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 red deer stags grazing permanent upland pastures in the UK in two successive 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 gain 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 recorded 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 differences between the performance of animals on the 6-, 8- and 10-cm swards.