Management strategies in drought feeding ewes and lambs.

Abstract

Proc. Aust. Soc. Anim. Prod. (1978) 12: 161 MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES IN DROUGHT FEEDING EWES AND LAMBS G.C. FILE* During drought the producer has several managerial options in regard to feeding ewes and lambs. Lambs may be fed with (mixed fed) or separately to their mothers or allowed access to creep feeders. These three management strategies and a control group of 12 dry ewes (39 kg) were compared in a replicated experiment over eight weeks. Each treatment flock consisted of 24 Merino ewes (39 kg) with nine week old lambs (11 kg). All ewes and lambs were accustomed to grain feeding. of The ewes were allotted 400 g h -id-l and the lambs 270 g h -++ a whole wheat ration supplemented with 1.3% NaCl and 1.5% CaC03. These amounts were calculated on the metabolisable energy requirements for maintenance and were fed twice weekly in self feeders. Ewe and lamb live weights were recorded fortnightly and wool growth was measured for the period using the dyebanding method. . Creep feeding of lambs showed significant benefit in lamb liveweight gains (PcO.05) but this strategy resulted in a greater Jiveweight loss in- the ewe (P<O.Ol). This suggested that the lambs successfully competed with their dams for feed. Other strategies had no effect on lamb.or ewe liveweight. This indicates that mixed fed ewes may have eaten some of their ration to support the additional energy requirements of lactation which in turn fed the lambs. The apparent drop in wool growth (although not significant) under the creep feeding regimen suggests that it may not be desirable. However because of the competitive effect illustrated, it may be worthwhile in drought situations to provide creep feeding facilities for lambs if their growth rate is of prime importance. The possible negative effect on ewe production when using this strategy-would need to be considered. * N.S.W. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Station, Trangie, N.S.W, 2823, 161.