Effect of Type of Birth, Breed of Sire and Postweaning Nutrition on Ewe Lambs. II. Production at 12 Months Age

The practice of breeding ewes to lamb at 12 months of age has not been widely accepted by commercial operators, even though previous research has indicated that it can be done successfully in some management systems. One reason for this might be that long-term effects on lifetime productivity have not been evaluated. This paper summarizes production performance during the first year of a lifetime study currently in progress. Data from 382 Suffolk Targhee and Targhee ewes born in 1971-1975 and developed under two different nutritional levels are included in this report. Subsequent lifetime production for these ewes will be reported when available