https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1079-1112
Figures & data
Table 1. Chemical composition (g/kg DMa) of individual diet components (fodder beet (FB), ryegrass-dominant pasture and ryegrass/clover hay) and the FB and RG treatment diets grazed by twin-bearing ewes in mid-to-late gestation.
Figure 1. A, Mean BW (kg) in relation to day of pregnancy, B, mean average daily gain (ADG. kg/d) and C, mean body condition score (BCS) for twin-bearing ewes grazing dietary treatments of either fodder beet or ryegrass-dominant pasture from mid-to-late gestation, and pasture only from parturition onwards. Shading represents the SEM. Vertical lines at 147, 185 and 245 d represent parturition, docking (i.e. tail removal at ∼40 days post-partum) and weaning (∼100 days post-partum), respectively.
Table 2. Carcass composition and organ weights at gestation d 135 (P135; n=10/group) and selected plasma metabolites (n = 6/group) from twin-bearing ewes grazing dietary treatments of either fodder beet (FB) or ryegrass-dominant pasture (RG) from mid-to-late gestation.
Table 3. Rumen short-chain fatty acids (SCFA; concentrations and molar proportions: mols per 100 mols of total SCFA) at gestation d 135 (P135; n = 12/group) in twin-bearing ewes grazing dietary treatments of either fodder beet (FB) or ryegrass-dominant pasture (RG) from mid-late gestation.
Table 4. Lamb mortality from scanning to birth, birth to 3 d of age, 3 d of age to docking, and from docking (i.e. tail removal at ∼40 days post-partum) to weaning (100 days post-partum), for lambs born to twin-bearing ewes grazing dietary treatments of either fodder beet or ryegrass-dominant pasture in mid-to-late gestation, and pasture only from parturition onwards with three replicates per treatment.
Table 5. Body size, rectal temperature and body weight within 12 h of birth, and body weight at docking (tail removal at ∼40 days post-partum) and weaning (100 days post-partum) for lambs born to twin-bearing ewes fed dietary treatments of either fodder beet (FB) or ryegrass-dominant pasture (RG) from mid-to-late gestation, and then pasture only from parturition onwards.
Table 6. Selected plasma metabolite concentrations from foetuses carried by twin-bearing ewes grazing dietary treatments of either fodder beet (FB) or ryegrass-dominant pasture (RG) at gestation d 135 (P135; n = 12/group).