Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-g8jcs Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-23T15:26:40.111Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

A study of the energy requirements of weaned lambs

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2010

T. J. Forbes  and
J. J. Robinson
T. J. Forbes
Affiliation:
The Agricultural Research Institute of Northern Ireland, Hillsborough, Co. Down, and The Queen's University of Belfast
J. J. Robinson
Affiliation:
The Agricultural Research Institute of Northern Ireland, Hillsborough, Co. Down, and The Queen's University of Belfast
Get access

Summary

Two experiments were carried out to study the energy requirements of young fattening lambs for maintenance and production. Forty weaned lambs were used in each experiment, 20 being allocated to a high level of feeding (900 g air-dry feed per day) and 20 to a low level (540 g). The animals used in Experiment 1 were approximately 12 months of age and their mean live weight was 35·3±4·03 kg. Those in Experiment 2 were approximately seven months of age and their mean live weight was 36·7 ± 4·57 kg. Experiment 1 continued for 100 days and Experiment 2 for 47 days. Three digestibility trials, involving three animals from each feeding level, were carried out during the course of each experiment to obtain precise estimates of digestible organic matter intake (DOMI). The estimated mean DOMI required for maintenance for a 45-kg lamb was 400 g (0·88 lb) or 1500 kcal metabolizable energy per day. The estimated maintenance requirement was not affected by the age of the animal. The DOMI required for production ranged from 1·55 kg per kg live-weight gain for the younger animals to 1·71 kg for the older animals. Both these requirements were lower than those obtained by other workers and those suggested by the Agricultural Research Council (1965).

Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Production , Volume 11 , Issue 3 , August 1969 , pp. 389 - 397
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 1969

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

Agricultural Research Council. 1965. The Nutrient Requirements of Farm Livestock. No. 2, Ruminants. Agricultural Research Council, London.Google Scholar
Blaxter, K. L. 1962. The fasting metabolism of the adult wether sheep. Br. J. Nutr. 16: 615–626.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Blaxter, K. L., Clapperton, J. L. and Wainman, F. W. 1966. Utilization of the energy and protein of the same diet by cattle of different ages. J. agric. Sci., Camb. 67: 67–75.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Blaxter, K. L. and Graham, N. McC. 1955. Plane of nutrition and [starch equivalents. J. agric. Sci., Camb. 46: 292–306.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Blaxter, K. L. and Wainman, F. W. 1964. The utilization of the energy of different rations by sheep and cattle for maintenance and for fattening. J. agric. Sci., Camb. 63: 113–128.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Blaxter, K. L., Wainman, F. W. and Davidson, J. L. 1966. The voluntary intake of food by sheep and cattle in relation to their energy requirements for maintenance. Anim. Prod. 8: 75–83.Google Scholar
Coop, I. E. 1962. The energy requirements of sheep for maintenance and gain. 1. Pen fed sheep. J. agric. Sci., Camb. 58: 179–186.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Davies, P. J. 1968. The effect of cereal and protein source on the energy intake and nitrogen balance of fattening lambs given all-concentrate diets. Anim. Prod. 10: 311–318.Google Scholar
Evans, R. E. 1960. Rations for Livestock. Bull. Minist. Agric. Fish. Fd, No. 48.Google Scholar
Forbes, T. J. and Morrison, J. 1964. Winter fattening of store lambs. A. Rep. Agric. Res. Inst. N.Ire. 37: 30.Google Scholar
Hemingway, R. G. and MacPherson, A. 1967. In wintering and indoor fattening of Blackface lambs. In Progress in Livestock Nutrition 1962–67. Tech. Publ. U.S. Feed Grains Council.Google Scholar
Langlands, J. P., Corbett, J. L., McDonald, I. and Pullar, J. D. 1963. Estimates of the energy required for maintenance by adult sheep. 1. Housed sheep. Anim. Prod. 5: 1–9.Google Scholar
Marston, H. R. 1948. Energy transactions in sheep. 1. The basal heat production and heat increment. Aust. J. sci. Res. 1: 93–127.Google Scholar
Morrison, J. and Forbes, T. J. 1963. Winter management of fattening hoggets. A. Rep. Agric. Res. Inst. N.Ire. 36: 33–34.Google Scholar
Robinson, J. J. and Forbes, T. J. 1966. A study of the protein requirements of the mature breeding ewe. Maintenance requirement of the non-pregnant ewe. Br. J. Nutr. 20: 263–272.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Wallace, L. R. 1948. The growth of lambs before and after birth in relation to the level of nutrition. J. agric. Sci., Camb. 38: 93–153.CrossRefGoogle Scholar