Hostname: page-component-5c6d5d7d68-xq9c7 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-08-18T10:19:54.659Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The effect of herbage allowance on herbage intake and performance of ewes and their twin lambs grazing perennial ryegrass

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 March 2009

M. J. Gibb  and
T. T. Treacher
M. J. Gibb
Affiliation:
The Grassland Research Institute, Hurley, Maidenhead, Berks, SL 6 5LR
T. T. Treacher
Affiliation:
The Grassland Research Institute, Hurley, Maidenhead, Berks, SL 6 5LR
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Summary

The effect of herbage allowance on the intake and performance of Scottish Half bred ewes with twin lambs was investigated over the first 16 weeks of lactation. Herbage allowances were defined as g herbage D.M./kg live weight (LW)/day, and were maintained by provision of fresh areas of ungrazed sward each day.

Herbage allowances in the range 25–120 g D.M./kg LW/day were offered on an area of perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne cv. S. 23). Parturition was synchronized and ewes and lambs were turned out to pasture 1 day after lambing.

Measurements were made of the herbage intake, live-weight change and milk yield of ewes, of lamb growth rates and of the herbage intake of lambs from 10 weeks of age.

Herbage allowance had a significant linear effect on intakes of grass by ewes and lambs. The highest intakes by the ewes were achieved during the second week, and were in the range 23–43 g OM/kg LW/day. Intakes declined, as lactation proceeded, to 19–29 g OM/kg LW/day at week 12. Intakes of lambs were similar in weeks 10 and 12 and were in the range 17–24 g OM/kg LW/day. Allowance had a significant effect on live-weight change of the ewes after the first month and upon final body condition.

There was no effect of allowance on milk yield until week 6. Mean milk yields were 2·3 kg/day at day 14, 1·0–1·5 kg/day at day 42 and 0·7–1·1 kg/day at day 84. There was a positive effect of allowance on growth rates of the lambs after the first month. Mean overall growth rates to 84 days of age were 175–243 g/day.

Type
Research Article
Information
The Journal of Agricultural Science , Volume 90 , Issue 1 , February 1978 , pp. 139 - 147
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1978

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

Arnold, G. W. (1975). Herbage intake and grazing behaviour in ewes of four breeds at different physiological states. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 26, 1017–24.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Arnold, G. W.Dudzinski, M. L. (1967). Studies on the diet of the grazing animal. II. The effect of physiological status in ewes and pasture availability on herbage intake. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 18, 349–59.Google Scholar
Blaxter, K. L. (1961). The utilization of the energy of food by ruminants. In 2nd Symposium on Energy Metabolism, Wageningen. Published in European Association of Animal Production, no. 10, pp. 211–25.Google Scholar
Brown, L. D. (1966). Influence of intake on feed utilization. Journal of Dairy Science 49, 223–30.Google Scholar
Coop, I.E.Drew, K. R. (1963). Maintenance and lactation requirements of grazing sheep. Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production 23, 53–62.Google Scholar
Gibb, M. J.Treacher, T. T. (1976). The effect of herbage allowance on herbage intake and performance of lambs grazing perennial ryegrass and red clover swards. Journal of Agricultural Science Cambridge 86, 355–65.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Greenhalgh, J. F. D., Reid, G. W., Aitken, J. N.Florence, E. (1966). The effects of grazing intensity on herbage consumption and animal production. I. Short-term effects in strip-grazed dairy cows. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 67, 13–23.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hadjipieris, G.Holmes, W. (1966). Studies on feed intake and feed utilization by sheep. I. The voluntary feed intake of dry, pregnant and lactating ewes. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 66, 217–23.Google Scholar
Hadjipieris, G.Jones, J. G. W., Wimble, R. H.Holmes, W. (1966). Studies on feed intake and utilization by sheep. II. The utilization of feed by ewes. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 66, 341–49.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Langlands, J. P. (1972). Growth and herbage consumption of grazing Merino and Border Leicester lambs reared by their mothers or fostered by ewes of the breed. Animal Production 14, 317–22.Google Scholar
Langlands, J. P. (1973). Milk and herbage intakes by grazing lambs bom to Merino ewes and sired by Merino, Border Leicester, Corriedale, Dorset Horn and Southdown rams. Animal Production 16, 285–91.Google Scholar
Langlands, J. P. (1977). The intake and production of lactating Merino ewes and their lambs grazed at different stocking rates. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 28, 133–42.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Langlands, J. P.Bennett, I. L. (1973). Stocking intensity and pastoral production. II. Herbage intake of Merino sheep grazed at different stocking rates. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 81, 205–9.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Langlands, J. P.Donald, G. E. (1975). The intakes and growth rates of grazing Border Leicester x Merino lambs weaned at 21, 49 and 77 days. Animal Production 21, 175–81.Google Scholar
Maff, (1975). Energy allowances and feeding systems for ruminants. Technical Bulletin, no. 33. H.M.S.O.Google Scholar
McCance, I. (1959). The determination of milk yield in the Merino ewe. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 10, 839–53.Google Scholar
McManus, W. R., Arnold, G. W.Ball, Judith (1968). The effects of physiological status on diet selection by grazing ewes. Journal of the British Grassland Society 23, 223–7.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Minson, D. J.Raymond, W. F. (1958). Sources of error in the use of faecal index relationships. Grassland Research Institute, Experiments in Progress, no. 10. Annual Report 1956–57, pp. 92–6.Google Scholar
Peart, J. N., Edwards, R. A.Donaldson, E. (1972). The yield and composition of the milk of Finnish Landrace x Blackface ewes. I. Ewes and lambs maintained indoors. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 79, 303–13.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Peart, J. N., Edwards, R. A.Donaldson, E. (1975). The yield and composition of the milk of Finnish Landrace × Blackface ewes. II. Ewes and lambs grazed on pasture. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 85, 315–24.Google Scholar
Penning, P. D.Gibb, M. J. (1977). The use of corticosteroid to synchronize parturition in sheep. Veterinary Record 100, 491–2.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Raymond, W. F., Harris, C. E.Kemp, C. D. (1955). Studies in the digestibility of herbage. VI. The effect of level of herbage intake on the digestibility of herbage by sheep. Journal of the British Grassland Society, 10, 19–26.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Robertson, J. B.van Soest, P. J. (1975). A note on digestibility in sheep as influenced by level of intake. Animal Production 21, 89–92.Google Scholar
Rowell, J. G.Walters, D. E. (1976). Analysing data with repeated observations on each experimental unit. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 87, 423–32.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Russel, A. J. F., Doney, J. M.Gunn, R. G. (1968). Subjective assessment of body fat in live sheep. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 72, 451–4.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Terry, R. A., Osbourn, D. F., Cammell, S. B.Fenlon, J. S. (1973). In vitro digestibility and the estimation of energy in herbage. Växtodling 28, 19–25.Google Scholar
Tilley, J. M. A.Terry, R. A. (1963). A two stage technique for the in vitro digestion of forage crops. Journal of the British Grassland Society 18, 104–11.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Treacher, T. T. (1970). Effects of nutrition in late pregnancy on subsequent milk production in ewes. Animal Production 12, 23–36.Google Scholar
Wardrop, I. D.Coombe, J. B. (1961). The development of rumen function in the lamb. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 12, 661–80.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Williams, C. M. J., Geytenbeek, P. E.Allden, W. G. (1976). Relationships between pasture availability, milk supply, lamb intake and growth. Proceedings of the Australian Society of Animal Production, xi, pp. 333–6.Google Scholar
Young, B.A.Corbett, J. L. (1971). Maintenance energy requirement of grazing sheep in relation to herbage availability. I. Calorimetric estimates. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 23, 57–76.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Young, N. E.Newton, J. E. (1975). A comparison between rotational grazing and set stocking with ewes and lambs at three stocking rates. Animal Production 21, 303–22.Google Scholar