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Conference poster2008Peer reviewed

Performance of pregnant and lactating ewes fed grass silages differing in maturity

Nadeau, Elisabet; Arnesson, Annika

Abstract

The effect of grass silage (timothy, meadow fescue, perennial ryegrass) maturity on performance of pregnant and lactating ewes and on live weight (LW) gains of their lambs during the suckling period, was studied. Eighteen Swedish Finull x Dorset ewes were fed early (E), medium (M) or late (L) cut grass silage containing 11.7, 10.8 and 9.3 MJ metabolizable energy and 472, 620 and 665 g NDF kg-1 DM, respectively. the ewes were fed 0.8 kg concentrate during late pregnancy and lactation. Silage DM intake was 23.4, 18.2 and 16.6 g kg-1 LW during late pregnancy and 37.3, 30.1 and 27.8 g kg-1 LW during lactation of E, M and L silage, respectively (P<0.01). The LW and body condition of the ewes fed E, M and L silage were 102, 99, 90 kg and 3.1, 2.8, 2.5 (P=0.01), respectively, during late pregnancy, and 96, 87, 79 kg and 2.9, 2.3, 1.9, respectively, during lactation (P<0.01). Daily LW gain of the lambs was 421, 381 and 353 g (P=0.002) born from ewes fed E, M and L silages, respectively. Feeding grass silage at early maturities improves performance of pregnant and lactating ewes, which results in increased LW gain of their sucking lambs

Published in

Grassland Science in Europe
2008, Volume: 13, pages: 834-836 Title: Biodiversity and Animal Feed : Future Challenges for Grassland Production
ISBN: 978-91-85911-47-9Publisher: Organising Committee of the 22nd General Meeting of the European Grassland Federation Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences

Conference

22nd General Meeting of the European Grassland Federation