
TY  - JOUR
A1  - Holst, PJ 
A1  - Hall, DG 
A1  - Nolan, JV 
T1  - Estimations of pasture and grain intake of prepartum single- and twin-bearing ewes
JF  - Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture
JO  - Aust. J. Exp. Agric.
Y1  - 1996
VL  - 36
IS  - 5
SP  - 529
EP  - 532
KW  - 
UR  - https://doi.org/10.1071/EA9960529 
N2  - One hundred and thirty-one pregnant, parous Border Leicester x Merino ewes at pasture were supplemented with a mixture of lupin and oat grain for a minimum of 3 weeks prepartum, and an average of 1 week post-partum in a lamb production experiment. Supplement was group-fed daily at a rate of 400 g/ewe. Pasture and grain intake were determined on 1 day, at an average 7 days prepartum. On an individual ewe basis, there was considerable variation in supplement intake with 11% of ewes consuming <200 g/day and 10% consuming >700 g/day. Significantly (P<0.01) more supplement but less pasture (P<0.05) was eaten by twin-bearing ewes (440 ¦ 23 g) than single-bearing ewes (340 ¦ 36 g). Total feed intake was similar with less variation than in supplement or pasture intakes. Results suggest lower pasture intakes in twin-bearing ewes can be compensated by higher grain intakes which means that separation of single- and twin-bearing ewes may not always be warranted in a supplementation program. 
ER  -

