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The effect of concentrate level on the intakes of silages or hays by ewes in the 1st month of lactation

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2010

R. J. Orr  and
T. T. Treacher
R. J. Orr
Affiliation:
AFRC Institute of Grasslandand Environmental Research, Hurley, Maidenhead SL6 5LR
T. T. Treacher
Affiliation:
AFRC Institute of Grasslandand Environmental Research, Hurley, Maidenhead SL6 5LR
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Abstract

In three experiments, four grass silages and four grass hays were offeredad libitum to a total of 164 Finn Dorset ewes rearing twins in the 1st month of lactation. In addition, one of three constant daily levels (300, 650 or 1000 g fresh weight per ewe) of a barley-based concentrate was offered. In the first experiment, replacement rate of silage with in vitro organic matter digestibility (OMD) of 0·65 was less than for hay (OMD 0·59), at –0·09 v. –0·62 g forage OM per g concentrates OM. Consequently, lamb growth rate was greater and ewe weight loss was less with increased concentrate level for the silage than for the hay. In the second experiment, the replacement rates of three silages (OMD 0·56, 0·60 and 0·67) were not significantly different (mean –0·29) and, once again, increased concentrate level gave significantly better ewe and lamb performance. Finally, the replacement rates for three hays (OMD 0·51, 0·59 and 0·72) were also not significantly different (mean –0·30). Equations are presented to predict the intakes of hays and silages by ewes in early lactation.

Keywords

food intakehaylactationsheepsilage
Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Production , Volume 58 , Issue 1 , February 1994 , pp. 109 - 116
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 1994

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