Abstract

The milking performance of East Friesian Poll Dorset cross and Poll Dorset hoggets in a commercial milking system was studied at Flock House Agricultural Centre. Hoggets were milked twice daily from 2-4 days post-lambing on a 30 bale rotary platform for about 102 days. Live weight of the Poll Dorset and East Friesian cross hoggets were similar (P>0.05), both groups increased in weight from 51.5 ± 0.7 to 61.8 ± 0.8 kg over the trial period. Mean daily milk yield of the East Friesian cross hoggets was significantly higher (P<0.01) than for the Poll Dorset hoggets, 1.13 ± 0.06 and 0.87 ± 0.08 l/ewe/day, respectively. Milk production of the East Friesian cross hoggets over the lactation period was 30% higher in milk volume (113.1 ± 6.0 versus 86.8 ± 7.9 l/ewe) but had a lower milk solids content (18.19 ± 0.06 versus 18.48 ± 0.07 %) resulting in a 25% higher yield of milk solids (204 ± 3 versus 164 ± 4 g/ewe/ day) than Poll Dorset hoggets.

S-AN, Newman, and W Stieffel

Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production, Volume 59, , 125-128, 1999