Lambs Weaned Early onto a Herb-Clover Mix Have the Potential to Grow at a Similar Rate to Unweaned Lambs on a Grass-Predominant Pasture.

Liveweight gain of lambs weaned early at a minimum live weight of 14 kg, at ~50 days of age, onto a herb-clover mix was compared with lambs that remained unweaned on a grass-predominant pasture or a herb-clover mix until conventional weaning (at ~99 days of age). Over two years, twin sets of lambs that had a minimum live weight of 14 kg were randomly allocated to one of three treatments: (1) Early weaning of lambs onto a herb-clover mix (Herb); (2) ewes and lambs grazing a herb-clover mix until conventional weaning (Herb); and (3) ewes and lambs grazing a grass-predominant pasture until conventional weaning (Grass). Herb lambs had slower ( < 0.05) growth rates than Grass lambs between early weaning and conventional weaning in 2016 and were 800 g lighter ( < 0.05) at conventional weaning. In 2017, however, both Herb and Grass had similar ( > 0.05) growth rates and did not differ ( > 0.05) in live weight at conventional weaning. Herb lambs had a greater ( < 0.05) growth rates than both Herb and Grass lambs in both years. Lambs weaned early onto a herb-clover mix have the potential to achieve live weights similar to lambs unweaned on grass-predominant pasture. Further research, however, is required to understand conditions under which early-weaned lambs can achieve similar live weights.