Body Composition and Efficiency of Growth of Suckling Lambs as Affected by Level of Feed Intake

Abstract

An experiment was conducted to study: (1) the efficiency with which single and twin lamb pairs convert milk and supplemental feed energy and protein into weight gains, as well as the energy and protein of these gains at different levels of milk intake, and (2) to compare the chemical composition of the lamb bodies at 90 days of age as affected by level of nutrient intake. Thirty lambs, 10 singles and 10 pairs of twins, all sired by Hampshire rams, and suckling Rambouillet × Columbia dams were used in a 2 × 2 factorial experiment. Treatment factors consisted of different levels of milk intake and twin vs. single lamb comparisons. Different levels of milk intake were obtained by feeding 94% and 111% of the digestible energy (DE) requirements recommended by the N.R.C. (1957) to ewes with single lambs and 97% and 114% to ewes with twins. The following results were obtained: Copyright © 1964. American Society of Animal Science . Copyright 1964 by American Society of Animal Science