Effect of Feeding Milk Replacers with Varying Amounts of Fat for Hothouse Lamb Production

Abstract

Three trials were conducted investigating the effects of feeding milk replacers to lambs. Trial I compared the growth of lambs nursing ewes with lambs fed a milk replacer. The lambs fed the milk replacer grew at the rate of 0.49 lb. per day, while those naturally nursed grew at the rate of 0.52 lb. per day over the 10-week experimental period. Trial II compared the performance of groups of lambs fed a reconstituted skimmilk ration, one group receiving an additional 20% fat in the ration. The lambs in the fat-supplemented lot grew faster, survived better, and had more desirable hothouse lamb carcasses than the lambs receiving the low-fat basal ration. Trial III compared the performance of two groups of lambs fed milk replacers containing 12% and 31% fat, respectively. The lambs receiving the high-fat ration grew faster, were more efficient in feed conversion, and produced higher grading hothouse lamb carcasses. Copyright © 1963. American Society of Animal Science. Copyright 1963 by American Society of Animal Science