Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-t7czq Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-23T07:46:17.575Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The performance of ewes offered diets containing different proportions of perennial ryegrass and white clover silage in late pregnancy

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2010

R. J. Orr  and
T. T. Treacher
R. J. Orr
Affiliation:
AFRC Institute for Grassland and Animal Production, Hurley, Maidenhead SL6 5LR
T. T. Treacher
Affiliation:
AFRC Institute for Grassland and Animal Production, Hurley, Maidenhead SL6 5LR
Get access

Abstract

Finn Dorset ewes were offered forage ad libitum from week 16 of pregnancy until lambing and were either unsupplemented (U) or given 600 g/day of concentrates (S). Grass silage and white clover silage, ensiled separately and having similar dry matter concentrations, were offered in four mixtures with white clover proportions of 0, 0·20, 0·40 and 0·60 on a fresh basis. Forage intake was significantly higher for mixtures containing higher proportions of clover (9·1, 10·5, 12·3 and 13·6 g organic matter (OM) per kg live weight) and the ewes gained more weight (33, 65, 178 and 174 g/day) and had smaller losses in body condition score (–0·59, –0·49, –0·39 and –0·17). Higher proportions of clover in the diet in late pregnancy also resulted in significantly higher growth rates of lambs during lactation, when a common diet was offered.

The number of foetuses carried in pregnancy had significant effects on intake and some aspects of performance. For ewes carrying singles, twins and multiples respectively, mean daily forage intakes were 12·2, 11·9 and 10·4 g OM per kg live weight and losses in body condition score were –0·05, –0·40 and –0·62.

Offering the supplement reduced forage intake and for treatments U and S respectively, mean daily values were 12·6 and 10·2 g OM per kg live weight. Whilst the supplemented ewes had smaller losses in body condition score in late pregnancy (–0·54 v. –0·28), lamb birth weights and growth rates were significantly increased only for ewes which had carried three or more foetuses in pregnancy and reared their two heaviest lambs.

Keywords

Lolium perennepregnancysheepsilageTrifolium repens
Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Production , Volume 51 , Issue 1 , August 1990 , pp. 143 - 153
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 1990

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Bibby, J. and Toutenburg, H. 1977. Prediction and Improved Estimation in Linear Models. Chapter 1.5.4. John Wiley, London.Google Scholar
Coleman, S. W., Barton, F. E. and Meyer, R. D. 1985. The use of near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy to predict species composition of forage mixtures. Crop Science 25: 834–837.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dewar, W. A. and McDonald, P. 1964. Determination of dry matter in silage by distillation with toluene. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture 12: 790–795.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gibb, M. J. and Treacher, T. T. 1983. The performance of lactating ewes offered diets containing different proportions of fresh perennial ryegrass and white clover. Animal Production 37: 433–440.Google Scholar
Gibb, M. J. and Treacher, T. T. 1984. The performance of weaned lambs offered diets containing different proportions of fresh perennial ryegrass and white clover. Animal Production 39: 413–420.Google Scholar
Gill, M., Beever, D. E. and Osbourn, D. F. 1989. The feeding value of grass and grass products. In Grass-Its Production and Utilization. 2nd ed. (ed. Holmes, W.), pp. 89–129. British Grassland Society. Blackwells, Oxford.Google Scholar
Hodgson, J. and Rodriguez, J. M. 1971. The measurement of herbage intake in grazing studies. Annual Report 1970, Grassland Research Institute, Hurley, pp. 132–140.Google Scholar
Marten, G. C., Shenk, J. S. and Barton, F. E. 1985. Near infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS): analysis of forage quality. Handbook, United States Department of Agriculture, No. 643.Google Scholar
Meat and Livestock Commission. 1983. Feeding the Ewe. Sheep Improvement Services, Meat and Livestock Commission, Bletchley.Google Scholar
Neal, H. D. St C., France, J., Orr, R. J. and Treacher, T. T. 1985. A model to maximize hay intake when formulating rations for pregnant ewes. Animal Production 40: 93–100.Google Scholar
Neal, H. D. ST C., France, J. and Treacher, T. T. 1986. Using goal programming in formulating rations for pregnant ewes. Animal Production 42: 97–104.Google Scholar
Neal, H. D. St C., Treacher, T. T. and Orr, R. J. 1986. Developing and using a computer program to ration ewes during late pregnancy. In Science and Quality Lamb Production (ed. Hardcastle, J. E. Y.), pp. 2–3. Agricultural and Food Research Council, London.Google Scholar
Orr, R. J., Newton, J. E. and Jackson, C. A. 1983. The intake and performance of ewes offered concentrates and grass silage in late pregnancy. Animal Production 36: 21–27.Google Scholar
Orr, R. J., Parsons, A. J., Penning, P. D. and Treacher, T. T. 1990. Sward composition, animal performance and the potential production of grass/white clover swards continuously stocked with sheep. Grass and Forage Science In press.Google Scholar
Orr, R. J. and Treacher, T. T. 1984. The effect of concentrate level on the intake of hays by ewes in late pregnancy. Animal Production 39: 89–98.Google Scholar
Orr, R. J. and Treacher, T. T. 1989. The effect of concentrate level on the intake of grass silages by ewes in late pregnancy. Animal Produciton 48: 109–120.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Orr, R. J., Treacher, T. T. and Mason, V. C. 1985. The effect of ammonia treatment on the intake of straw and hay when offered with rations of concentrates to ewes in late pregnancy. Animal Production 40: 101–109.Google Scholar
Parsons, A. J., Harvey, A. and Woledge, J. 1990. Plant/animal interactions in a continuously grazed mixture: differences in the physiology of leaf expansion and the fate of leaves of grass and clover. Journal of Applied Ecology In press.Google Scholar
Parsons, A. J., Penning, P. D., Orr, R. J. and Jarvis, S. C. 1987. Are grass-clover swards the answer to nitrogen pollution? In Science, Agriculture and the Environment (ed. Hardcastle, J. E. Y.), pp. 10–11. Agricultural and Food Research Council, London.Google Scholar
Reed, K. F. M. 1979. A note on the feeding value of grass and grass/clover silages for store lambs. Animal Production 28: 271–274.Google Scholar
Russel, A. J. F., Doney, J. M. and Gunn, R. G. 1969. Subjective assessment of body fat in live sheep. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 72: 451–454.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Thomas, C. and Thomas, P. C. 1985. Factors affecting the nutritive value of grass silages. In Recent Advances in Animal Nutrition – 1985 (eds. Haresign, W. and Cole, D. J. A.), pp. 223–256. Butterworths, London.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Thomson, D. J. 1979. Effect of the proportion of legumes in the sward on animal output. In Changes in Sward Composition and Productivity (ed. Charles, A. H. and Haggar, R. J.), Occasional Symposium of the British Grassland Society, No. 10, pp. 101–109.Google Scholar
Tilley, J. M. A. and Terry, R. A. 1963. A two-stage technique for the in vitro digestion of forage crops. Journal of the British Grassland Society 18: 104–111.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wilkinson, J. M. 1988. Sampling and analysing silage. In Silage UK. 5th ed. (ed. Wilkinson, J. M.), pp. 151–153. Chalcombe Publications, Marlow.Google Scholar