Effects of extended grazing during mid, late or throughout pregnancy, and winter shearing of housed ewes, on ewe and lamb performance

peer-reviewedA flock of March-lambing ewes was used to evaluate the effects of (i) extended (deferred, winter) grazing of pasture during mid, late or throughout pregnancy, and (ii) winter shearing of ewes housed during mid and late pregnancy, on lamb birth weight and subsequent growth to weaning. Ewes (n = 265) were allocated at random to five treatments for the period from 7 December (~ day 47 of pregnancy) to lambing. The treatments were: housed shorn (HS), housed unshorn (HU), grazing throughout (EG), grazing to 20 January followed by housing (EGH), housed to 20 January followed by grazing (HEG). From 1 March to lambing the HEG and EG ewes were dispersed on the paddocks intended for grazing post lambing. All ewes were offered a concentrate supplement during the final 6 weeks of pregnancy. Housed ewes were offered grass silage while ewes on extended grazing were allocated 1.3 kg herbage dry matter per head per day from swards that had been closed for approximately 10 weeks. Ewes plus lambs (except triplet-rearing ewes which were grazed separately) from all treatments were grazed together post lambing, grouped according to lambing date. For treatments HS, HU, EGH, HEG and EG gestation lengths were 147.0, 145.6, 146.3, 146.6 and 146.9 (s.e. 0.34, P < 0.001) days, lamb birth weights were 4.9, 4.3, 4.4, 4.6 and 5.0 (s.e. 0.10, P < 0.001) kg, and lamb weaning weights were 34.6, 32.1, 33.3, 33.8 and 34.9 (s.e. 0.66, P < 0.001) kg, respectively. Extended grazing in mid and late pregnancy resulted in 35% and 65%, respectively, of the increase in lamb birth weight associated with extended grazing throughout. Treatment effects on lamb birth weight were associated with those on weaning weight (P < 0.01, R2 = 0.93). It is concluded that extended grazing or shearing of housed ewes increased lamb birth weight and subsequent weaning weight. The increased lamb birth weight from deferred grazing in mid pregnancy was probably due to improved protein utilisation from the grazed herbage. Meanwhile, the increase

An evaluation of two grassland-based systems of mid-season prime lamb production using prolific ewes of two genotypes

peer-reviewedA 4-year study was undertaken to evaluate the effects of two contrasting management systems [year-round grazing (YRG) and normal seasonal grazing followed by indoor feeding during winter (GWF)] on performance of mid-season lambing ewes. On the GWF system, the annual stocking rate was 14.4 ewes/ha, grass silage was conserved for winter feeding indoors, and the ewes were lambed indoors and were then turned out to pasture. The YRG system was stocked at 10.5 ewes/ha, was grazed during the winter, had outdoor lambing and the animals had access to all the farmlet for summer grazing. The ewes were Belclare and Cheviot × Belclare which were balanced across systems. Mean lambing dates and fertiliser N application rates were 20 and 30 March, and 85 and 92 kg/ha, for the GWF and YRG systems, respectively. Concentrate supplementation during late pregnancy was similar on both systems. For the GWF and YRG systems, litter size, lamb mortality, number of lambs reared, birth weight (kg), weaning weight (kg) and lamb carcass output (kg/ha) were 2.17 and 2.24 (s.e. 0.038), 10.1 and 13.8% (P = 0.05), 1.77 and 1.78 (s.e. 0.042), 4.0 and 4.7 (s.e. 0.05, P < 0.001), 27.9 and 30.8 (s.e. 0.25, P < 0.001) and 469 and 348, respectively. Belclare ewes had a higher litter size (2.34 v 2.07; s.e. 0.038, P < 0.001) and number of lambs reared per ewe joined (1.86 v 1.69; s.e. 0.048, P < 0.01) than the Cheviot × Belclare ewes. There were no significant interactions between system and ewe breed type. It is concluded that the YRG system of prime lamb production was sustainable using prolific ewes but at a reduced stocking rate (−26%) and with greater lamb mortality relative to the GWF system. Ewe genotypes with a mean litter size of up to 2.34 lambs are suitable for both systems. Lamb carcass output of 501 kg/ha was achieved from a primarily grass-based system of mid-season prime lamb production using prolific ewes (Belclare)

SB41-20/21: Resolution Urging University of Montana Instructors to Avoid Online Proctoring

SB41-20/21: Resolution Urging University of Montana Instructors to Avoid Online Proctoring. This resolution was approved unanimously during the October 28, 2020 meeting of the Associated Students of the University of Montana (ASUM)

SB54-19/20: Resolution Amending Board on Member Organizations Bylaws

SB54-19/20: Resolution Amending Board on Member Organizations Bylaws.This resolution was passed on a 17Y-0N-2A vote during the February 19, 2020 meeting of the Associated Students of the University of Montana (ASUM)

Individual Effects of Speech and Debate in High School

The term “forensics” originates from the Latin root forensis which means pertaining to the public, debate, and/or discussion. Co-curricular forensics are competitions of public speaking and argumentation that are usually pursed in addition to the normal course of study at a secondary or post-secondary institution. More commonly, the activity is known as speech and debate. I claim that participants of speech and debate are affected by the experience in a way that benefits their lives academically, professionally, and interpersonally. This is substantiated by the effect it has on relevant skills and participants personality. A qualitative study of informants is performed to substantiate this. The informants are current high school speech debaters and debate participants. Interviews with these informants are the main evidence offered for the study. A Myers-Briggs personality test is also utilized. Analysis of this data is used to show the beneficial effects that debate has had on the informants. This topic has been argued extensively in the realm of communication studies. Previously conducted research shows a measurable correlation between debate and certain aspects of student life, such as critical thinking skills or interpersonal skills. Objections to the benefits have been raised with consideration to disadvantages of a busy schedule, negative health effects, and unsatisfactory tournament results. Further research can be carried out within the communication studies discipline in order to fully conclude how forensics influences academic and professional achievement, especially in high school populations as there are no statistically significant research available for that demographic. Beyond expanding previous research, the positive conclusions of this study can be used for recruitment and outreach efforts for both the study of communication and the passion of argumentation. Furthermore, forensics scholars can reference such positive conclusions when attempting to single themselves out as a superior candidate for a position, scholarship, or educational opportunity. Conversely, if the results prove to be negative, the study would be useful in reforming the art of debate into being a better program for participants

Plato the Poet

Plato’s dialogue genre contains within it literary elements not normally associated with a philosophical work. In the creation of his dialogue, Plato combined the literary aspects of drama—specifically setting and characterization—and rhetoric with the Socratic Method to create a genre that was new to philosophy. An examination of the usage of these elements in a Platonic dialogue, specifically Symposium, in comparison to Xenophon’s Symposium reveals the unique nature of Plato’s dialogue

SB32-18/19: Resolution Updating the ASUM Website Upkeep Committee Bylaws

SB32-18/19: Resolution Updating the ASUM Website Upkeep Committee Bylaws was passed 25Y-0N-0A on a roll call vote during the February 20, 2019 meeting of ASUM