Effect of different feeding levels during lactation on lactation yield, milk composition and ewe weight change of horro ewes
2000
Gemeda Duguma | Solomon Abegaz | Ulfina Galmesa | Fekiru Terfe (Bako Research Center, Bako (Ethiopia))
Lactation response and weight change of Horro ewes to different levels of feed supplementation were studied in 1997 and 1998 12-week lactation period. In 1997, the experiment was 2x3 fatorial using two levels of desmodium hay (0 and 250g/head/day) and three levels of concentrate (0,375 and 750 g/head/day). Due to absence of significant effect of desmodium, in 1998 desmodium was abandoned and four different levels of concentrate (0, 300, 500, and 700 g/head/day) were considered. Estimated 12-week lactation yield was 16.6 litre and 18.4 liter in 1997 and 1998, respectively. for some of the treatments peak milk production occurred from the second to the forth weeks post partum. Treatment had significant (p0.05) effect on total milk production and ewe weight change during lactation. The lactation curve showed relatively higher persistency in supplemented ewes than in the control ewes. Concentrate supplement in excess of 375 g/head/day had no sizeable effect on milk production but ewe weight change improved with further increase in the level of supplementation. Under conditions where ewes are mated soon after weaning levels of concentrate greater than 75 g/head.day may be considered. But, if ewes have dufficient time after weaning to regain weight it is not advisable to feed concentrate levels greater than 375g/head/day for Horro ewes during lactation. The average butter fat, total solids and solids not fat percentages were 5.01, 15.55 and 10.71, respectively. Both butter fat and total solids were affected with the progress of lactation and treatment; but solids not fat was only affected by the stage of lactation.
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