Abstract

The performance of ~400 Waihora Romney x Romney (W x R) F1 ewes born in both 1977 and 1978, and ~150 W x R B1 ewes born in both 1979 and 1980, was compared with that of similar numbers of contemporary commercial Romney (R) ewes. At hogget shearing W x R ewes were generally heavier (range minus 0.2 to plus 3.9 kg) than R ewes, with fleece weights differing by minus 0.15 to plus 0.26 kg. As two-tooths W x R ewes were 1.0 to 2.9 kg heavier than heavier than R ewes, with 7 to 12 more ovulations per 100 ewes and 1 to 5% fewer lamb deaths, producing 10 to 15% more lambs tailed per ewe joined. More W x R wether lambs were drafted fat than R wether lambs (1979/80 - 77 v 60%; 1980/1 - 98% v 86%).

RW, Moore, and H-UP Hockey

Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production, Volume 42, , 41-44, 1982