
%0 Journal Article
%A Holst, PJ 
%A Hall, DG 
%A Nolan, JV 
%T Estimations of pasture and grain intake of prepartum single- and twin-bearing ewes
%J Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture
%D 1996/09/01
%V 36
%N 5
%P 529-532
%K 
%R https://doi.org/10.1071/EA9960529
%U https://www.publish.csiro.au/paper/EA9960529 
%X 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. 
