Milk secretion studies with New Zealand Romney ewes: Parts V–XI

Abstract

Experiments on the milking qualities of New Zealand Romney ewes, maintained at liberal standards of grazing and at different planes of nutrition under stall-feeding conditions, were described in four earlier papers published in this Journal (Barnicoat, Logan & Grant, 1949).In the meantime several other original papers in this field have appeared: Coop (1950) studied the effect of certain factors including milk intake on the growth and development of lambs of various breeds of sheep in the South Island of New Zealand; Barnicoat (1952) discussed some practical applications of the work; Owen (1953), employing a modified technique for measuring milk yields of Welsh hill ewes, found that the correlations between lamb gains and estimated milk yields were of a similar order to those established elsewhere under easier conditions of farming; Thomson & Thomson (1953) carried out experiments with Cheviot ewes fed indoors, and their results support the viewpoint that adequate nutrition in the final stages of pregnancy is of paramount importance; and Gill & Thomson (1953) discussed the significance of milk yield of ewes under farming conditions in Great Britain which contrast widely with conditions pertaining to the district in which the experiments described in this series of papers were conducted.