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The nutritive value of diets containing different proportions of grass and heather (Calluna vulgaris L. Hull) to sheep

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 March 2009

J. A. Milne  and
L. Bagley
J. A. Milne
Affiliation:
Hill Farming Research Organisation, Bush Estate, Penicuik, Midlothian EH26 0PY
L. Bagley
Affiliation:
Hill Farming Research Organisation, Bush Estate, Penicuik, Midlothian EH26 0PY
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Summary

Five levels of frozen grass and heather (Calluna vulgaris, L. Hull) which contained 85% of the current season's shoots, were offered to five castrated male Scottish Blackface sheep per level. The levels of grass were 0, 200, 400, 600 and 800 g D.M./day, and heather was offered ad libitum after the grass had been eaten. Both the grass and heather were harvested in September. Voluntary intakes of heather increased by 0·46 g/g of additional organic matter intake (OMI) of grass between the two lowest levels of grass, but at higher levels of grass there was a highly significant (P < 0·001) linear decrease in OMI of heather of 0·57 g/g additional OMI of grass.

No associative effects of grass (OM digestibility 70%) and heather (OM digestibility 44%) on OM or neutral-detergent fibre digestibility could be demonstrated. Intakes of digestible OM and nitrogen balance increased in a positive and linear manner with the proportion of grass in the diet. To meet the nitrogen and energy requirements for maintenance of the sheep the diet would require to contain 50% of grass. These findings are discussed in relation to the nutrition of sheep grazing heather-dominant moorlands.

Type
Research Article
Information
The Journal of Agricultural Science , Volume 87 , Issue 3 , December 1976 , pp. 599 - 604
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1976

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