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Voluntary intake, health and performance of lactating ewes fed on turnips with or without straw supplement

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2010

J. Valderrábano ,
J. Uriarte  and
F. Muñoz
J. Valderrábano
Affiliation:
Departmento de Producción Animal Servicio de Investigación Agraria Apartado 727 — 50080, Zaragoza, Spain
J. Uriarte
Affiliation:
Departmento de Producción Animal Servicio de Investigación Agraria Apartado 727 — 50080, Zaragoza, Spain
F. Muñoz
Affiliation:
Departmento de Producción Animal Servicio de Investigación Agraria Apartado 727 — 50080, Zaragoza, Spain
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Abstract

The effect of cereal straw supplement on turnip diets has been studied in Romanov × Rasa Aragonesa ewes in early lactation. Measurements were made of level of intake, blood characteristics and performance under pen-fed and grazing conditions. Barley straw supplementation resulted in a proportional increase of 0·1 in turnip intake to give daily intakes of 82 and 94 g organic matter per kg M0·75 for pen-fed and grazing ewes respectively.

Ewes fed on turnips showed a significant decrease in red blood cell numbers, haemoglobin and packed cell volumes though remaining within the range considered as normal for this species. Heinz bodies were present in proportionately up to 0·25 of erythrocytes and no clinical symptoms were observed.

The average weight gain of lambs reared by the grazing ewes was 173 g/day. However, growth rates of lambs and weight losses of ewes on turnip diets were lower than expected from the performance of animals on a control diet based on barley, lucerne and straw.

Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Production , Volume 42 , Issue 2 , April 1986 , pp. 241 - 246
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 1986

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