Effects of Feeding Limited Roughage to Sheep on Ewe Performance, Economic Aspects and Behaviour

Sheep feeding regimes were studied in years when little roughage was available by comparing two levels of concentrate (high and low) and three types of roughage [silage, hay and ammonia-treated (AT) straw]. The duration of the experiment was two production years (1995 and 1996) and included 121 ewes. The traits recorded were live weight for ewes, ewe performance (number of lambs, birth weight, average daily weight gain) and slaughter data (class, value and weight). After 14 weeks, ewes fed low-concentrate AT straw were 6-12 kg lighter ( P < 0.01) than the other ewes, and tended to be undernourished. Lambs from these ewes were up to 1.5 kg lighter at birth ( P <0.01) than the other lambs. No difference was found at the end of the experiment. The gross margin in the group fed the high-concentrate AT straw diet was 205 NOK higher ( P <0.01) than the group with the lowest gross margin (low-concentrate hay). Wool and wood eating was found in groups fed large amounts of concentrate and silage.