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Dried sugar-beet pulp as a roughage substitute for pregnant ewes

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2010

I. A. Dickson  and
R. Laird
I. A. Dickson
Affiliation:
The West of Scotland Agricultural College, Auchincruive, Ayr KA6 5HW
R. Laird
Affiliation:
The West of Scotland Agricultural College, Auchincruive, Ayr KA6 5HW
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Summary

In 1968-69 for a mean period of 101 days before lambing, 72 cross-bred ewes, and in 1969-70 for a mean period of 88 days, 107 ewes were given roughage daily in the form of (a) 0·91 kg field-cured hay (b) 0·45 kg of hay plus 0·23 kg dried sugar-beet pulp nuts, or (c) 0·45 kg of pulp nuts. Each diet was supplemented by a concentrate allowance. From the 6th week before lambing was due to start, this allowance was progressively and uniformly increased.

There was no evidence that the dried sugar-beet pulp had adversely affected performance in terms of ewe body-weight change, lamb numbers, litter weight at birth or 4 weeks of age, fleece weight or general health. It is therefore concluded that dried sugar-beet pulp can be used safely as a replacement for hay in supplying up to 67% of the energy needed for maintenance by ewes.

Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Production , Volume 22 , Issue 1 , February 1976 , pp. 115 - 121
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 1976

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