Forages Manure Cattle Small Ruminant Equine Swine Poultry OBSERVATIONS RESULTS There was a difference in body weight with the sex × time interaction, resulting in rams having heavier body weights throughout the 8-week feeding period. Table 1. Least squares means of live animal and feed efficiency data of ram and wether lambs from birth through the finishing phase of production. There was an interaction of sex × time for DMI. Lambs were harvested at approximately six months of age and were finished on a high concentrate diet. SUMMARY • • Birth Wgt. (lbs.) 10.67 10.65 0.71 0.90 - - Weaning Wgt. (lbs.) 54.76 52.56 1.61 0.15 - - <0.01 <0.01 Sex Start Wgt.2, lbs. 56.50 53.04 Body Wgt. 14d, lbs. 70.46 63.56 Body Wgt. 28d, lbs. 37.49 74.34 Body Wgt. 42d, lbs. 96.72 84.64 Final Wgt.2, lbs. 106.59 92.57 1.97 <0.01 8-Week Finishing Period Body Weights Ram lambs were heavier, trimmer throughout, and had greater feed efficiency (G: F and ADG, p < 0.01). Ram lambs are more efficient on-farm, but this may not fit all production systems. While this experiment demonstrates that ram lambs were heavier, trimmer, and had greater feed efficiency, understanding the length of time required for ram lambs to achieve a marketable weight (in comparison to wethers) is of importance to better understand feed efficiency. Ram 8-Week Finishing Period Body Weights Ram lambs had a greater G : F ratio and ADG, but there was no sex × time interaction for both measures. There was also an interaction of sex × time for DMI. • Wether SEM1 p-values Time Sex x Time Parameter DMI, 0-14d, lbs. 3.250 3.194 DMI, 15-28d, lbs. 3.746 3.620 DMI, 29-42d, lbs. 4.341 4.034 DMI, 43-56d, lbs. 4.738 4.255 ADG3 (lbs.) 0.867 G : F4 0.232 0.21 <0.01 <0.01 <0.04 0.714 0.02 <0.01 0.03 0.29 0.203 0.03 <0.01 <0.01 0.75 SEM=standard error of the mean. Start wgt. indicates wgt. of lambs at the beginning of 8-week feeding period and is considered Day 0 of feeding trial. Final wgt. indicates wgt. of lambs at end of 8-week feeding period and is considered Day 56 of feeding trial. 3 Calculated by dividing DMI by days on feed. 4 Calculated by dividing the amount gained by the DMI. 1 2 TOOLS OF THE TRADE Digital Livestock Scale. An important tool that each operation should have or at minimum have access to. A scale is used to weigh animals to better understand weight gain or loss over a period of time as well as feed efficiency to aid in calculating gain to feed which is in turn used to calculate operational costs. PROJECT CONTACT For inquiries about this project, contact: Braden Campbell (campbell.1279@osu.edu) Benjamin Bohrer (bohrer.13@osu.edu) Ale Relling (relling.1@osu.edu Kayla Scott 2025 eBarns Report | 77