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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 23 November 2017
Metabolizable protein (MP) supplementation can reduce faecal egg count (FEC) in periparturient ewes, thus reducing pasture contamination for their lambs (Houdijk et al. 2006). In addition, lambs grazing on bioactive forage (chicory) had lower FEC than lambs grazing grass/clover (Athanasiadou et al. 2007). Both periparturient MP nutrition and grazing on chicory increase lamb performance but these approaches have been developed and investigated independently. The objective of this experiment was to assess their interactive effects on lamb parasitic status and performance. It was hypothesised that, although beneficial effects of maternal nutrition will be augmented with subsequent grazing on bioactive forage, the magnitude of the latter effect will be higher for lambs from unsupplemented ewes.