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An assessment of the variation in milk yield of ewes determined by the lamb-suckling technique

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 March 2009

J. J. Robinson ,
W. H. Foster  and
T. J. Forbes
J. J. Robinson
Affiliation:
Agricultural Research Institute of Northern Ireland, Hillsborough, The Queen's University of Belfast
W. H. Foster
Affiliation:
Agricultural Research Institute of Northern Ireland, Hillsborough, The Queen's University of Belfast
T. J. Forbes
Affiliation:
Agricultural Research Institute of Northern Ireland, Hillsborough, The Queen's University of Belfast
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Summary

Ewo milk yield data obtained by the lamb suckling technique from nutritional experiments were analysed statistically to obtain estimates of the several components of variation. Diurnal variation was studied. The fitting of a sinusoidal curve removed a significant amount of variation.

There was a highly significant correlation between successive milk yields obtained at 4 h intervals. Number of lambs suckled and body weight of ewe at parturition had a significant effect on total daily milk yield.

The variation within ewes after the removal of diurnal variation and between ewes after the removal of the effects of number of lambs suckled and body weight at parturition were computed. These sources of variation were combined in a general equation which enabled the prediction of the standard errors associated with daily milk production for a given sampling technique. The practical application of the predicted standard errors is discussed.

Type
Research Article
Information
The Journal of Agricultural Science , Volume 70 , Issue 2 , April 1968 , pp. 187 - 194
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1968

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References

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