THE EFFECT OF SWARD HEIGHT ON THE LIVEWEIGHT GAIN OF FARMED YEARLING RED DEER (CERVUS-ELAPHUS) STAGS

The effect of sward height on the liveweight gain of yearling farmed r ed deer stags grazing permanent upland pastures in the UK in two succe ssive years is described. The swards received nitrogen fertilizer at a rate of 218 kg ha(-1). Red deer stag calves, which had been weaned in September and housed over winter on a hay and concentrate diet to gai n on average 57 g d(-1) in year 1 and 75 g d(-1) in year 2, grazed at one of four mean sward heights of 4, 6, 8 and 10 cm from the beginning of June until September. Liveweight gains were recorded over a period of 15 weeks. All animals were slaughtered and carcass weights were re corded after the end of the grazing period. Liveweight gains and final live weights and carcass weights were significantly (P < 0.05) lower on the 4-cm sward than on the other swards, but there were no differen ces between the performance of animals on the 6-, 8- and 10-cm swards.