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The effect of feeding diets based on grass silage or wheat to pregnant housed ewes on ewe and lamb performance

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 November 2017

P N Johnson
P N Johnson*
Affiliation:
ADAS Drayton, Alcester Road, Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire CV37 9RQ
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Extract

Feeding pregnant ewes on silage-based rations during housing is widely practised. However, silage making is a capital intensive procedure and the cost is likely to increase due to pollution legislation. Feeding ewes on a cereal-based ration may be a cost effective alternative. This is especially relevant due to the ban on straw burning and the possibility of CAP reform forcing cereal prices down. This experiment compares the effect of silage- and wheat-based rations during the winter housing period on ewe and lamb performance.

Approximately 260 mule (Bluefaced Leicester x Swaledale) ewes were selected from the breeding flock at the time of winter housing in January 1989, 1990 and 1991. They had previously been at grass and had run with Suffolk rams between mid-October and mid-December.

Type
Silage and Feeding Behaviour
Information
Proceedings of the British Society of Animal Production (1972) , Volume 1993: Winter meeting , March 1993 , pp. 138
Copyright
Copyright © The British Society of Animal Production 1993

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