# Average weight gain in a Lamb



## hayzor (Dec 8, 2003)

We just got my daughters first 4-h lamb and I'm curious as to the average/ expected weight gain. I've read that normal weight gains are .6-.8 lbs/ day. I may be over analyzing, but in mid april that would mean we've got a 180+ lb lamb, which is too big. 
The lamb is about 35 lbs now + 237 days x .6 lbs/day = 177. If I assume .8 lbs/ day the weight is 224 lbs. The weight limit for our fair is 160 lbs. 
Does the growth rate slow down, did I get some incorrect numbers, or is my DD going to have a huge lamb @ fair time. 
All the kids in the area 4-h are getting their lambs now. Is the timing right. 

Thanks for the help - I'm a little neurotic right now.


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## Laurie J (Mar 9, 2005)

Hello!

I can only speak for how it is at our fair. There is a sheep weigh in which was 68 days prior to our fair (which just ended). Our 4 lambs were then 3 months old and weighed between 78 and 87 lbs. They are then weighed in again when they arrive at the fair. The difference is divided by the number of days they were "fed" to determine what their daily gain is. Ours weighed between 117 and 138 at fair. and had a daily weight gain of around .75 each. Here the minimum is 100 lb. and the maximum is 150 lbs.


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## kesoaps (Dec 18, 2004)

It would seem odd to me that they're all getting their lambs now, if your fair isn't for another 7 months (you are waiting another 230 days, right?) Most market lambs are in the six month range from what I've experienced. Your lamb sounds like it will be a couple of months past that. I'm not really a market lamb person, but that's what the math end of this deal sounds like to me :shrug:


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## ONThorsegirl (Apr 2, 2005)

I don't know if you have had an answer yet to your questions but to give you an idea,
We weighed all of our lambs last week and I figured out the average daily weight gain and this year it was an average of .65lbs a day. (this is on pasture with no supplemented grain, just pasture, water, salt and mineral) 

This year here it has been pretty hot and dry the pastures have lost alot of protein but this is what we got this year. This is the only number I can give you as this is the first year we weighed everthing. I hope it atleast gives you an idea.

Melissa


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## Ross (May 9, 2002)

You know I've always wondered if the nitrates in drought striken pastures ended working like protein suppliments........ Just an odd thought i had. As for the question I know your goign to get some big variations on gain between breeds and feeds fed, so I guess this is what the 4h thing is all about, learing the ropes! There is an upper limit on weights in breeds so simple math isn't going to work! The "average" weight gain is (OK) an average but lambs don't aways grow at a steady rate. The first three months are the fastest growth months in most breeds, by 4 months they can reach a market weight in the heavy lamb category. Now I don't show but I can guess your work to get a good show lamb is in those first 4 months, not only to get them close to t he desired weight but get the muscling how you want it to look, the rest of the time is likely spent puting the last 20% (?) of the weight on and/or training/conditioning excess weight off. Wrong?


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