Control of parasitic nematode infection is the first priority in intensive lowland lamb production. The most effective method has been the ‘clean grazing system’ of Rutter (1983) but this depends on the integration of cattle and sheep. Clarkson (1987) has proposed repeated early dosing with anthelmintic as an alternative in an ‘all sheep’ system. An experiment is decribed here in which the efficacy of the anthelmintic. Mebendazole (Janssen Pharmaceuticals Ltd), was examined using different dosing regimes on contaminated pasture and compared with clean pasture.

The study was conducted with a flock of 520 mule (Bluefaced Leicester x Swaledale) ewes and Suffolk x lambs at Home Farm, Wytham, near Oxford. Four x 8 hectare fields were used.

There is increasing interest in the development of systems in which crossbred ewes are lambed later in the spring so that the ewes’ nutritional needs are matched more closely with grass growth (Stone, 1988). Lambs may then be sold as stores in the autumn or finished indoors on silage-based diets through the winter (Povey and Webster, 1987). However, ovulation rate tends to be declining at the time of mating in such a system. These experiments were designed to investigate the benefits of using Fecundin, either alone or in conjunction with pregnant mares’ serum gonadotrophin (PMSG) in synchronized ewes lambing in April/May.

Two groups of 30 Mule (Bluefaced Leicester x Swaledale) ewes matched for age, weight and condition score were allocated to the experiment. Treated ewes were given 2 x 2 ml intramuscular (i.m.) injections of Fecundin®(Coopers Animal Health) four weeks apart while control ewes received no Fecundin treatment. Unfortunately a ram escaped into the flock prior to the planned mating date. All ewes were therefore injected i.m. with 1.5 ml Lutalyse®(Upjohn) 12-16 days after suspected mating. However, it would appear that the dose used was insufficient to cause abortion and only those ewes marked subsequently by a raddled vasectomized ram remained in the experiment. All these ewes (n = 17 per group) were treated with progestagen-impregnated intravaginal sponges (Veramix® Upjohn) left in situ for 12 days. Rams were introduced on 18th December 1986, two days after sponge withdrawal and four weeks after the second injection of Fecundin. The ewes were shorn and housed prior to ram introduction and given a diet of hay ad libitum with up to 1 kg concentrates by the time of lambing in May 1987.

Although laparoscopic intrauterine insemination enabled fertilization to occur in lactating ewes induced to ovulate 28 days after parturition, no pregnancies were sustained when the embryos were returned to their respective post-partum uterine environments (McKelvey, Wallace, Robinson & Aitken, 1989). The incidence of inadequate luteal function, as determined by daily progesterone concentrations is high in the early post-partum ewe, yet at least 60% of ewes with an induced oestrus 21 days post-partum exhibit normal luteal function (Wallace, Robinson & Aitken, 1989). This suggests that inadequate luteal function is not the only factor limiting the establishment of pregnancy in the post-partum ewe. Indeed the transfer of good quality embryos into post-partum recipient ewes induced to ovulate 21 days after parturition and exhibiting normal luteal function failed to result in the establishment of pregnancy. This suggests that the involuting uterus of the early post-partum ewe is an inappropriate environment for embryo development (Wallace et al, 1989).

Low levels of food intake before or after mating are associated with increased ova wastage rates (Rhind, McKelvey, McMillen, Gunn and Elston (1989). The relationship between level of food intake, circulating progesterone concentrations and ova wastage rates in the ewe during the first 2 weeks after mating are poorly understood; low levels of food intake are associated with increased circulating progesterone concentrations and rates of ova wastage while low circulating levels of progesterone have also been shown to be associated with increased ova wastage. The aim of this experiment was to investigate the effects of undernutrition on circulating concentrations of the luteotrophic hormone, LH, and on progesterone and the relationship between the profiles of the two hormones, in order to better understand the mechanisms by which undernutrition affects embryo growth and survival.

Effects of level of food intake and body condition on ewe hormone status, ovulation rate and reproductive performance may be mediated either through a direct effect on hypothalamic or pituitary activity or through an indirect effect on the sensitivity of either or both of these organs to steroid feedback. The aim of this experiment was to determine the effect of level of food intake of ewes on hypothalamic activity and pituitary responsiveness to gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH) in the presence of ovarian steroids. Sensitivity to steroid feedback cannot be measured in an entire animal, owing to the variable and irregular nature of ovarian steroid secretion. Ovariectomised ewes were therefore used together with steroid replacement therapy.

Two groups of 16 ewes were fed to achieve body condition scores of either 2.00 or 2.25/2.50 by 3 weeks before the period of study. Thereafter, ewes of the lower condition score were fed dried grass pellets ad libitum and 250 g hay/head/day (H) while those of the higher condition score were fed 1050 g pellets and 250 g hay/head/day (M), a ration designed to maintain liveweight and condition score so that at the time of study, ewes of the two groups had a similar level of body condition but different levels of intake.

Traditional systems of finishing store lambs from roots are unpredictable and inflexible. Lamb genotype, sex and initial weight significantly affect potential performance and target weights for slaughter at currently fashionable levels of fat cover. Lamb performance can easily be affected by climate. Frequently, producers fail to match crop resources to lamb grazing due to the unpredictable finishing rates. Planning of sales especially to meet marketing contracts is also difficult. Problems are most significant with hill breed lambs and smaller crossbred lambs both which need considerable gains to achieve slaughter condition and weight. With heavy ‘forward’ stores overfat lambs can be a problem.

Careful management, appropriate supplementation and regular handling all help to reduce problems but in many situations where labour and handling facilities are limited these inputs also increase costs and difficulties.

In recent years there has been a considerable increase in the housing of sheep in the United Kingdom. This has taken place primarily pre-lambing and to a lesser extent for the finishing of lambs.

Drinan and Ferguson (1981) found significantly faster growth rates and heavier carcass weights from lambs shorn 10-12 weeks prior to slaughter. Younis et al. (1977) and Salmon and Owen (1981) found increases in voluntary feed intakes and improved rates of liveweight gain in shorn as compared to unshorn lambs. Food conversion ratios have been found to improve in some trials but not others.

The effects of shearing store lambs that were being finished indoors was investigated using 24 April born Suffolk X Mule lambs housed in individual pens from the 17 October 1985. Lambs were randomly assigned to one of three treatments. Group A and B were shorn at housing; Group C was left fully fleeced. Five weeks after the start of the trial Group B was shorn for a second time. The lambs were fed ad-libitum on a silage-based complete ration containing 6.1 MJ NE/kg. of Dry Matter.

Previous studies (e.g. Galbraith, McCulloch, Scalfe, Keeling and Atkinson, 1987) showed that differences in growth and metabolic responses Were obtained in sheep offered diets based on barley compared with those offered sugar beet pulp. At similar intakes of dry matter, barley based diets gave faster live-weight gain and heavier carcasses Which contained greater Weights of crude protein and fat and a higher proportion of fat in the carcass than those based on sugar beet pulp. The differences in fat and protein deposition in the carcass are of particular interest particularly in the context of the greater content of cellulose and hemi-cellulose in the fibre component of sugar beet-based diets. The objective of the present study Was to investigate the response to diets based on sugar beet pulp and supplemented With varying proportions of barley. It was Intended to study the utilisation of the diets which differed in the content of fibre and starch and to provide information on whole body, carcass and selected metabolic and endocrine parameters.

In comparison of barley and molassed sugar beet feed (SBF), as the principal energy sources in the concentrates, for milk production by dairy cows, only small differences have been established with diets containing conventional proportions of forage and concentrates. No similar comparison using dairy goats appear to have been made and the purpose of the present study was to compare the effects of these two energy sources on hay intake and milk production by British Saanen goats.

Twenty-nine multiparous Saanen goats were allocated to one of two concentrate types one month before kidding. The concentrates were based on barley (B) (690 kg rolled barley, 310 kg soyabean meal/tonne) or molassed SBF (700 kg SBF, 300 kg soyabean meal/tonne) and were pelleted. They were offered at 0.45 kg/day for 4 weeks before kidding, increasing to 1 kg/day by day 15 after kidding. Chopped lucerne hay was offered through Calan gates at 1.5 kg/day before kidding and ad libitum thereafter. The goats consuming the SBF concentrates were given a high-phosphorus mineral supplement. Feed was offered twice dally and refusals were taken once dally. The goats were milked twice daily and samples were taken on two consecutive milkings weekly. Live weight was measured twice weekly.

In the Uk there is a growing interest in the rearing of goats as an integral enterprise of the farming system. If feed costs are to be kept to a minimum, maximum utilization of cereal residues is imperative. Alkali treatment is a cheap and effective method of improving intake of straw and animal performance in cattle and sheep but very little is known about its value for lactating goats. The objective of the present study was to compare barley straw, alkali-treated straw (TS) and grass hay as forages for goats in mid lactation.

Twenty-two multi-parous British Saanen goats in their sixth month of lactation were allocated on liveweight basis to each of the three forages which were individually fed ad libitum through Calan gates. The Panda barley straw was treated in a solution containing 15g sodium hydroxide and 7g urea per litre, using the dip method for whole bales. The grass hay was chopped. Each goat was offered 350g dairy concentrate at both morning and afternoon milkings (700g concentrate/day). Forage intake and milk yield were recorded daily. Milk samples were taken weekly at two successive milkings and the goats were weighed twice weekly during the 4 weeks of data collection after 4 weeks of adaptation.

Interest in farming goats for cashmere production has recently arisen, both as a means of farm diversification and, through goats grazing preferences, to utilise previously under exploited resources on hill farms.

A herd of 160 feral does of Irish and Scottish origin was established at the West of Scotland College's Kirkton Unit in June 1987 to investigate the potential for cashmere production from goats on a hill sheep farm. The Irish goats are of mixed ancestry with obvious dairy crossbreds in addition to many of more feral phenotype. The Scottish feral does came as an established group but proved excitable and difficult to handle. Whenever goats were grouped together for handling or at feeding points there was considerable fighting and other agonistic behaviour. A year later the level of this has reduced.

One hundred and fifty eight does were divided into four groups and oestrus synchronised (goats sponges 45 mg progesterone supplied by Intervet). These were then artificially inseminated by laparoscope in two, two day sessions a week apart (21/10, 22/10, 29/10 and 30/10).

Carruthers (1986) estimated the United Kingdom goat population to be between 100,000 and 150,000 head. Ryder (1986) stated that U.K. goat numbers are increasing at twice the rate of the sheep population. In the U.K. goats are kept primarily for milk and fibre production. As a result of the reputedly small market for goat meat In the U.K. producers are disadvantaged as they are unable to rear and sell their male kids as an additional source of income. The net result of this is that an estimated 55,000 male kids are culled at birth.

Naude and Hofmeyer (1981) reported that carcasses of most goat breeds tend to be leaner than of sheep breeds. With the increasing consumer demand for lean meat it may well be that the goat meat is able to compete for the sheep meat market.

This study aims to reveal some of the factors which might affect the demand for goat meat by comparison of the eating qualities of lamb and goat.

Eleven young male goats (kids) were purchased at approximately 7 days of age and fed a milk substitute (Kidolac, Volac Ltd. ) by means of teats supplied by plastic tubing. Consumption of substitute was restricted to 150g/day suspended in 1 litre of water. A pelleted complete diet (Start-to-Finish, Volac Ltd.) was introduced at 21 days and fed ad libitum. Milk substitute feeding was discontinued on day 49.

At 21 days of age kids were blocked for age and allocated to one of two groups: Entire (E, n=6) and Castrate (C, n=5). Mean weights at this time were 6.1 ± 0.42kg and 6.1 +0.37 kg for E and C respectively.

Immediately following allocation to treatment, group C animals were castrated by means of a bloodless emasculator. Feed consumption was recorded weekly and animals weighted monthly until slaughter at 159 days of age.

Wahed and Owen (1986) showed that increasing the amount of straw offered to allow refusal rates of 50% instead of the conventional 20% increased straw dry matter/digestible organic matter intake by 40%. Feeding generously to allow selective feeding was suggested as an alternative to alkali treatment of straw. Such a feeding strategy would be useful to farmers in developing countries where the cost of alkali treatment of straw is high. However the strategy generates large amounts of refusals. Unless refused straw can be utilised for other purposes, feeding at such generous levels will not be acceptable. This study was carried out to establish whether refused straw, if treated with alkali, can be re-fed to goats.

Twelve Saanen-type castrated goats aged 18-24 months were used in a change-over design experiment. Goats were housed in individual metabolism crates and fed one of the following:

• 1.Untreated barley straw (S) offered in quantities to allow goats to refuse 50% of the amount offered.

• 2.Untreated previously-refused-straw (RS) offered in quantities to allow refusal of 25% of the amount offered.

• 3.NaOH dip-treated previously-refused-straw (DRS) offered in quantities to allow refusal of 25% of the amount offered.

Wahed and Owen (1986) showed that intake of untreated barley straw increased by up to 40% when the amount offered was increased to allow goats to refuse 50% of the amount offered instead of the 15-20% used in conventional ad libitum intake trials. The increase was attributed to greater opportunity to select the more digestible parts of the straw. The present experiment was made to see whether similar responses occur if digestibility of the straw is increased by alkali treatment.

Thirty-six individually-fed Saanen-type castrates weighing 31-65 kg were used in a 3x2 (3 straw types, 2 rates of offer) factorial design experiment. Goats were blocked according to weight (M) and allocated randomly within block to one of 6 treatments. They were offered untreated barley (var. Triumph) straw (S), ammoniated barley straw (NH3-S) or NaOH-dip-treated barley straw (NaOH-S) at either 20 g DM per g M daily (L) or 50 g DM/kg M.d (H). Straw was ammoniated on 25th August 1987 by the Stack Method (Sundstol and Coxworth, 1984) using aqueous ammonia (35 g NH3/kg straw DM). The stack was opened 30 days later. NaOH-dip-treatment (Sundstol, 1981) involved dipping in a solution containing 15 g/kg NaOH and 7 g/kg urea. Straw was dipped daily and allowed to mature 3-4 d before feeding. Goats were supplemented with concentrates (g/kg DM: milled barley, 600; soya bean meal, 180; fish meal, 180; mineral mix, 40) at 18 g DM/kgM 0.75.d. They were fed twice daily (0800 and 1600 h), offered water ad libitum and individually penned with sawdust bedding.

Increasing the digestibility of grass silage by harvesting grass at an earlier stage of growth has been shown to produce major increases in the intake and performance of beef cattle providing the increase in digestibility has not been accompanied by poorer fermentation. However there is considerable variation in the recommended optimum dates for harvesting primary growths depending on the variety type of the grass.

Two experiments have been carried out to examine the interaction between ryegrass variety type and date of harvesting for silage. Two replicate swards containing equal proportions of three early-heading varieties (Cropper, Premo and Frances) (50% ear-emergence on 19 May) were harvested on 20 May (Tl), 28/29 May (T2) and 5/6 June (T3) and two swards containing equal proportions of three late-heading varieties (Perma, Preference and Parcour) (50% ear-emergence on 12 June) were harvested on 28/29 May (T4), 5/6 June (T5) and 12/14 June (T6) in 1985 and 1987. In experiment 1 the swards for the six silages were cut with a rotary mower, lifted with a precision-chop forage harvester within 15 minutes of being mown, and ensiled in trench silos. Formic acid was applied at a rate of 2.5 1/t fresh grass. In experiment 2 the swards were harvested directly using a double-chop forage harvester and the herbages were ensiled without the addition of an additive.

In a previous experiment, with different types of straw and different levels of concentrates in mixed diets, it was demonstrated that steers could achieve growth rates in excess of 1.2 kg/day using diets containing up to 0.45 straw, Kay et al (1988). Few farms are equipped for complete diet feeding and so an experiment was set up to ascertain whether similar performances could be achieved when feeding loose-mix concentrates with long straw.

Thirty-six Hereford x Friesian heifers of 350 kg initial mean liveweight were allocated to one of four diets. The diets contained ammonia treated or untreated straw of the spring barley variety Doublet and were offered in either a complete mixed form containing 0.45 straw, or as long straw and concentrates fed separately with the concentrate mix consisting of barley, molassed beet pulp, fishmeal, urea, molasses and minerals. Ammonia treatment was carried out in an oven with 0.03 anhydrous ammonia for 24 hours. Complete diets were effected by processing straw through a tub grinder before transfer to a mixer wagon. Complete diets were offered ad libitum. Concentrates in the other diets were offered twice daily at a rate equivalent to that consumed by animals on the complete diets. Liveweight and feed intake data were recorded.

Previous work carried out at Aberdeen to investigate the effect of varying the length of the suckling period post calving on heifer and calf performance has shown little difference in the carcasses of heifers slaughtered twelve weeks post calving compared to heifers slaughtered six weeks post calving (Lowman and Broadbent, 1988). These results further emphasise the nutritional demand for lactation and suggest that major improvements in carcass weight of calved heifers can only be obtained if they are weaned early or allowed an appropriate finishing period after weaning. An experiment was therefore set up to examine the effect of a short finishing period for weaned once-bred heifers prior to slaughter on carcass weight, composition and eating quality and to relate these findings to a group of non-pregnant heifers.

There is evidence that silage may be utilised more effectively when supplemented with sugar rather than starch (Thomas and Rae, 1988). A trial was made to measure the effect of supplementing silage with a sugar-based feed (molasses) or a starch-based feed (barley), in combination with fish meal, on the performance of young growing cattle.

Sixty four castrated male calves (Limousin x Friesian and Hereford x Friesian) initially weighing 129 kg were offered grass silage (DM, 200 g/kg; ME, 10.4 MJ/kg DM; CP, 144 g/kg DM) ad libitum with four dietary supplements.

Daily supplementation was as follows:

• 1.0.25 kg white-fish meal

• 2.0.25 kg fish meal plus 0.4 kg molasses

• 3.0.25 kg fish meal plus 0.8 kg molasses

• 4.0.25 kg fish meal plus 0.75 kg bruised barley

The levels of molasses and barley in Treatments 3 and 4 supplied the same amount of dry matter.

There is an increasing demand for heavy lean carcases and, at the same time, an increasing proportion of barley beef animals being finished as bulls. Bulls have a high potential for muscle growth and, therefore, have a high demand for dietary protein. In addition, since the banning of hormone implantation of beef animals, there has been increasing interest in the use of feed additives.

This trial was designed to measure the response of Holstein/Friesian bulls to increasing protein content in barley beef rations, and to measure the benefits of including lasalocid sodium (a feed additive). Responses were measured in terms of improved liveweight gains and feed conversioin efficiencies but also of interest was the effect of treatments on the weights at which animals reached a given fat class at slaughter.