Hair Sheep Performance On Temperate, Deciduous Silvopastures.

Silvopastoral management has potential to diversify and increase the output from livestock production systems.  Several tree species have been proposed for silvopastures in humid temperate regions, but few data comparing animal performance from systems with different deciduous tree species are available.  We compared forage and animal performance from open systems (i.e., no trees) with that from silvopastures containing 13-yr-old honeylocust (Gleditsia triacanthos) or black walnut (Juglans nigra) trees. Cool-season grass-legume pastures were rotationally stocked with hair sheep crosses (½ Katahdin X ½ Dorset-Finn-Rambouillet) from mid-June through mid-October. Average forage on offer to sheep entering the pastures (3500 kg ha^-1) and forage disappearance (pre- – post-graze herbage mass; 1100 kg ha^-1) did not differ by treatment during the grazing season.  Average daily gain over 99 d was similar among open (85), black walnut (91) and honeylocust (96 g d^-1; SE = 11) pasture systems.  Carcass data did not differ among treatments:  Reduced pasture growth and quality (due to drought) was manifested in lambs with limited fat thickness (~2 mm), moderate ribeye area (~9.5 cm²), and average quality grade score (9 = High Good).  In summer, sheep grazing silvopastures had greater (P<0.001) conjugated linoleic acid concentrations in plasma.  These data suggest that silvopasture management can sustain forage system productivity and increase overall system output and may produce healthier food products for the end consumer.