@conference {40172,
	title = {Effects of selection for shear strength on structure and rumen digestion of perennial ryegrass},
	booktitle = {Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production},
	volume = {49},
	year = {1989},
	month = {Jan},
	pages = {225-228},
	publisher = {New Zealand Society of Animal Production},
	organization = {New Zealand Society of Animal Production},
	abstract = {Lamb production from May or August lambing by Merino and Comeback ewes was compared from 1982 to 1985 in a factorial design experiment at Hamilton, Western Victoria. Groups of 50 ewes were stocked at 500 kg live weight/ha or 12.4 Merinos/ha and 10.8 Comebacks/ha. Natural fertility levels were similar for all treatments with an average of 5\% ewes not lambing. Comeback ewes had a higher lambing rate (lambs born/ewes joined) at August compared with May lambing (1.28 v 1.19 sed 0.052) whereas the Merinos had similar lambing rates (1.03 v 1.07 sed 0.02), indicating that the Western Victorian Merinos were relatively insensitive to seasonal effects (photoperiod) on fecundity. Lamb mortality was higher at August compared with May lambing (18.5 v 14.5\% sed 1.8\%) and was associated with higher chill factors in August due to cooler, wetter weather. The effects of lamb mortality lead to similar weaning rates (lambs weaned/ewes joined) for Comebacks at May and August lambing and lower weaning rates for Merinos at August compared with May lambing. Lamb weaning weights were similar for both lambing times, except in 1985 when severe internal parasite infections before weaning in groups lambing in May restricted lamb growth. The lower stocking rate (ewes/ha) balanced the higher per head production for Comeback ewes and lead to no significant differences between breeds or lambing times in weight of lamb weaned per ha.},
	issn = {1176-5283},
	author = {John A and Inoue T and Brookes IM and Hunt WF and Easton HS}
}
@conference {40171,
	title = {Effects of selection for shear strength on the voluntary intake and digestion of perennial ryegrass fed to sheep},
	booktitle = {Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production},
	volume = {49},
	year = {1989},
	month = {Jan},
	pages = {221-224},
	publisher = {New Zealand Society of Animal Production},
	organization = {New Zealand Society of Animal Production},
	abstract = {Mature Romney ewes were involved in three experiments at Flock House Agricultural Centre and Limestone Downs (near Raglan) to identify factors affecting the percentage of ewes pregnant to mating in November and December following treatment with CIDRs and PMSG. Dorset rams were no better than Romney rams for mating and increasing the ram percentage from 10\% to 15\% failed to overcome the low conception rate of 50-65\%. Rams that had been used for mating 11 days previously increased the percentage of ewes pregnant. Ewes previously lambing in autumn had only a 4.8\% increase in ewes mated and pregnant compared with ewes previously lambing in spring. Despite the reuse of CIDRs reducing the percentage of ewes mated by 6.1\% it was still economical to reuse CIDRs. There was a consistent increase in ewes pregnant and multiple pregnancies with increasing dose of PMSG. By contrast live weight had no effect on the reproductive performance of ewes except for those ewes less than 40 kg live weight. Regulin implants failed to overcome the low conception rate of ewes mating following treatment with CIDRs and PMSG in December.},
	issn = {1176-5283},
	author = {Inoue T and Brookes IM and Barry TN and John A}
}
