Reduction of the financial support by the EC to sheep farmers has highlighted the need for lamb fattening diets which can adjust the rate of lamb growth, depending on market needs. A trial was run at BOCM SILCOCK Development Unit, Barhill using 144 Texel and Suffolk x Mule lambs, with a mean start weight of 18.6 ± 0.50 kg (mean ± SE). Lambs were divided into 24 pens and allocated one of four compound diets (Diets A, B, C or D). The diets were designed to be isoenergetic with an estimated energy of 11.4 MJ ME/kg DM and contained 138, 172, 206 and 250 g crude protein/kg DM. Protein levels were increased by increasing soya bean meal inclusion from 0 to 25% and reducing barley and wheat levels.

Formulations and actual analysis are shown in Table 1. Lambs were bedded on barley straw refreshed daily, with compound diets and water available ad-lib.