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RESEARCH ARTICLE
Contents Vol 48(9)

Using automated supplementation systems to meet growth targets for grazing sheep

M. K. Bowen A C D , P. M. Pepper B , J. L. Winkleman A , R. C. McPhie A and M. R. Winter A
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries, PO Box 519, Longreach, Qld 4730, Australia.

B Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries, Locked Mail Bag 4, Moorooka, Qld 4105, Australia.

C Present address: Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries, PO Box 6014, Rockhampton Mail Centre, Qld 4702, Australia.

D Corresponding author. Email: maree.bowen@dpi.qld.gov.au

Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 48(9) 1201-1209 https://doi.org/10.1071/EA07412
Submitted: 17 December 2007  Accepted: 18 May 2008   Published: 7 August 2008

Abstract

Remote drafting technology now available for sheep allows targeted supplementation of individuals within a grazing flock. This paper reports results of three experiments. Experiment 1 examined the weight change of Merino wethers allowed access to either lupin grain or whole cottonseed 0, 1, 2 or 7 days/week for 6 weeks. Experiment 2 examined the weight change of Merino wethers allowed access to either lupins or a sorghum + cottonseed meal (CSM) supplement 0, 2, 4 or 7 days/week for 8 weeks. Experiment 3 investigated the relationship between five allocations of trough space at the supplement self-feeders (5–50 cm/sheep) and the weight change of Merino wethers allowed access to lupins 1 day/week for 8 weeks. In all experiments, the Merino wethers had free access as a single group to drinking water and low quality hay in a large group pen and were allowed access to supplement once per day on their scheduled days of access. No water was available in the areas containing supplement, but one-way flow gates allowed animals to return to the group pen in their own time.

There was a linear response in growth rate to increased frequency of access to lupins in Experiments 1 and 2, with each additional day of access increasing liveweight gain by 26 and 21 g/day, respectively. Similarly, the response to the sorghum + CSM supplement was linear, although significantly lower (P < 0.05), at 12 g/day. Providing access to whole cottonseed resulted in no significant change in growth rate compared with the control animals. In Experiment 3, decreasing trough space from 50 to 5 cm/sheep had no effect on sheep liveweight change.

It was concluded that the relationships developed here, for growth response to increased frequency of access to lupins or a sorghum + CSM supplement, could be used to indicate the most appropriate frequency of access to supplement, through a remote drafting unit, to achieve sheep weight change targets. Also, that a trough space of 5 cm/sheep appears adequate in this supplementation system.

Additional keywords: precision nutrition, rangeland.


Acknowledgements

These experiments were funded by the Australian Sheep Industry Cooperative Research Centre with in-kind contributions from the Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries, Queensland (DPI&F). We are grateful to Peter Martin, Adam Pytko and Madeleine Modina of the Health and Nutritional Biochemistry Laboratory of DPI&F for conducting laboratory analyses.


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