially this could be due to variation in botanical and nutritional composition of plant components affecting animal selectivity and, thus, performance. Herbage samples were collected monthly from November 2016 to May 2017, from 3 paddocks located at Massey University{\textquoteright}s Keeble farm, Palmerston North, New Zealand. Quadrat-cut samples were used to determine the herbage mass and botanical composition. Hand-plucked samples of each plant components were analysed for the nutritional composition. The botanical composition of the herb-clover mix differed over time (P<0.05). The percentage of chicory stems increased (9.2 to 16.2\%) and plantain stems decreased (14.7 to 1.0\%, P<0.001). Overall, the crude protein and metabolisable energy of white clover, red clover, plantain and chicory leaves were higher (P<0.05) than those of plantain and chicory stems in each month except in November. These data indicate that a higher proportion of chicory and plantain stems in a herb-clover mix would reduce overall metabolisable energy and crude protein. This information can be useful for farmers to manipulate both the botanical and nutritional composition of herb-clover mix to optimise animal performance.},
	issn = {1176-5283},
	author = {Ekanayake WEMLJ and Corner-Thomas RA and Cranston LM and Hickson RE and Kenyon PR and Morris ST}
}
@article {3672,
	title = {Effects of early weaning onto herb-clover mixes on lamb carcass characteristics},
	journal = {New Zealand Journal of Animal Science and Production},
	volume = {78},
	year = {2018},
	month = {07/2018},
	pages = {189-193},
	address = {Lincoln},
	abstract = {Ewes and their twin lambs (weighing at least 16 kg) were allocated to three treatments: lambs with dams on ryegrass-white clover
(RG-WC) pasture until 15 weeks of age (GRASS) (lambs; n=50), lambs with dams on herb-clover mixes (plantain, chicory, red
and white clovers) until 15 weeks of age (HERB) (lambs; n=50), and lambs weaned early (8 weeks old) onto herb-clover mixes and
dams on RG-WC pasture (EARLY) (lambs; n=50). Average daily gain, GR soft-tissue depth and muscularity of lambs in EARLY
and GRASS were lower than those in the HERB treatment (P<0.05). The muscle to bone ratio of lambs in HERB treatment was
higher than those in the EARLY treatment (P<0.05). Lambs can be weaned at 8 weeks of age onto herb-clover mixes to achieve
similar carcass characteristics compared to lambs weaned at 15 weeks of age on RG-WC pasture. Lambs weaned early onto herbclover
mixes had lower growth rates than the lambs not weaned early on herb-clover mixes. There were no negative effects on
lamb carcass characteristics and lean-meat yield (LMY) when lambs were slaughtered at a set weight.},
	issn = {1176-5283},
	author = {Wong HX and Schreurs NM and Corner-Thomas RA and Ekanayake WEMLJ and Cranston LM and Morris ST and Kenyon PR}
}
@article {3672,
	title = {Effects of lamb live weight, sex and forage type (grass or plantain-clover mix) on lamb growth during summer},
	journal = {New Zealand Journal of Animal Science and Production},
	volume = {78},
	year = {2018},
	month = {07/2018},
	pages = {199-203},
	address = {Lincoln},
	abstract = {Two studies were carried out, over consecutive summers, to examine the effect of lamb sex and initial live weight on liveweight
gain when grazing a grass-based sward (undeveloped hill country pasture) or a plantain-clover mix (plantain, red clover and white
clover sown on cultivatable hill country). There were no interactions (P>0.05) between the sex of the lamb, initial live weight
or forage type on lamb liveweight gain. In year 1, ewe lambs grew at a slower rate than wethers (169 vs 181 g/day; P<0.01), but
there was no difference between the two sexes in year 2 (P>0.05). In both years lambs with a lighter initial liveweight profile were
also lighter (P<0.001) at the end of the study, but there was no difference (P>0.05) in the liveweight gains of the light and heavy
lambs. In both years lambs grazing the plantain-clover mix grew 47-141 g/day faster than did lambs grazing the grass-based sward
(P<0.001). This indicates that the plantain-clover mix can be utilised for a range of lamb classes, with similar positive results.},
	issn = {1176-5283},
	author = {Cranston LM and Schreurs NM and Corner-Thomas RA and Kenyon PR and Morris ST}
}
@conference {3672,
	title = {The effect of live weight at weaning on liveweight gain of early weaned lambs onto a herb-clover mixed sward},
	booktitle = {Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production},
	volume = {77},
	year = {2017},
	month = {06/2017},
	pages = {37-42},
	address = {Rotorua},
	abstract = {Twin lambs that weighed a minimum of 16 kg (n=134 in 2014 and n=124 in 2015) were randomly allocated to one of three treat-ments: (i) Early weaning (54 and 46 days after the midpoint of lambing in 2014 and 2015, respectively) onto a herb-clover mixed sward (plantain, chicory, red clover and white clover) (HerbEW); (ii) Lambs + dams unweaned on a herb-clover mixed sward until conventional weaning at approximately  13 weeks of age  (HerbCW); and (iii) Lambs + dams unweaned on a grass-clover mixed sward until conventional weaning (GrassCW). In 2014, overall greater (P<0.05) liveweight gains were found in HerbCW lambs followed by HerbEW and GrassCW lambs. In 2015, liveweight gains of HerbCW and GrassCW lambs did not differ (P>0.05), but were greater than gains of HerbEW lambs (P<0.05). In 2014, HerbEW lambs that were > 20 kg grew more quickly than HerbEW lambs that were <18 kg (P<0.05). In 2015, HerbEW lambs had similar rate of liveweight gain irrespective of their live weight at treatment allocation (P>0.05). Lambs can be weaned early onto herb-clover mixed swards and achieve greater liveweight gains after wean-ing compared to lambs unweaned on grass-clover mixed sward. Weaning lambs less than 20 kg onto herb-clover mixed sward, however, can result in lower lamb liveweight gain compared to heavier lambs.},
	issn = {1176-5283},
	author = {Ekanayake WEMLJ and Corner-Thomas RA and Cranston LM and Kenyon PR and Morris ST}
}
@conference {3672,
	title = {The effect of yard weaning and contact with humans on behavioural reactivity and liveweight gain of beef breed calves},
	booktitle = {Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production},
	volume = {77},
	year = {2017},
	month = {06/2017},
	pages = {8-12},
	address = {Rotorua},
	abstract = {Yard weaning of beef-breed calves is growing in popularity in New Zealand as a way of improving ease of handling, but there is little scientific literature regarding the practice. This experiment examined the effects of yard weaning versus paddock weaning with and without human contact on liveweight gain and behaviour. Paddock-weaned calves lost more live weight in the first sev-en days after weaning (-1.19 {\textpm} 0.17 kg/d versus -0.60 {\textpm} 0.16 kg/d; P=0.01) than yard-weaned calves but live weight was similar between treatments 42 days after weaning (D42). Yard-weaned calves tended to be less reactive than paddock-weaned calves on D7 (2.16 {\textpm} 0.28 versus 2.92 {\textpm} 0.33; P= 0.07, where one is least reactive and five is most reactive), but there were no differences in reactivity on D42. Faecal corticosterone concentrations were similar between weaning location, however, calves with minimal human contact had higher faecal corticosterone concentrations 48 hours after weaning than did calves with daily human contact (27.6 {\textpm} 2.11 ng/ml versus 18.6 {\textpm} 2.11 ng/ml; P<0.01), regardless of location. There were short-term advantages in live weight and heart rate associated with yard weaning of beef-breed calves, but these did not persist to D42. },
	issn = {1176-5283},
	author = {Ramsay BA and Schoorl JAJ and Stayton KM and Cranston LM and Morris ST and Burnham DL and Cockrem JF and Beausoleil NJ and Hickson RE}
}
@conference {3672,
	title = {Growth of early weaned lambs on a plantain-clover mix compared with lambs suckling their dam on a plantain-clover mix or a grass based sward},
	booktitle = {Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production},
	volume = {76},
	year = {2016},
	month = {07/2016},
	pages = {65-68},
	address = {Adelaide},
	abstract = {Plantain-clover mixes have high metabolisable energy content and have been shown to support greater liveweight gains in lambs
both pre- and post-weaning when compared with grass. The aim of this experiment was to determine if a plantain-clover mix
could be used as a means to wean lambs earlier. Twin-bearing ewes (n=67) with both lambs at a minimum live weight of 16
kg each were allocated to one of three treatments; 1) ewe and lambs together on grass, 2) ewes and lambs together on plantain-
clover mix, 3) lambs weaned at approximately 8 weeks of age onto a plantain-clover mix and ewes on grass. Lambs that
were weaned early were lighter (P<0.05) at approximately 14 weeks of age than those which remained with their dam on either
a plantain-clover mix or grass (32.3{\textpm}0.43 vs 34.7{\textpm}0.44 vs 33.7{\textpm}0.45 kg, respectively). However, ewes which had their lambs
weaned early were heavier (P<0.05; 79.7{\textpm}1.73 vs 75.5{\textpm}1.68 vs 75.9{\textpm}1.64 kg, respectively) and in better body condition score
(P<0.05; 3.1{\textpm}0.05 vs 2.9{\textpm}0.05 vs 2.9{\textpm}0.05, respectively) than those which remained with their lambs on either a plantain-clover
mix or grass. This suggests early weaning improved ewe condition but did not improve lamb performance},
	issn = {1176-5283},
	author = {Cranston LM and Corner-Thomas RA and Kenyon PR and Morris ST}
}
