Protected fat has been used successfully in diets for lactating and growing ruminants. This study was carried out to investigate the effects of including a source of protected fat - Megalac ® -in complete diets for artificially reared lambs.

The trial involved 39 lambs which were weaned at 30 to 35 days following a period of artificial rearing on a ewe milk replacer containing 60 g fat per kg and fed at a restricted level.

The lambs were penned individually on sawdust and were given access to one of three complete diets from 20 days of age. The diets were in pellet form and differed mainly in the level of Megalac included (Table 1). Megalac is a protected fat which is a calcium soap and contains (g/kg) oil 850, calcium 90 and has the approximate fatty acid composition (g/kg) C14 15, C16 110, C18 50, C18:1 400, C18:2 95. Lambs were allocated to diets within blocks which varied according to sex (entire male or female) and breed (Cambridge or Suffolk x Cambridge).