Liveweight gain of young sheep grazing perennial lupin cocksfoot pasture compared with pure lucerne pasture

Abstract

The liveweight gains of young sheep grazing on perennial lupin-cocksfoot pasture and pure lucerne pasture were compared under dryland (no irrigation) conditions at Lincoln University, Canterbury, New Zealand. This paper reports the results of the first year after establishment (July 2014 to April 2015). Total liveweight gain was 731 kg/ha for the lupin-cocksfoot pasture compared with 1146 kg/ha for the lucerne. The lupin-cocksfoot pasture yielded 6550 kg DM/ha whereas the lucerne yielded 9410 kg DM/ha. The average botanical composition of herbage offered to the sheep was 23% perennial lupin and 68% cocksfoot compared with 94% lucerne. Water use efficiency was higher for lucerne than lupin-cocksfoot when expressed in liveweight gain (3.1 and 2.1 kg/ha per mm of water used) and in herbage yield (24 and 18 kg DM/ha per mm). Overall the lupin-cocksfoot pasture was approximately 65-70% as productive as the lucerne pasture in the first year. These results support the use of perennial lupin-cocksfoot pasture as an alternative forage option in extensive grasslands where cultivation of lucerne is unsuitable.