The Effects of Feeding Silage and Sugar Beetpulp, Separately or Ensiled, to Twin Bearing Ewes, on Ewe and Lamb Performance

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Incorparating dry feed materials such as molassed sugar beet pulp with grass at ensiling has been shown to reduce effluent production (Jones et al. 1990) and improve silage fermentation (Offer and Al-Rwidah,1989). Jones and Jones (1988) observed higher liveweight gains in beef steers fed silage produced by ensiling grass with molassed sugarbeet pulp compared to animals fed the same quantity of beet pulp, mixed with silage produced from untreated grass, at the point of feeding. Ferris and Mayne (1990) observed that milk output per unit of grass ensiled was similar for cows offered diets in which a given quantity of sugar beet pulp was either included with grass at eniling or offered as a supplement with untreated grass silage.The objective of the present study was to examine the possible use of molassed sugar beet pulp fed either separately or ensiled with grass at the time of silage making on ewe and lamb performance.