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The effects of grass silage harvest system, concentrate feed level and maize silage maturity and soyabean supplementation on ewe and subsequent lamb performance
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 23 November 2017
Extract
Ewes housed during the winter feeding period are predominantly offered grass silage as the sole forage. Approximately 55% of grass silage is ensiled in big bales on Irish sheep farms. Maize silage can be produced at a similar cost to grazed grass and approximately 20% cheaper than grass silage (Keady et al. 2002a). Recent studies have shown that maize silage inclusion in the diet increases the performance of dairy (Keady et al. 2002b, 2003) and beef (Keady and Gordon 2006, Keady et al. 2007) cattle. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effects of grass silage harvest system, maturity of maize at harvest and protein supplementation of maize silage diets on the performance of ewes in mid and late pregnancy and subsequent lamb performance. The potential concentrate sparing effect of maize silage was also determined.
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- Copyright © The British Society of Animal Science 2008