The proposed reduction in lamb variable premium payments could well lead to fewer lambs being sold as stores, with more being finished on the farms of origin. On upland farms such lambs are likely to be finished indoors to reduce competition at grass with ewes being flushed. Many farms now have accommodation for housing ewes for 3 months prior to lambing, and such housing can easily be used to finish lambs prior to housing the ewes. On grassland farms finishing is likely to be based on silage which, represents a relatively cheap, home-grown feed. However, lamb performance on silage alone is likely to be inadequate and unpredictable, so that in most cases supplementary feeding will be requited. Type of supplement is likely to have important influences on both physical and financial performance.

The 144 Scottish Blackface wether lambs used for this trial were selected from a group of 455 lambs bought in the open market on 29 September 1989. The lambs were run at grass until selection for the trial on 27 November when the 144 selected lambs were drawn out and introduced to compound feed.