@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}
}
