Water intake and consumption in sheep differing in growth potential and adaptability

Abstract

Water intake, efficiency and consumption of 30 growing individually fed Blackhead Persian, Dorper and South African Mutton Merino (Mutton Merino) ewe lambs were investigated.A veraged aily water intakes were2.2,4.6 and 5.4 litre for the BlackheadP ersian,D orper and Mutton Menno, respectively.T he BlackheadP ersianw as 53Voa nd777o more efficient (water intake&g weight gain) than the Dorper and Mutton Merino, respectively. By means of the allometric-autoregressive model, efficiency was separatedin to threed istinctivep hases.T he BlackheadP ersianf urthermorec onsumedo nly 1.81 litre/ kg feed compared to the 2.56 and 3.05 litrelkg feed of the Dorper and Mutton Merino, respectively.

Waterinname, -doeltreffendheid en -verbruik van 30 groeiende individueel gevoerde Swartkoppersie-, Dorper- en Suid- Afrikaanse Vleismerino-ooilammers (Vleismerino) is ondersoek. Gemiddelde daaglikse waterinnames was 2.2, 4.6 en 5.4 liter onderskeidelik vir die Swartkoppersie, Dorper en Vleismerino. Die Swartkoppersie was 53Vo en77Vo meer doeltreffend (waterinnarnelkg gewigstoename) as onderskeidelik die Dorper en Vleismerino. Met behulp van die allometrieseoutoregressiewem odel kon die doeltreffendheidi n drie duidelik onderskeibarefa sesv erdeelw ord. Die Swartkoppersieh et verder slegs 1.81 literlkg voer verbruik vergeleke met die 2.56 en 3.05 literlkg voer van onderskeidelik die Dorper en Vleismenno.

Keywords: Consumption, efficiency,s heep, water.