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Effects of Diethylstilbestrol Implants on the Performance of Wether Lambs Under Various Schemes of Management and Nutrition

Experimental Farm, Swift Current, Saskatchewan, Canada

Abstract

The interactions of DES implants with feeding schemes and management practices in the performance and carcass quality of fattening lambs were studied in two experiments. The absence of a DES effect and its lack of interaction with dietary levels of TDN and CP appeared to result from low intakes of TDN. The low TDN intakes coincided with feeding in individual stalls for restricted periods twice daily and without access to water during feeding. Reduced dietary levels of roughage in combination with hammering and pelleting of the diets resulted in average increases of 9% in TDN consumption and 92% in body weight gains. This was associated with significantly improved effects of DES implants in higher body weight gains and better efficiency of TDN for gain, as well as lowered commercial carcass grades. The effect of group feeding as compared to individual feeding was a significantly increased intake of feed and TDN, significantly greater gain and dressing percent, as well as marked increases in carcass grades. The above-mentioned effects of DES implants were significantly greater under group feeding than individual feeding. The present studies failed to show that estrogenic activity of alfalfa may interact with the effects of DES implants in fattening wether lambs.

¹ The authors wish to acknowledge Holmes, Ltd., Swift Current, for providing facilities to measure the carcasses from Experiment 1, and the Intercontinental Packers, Ltd., of Saskatoon, and officers of the CD.A. Production and Marketing Branch, Saskatoon, for providing measurements and commercial grades of carcasses from Experiment 2.

² Stimplant, Chas. Pfizer and Co., Inc., New York.