HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Forbes, J. M. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Forbes, J. M.

Voluntary Food Intake of Pregnant Ewes

University of Leeds, England¹

Abstract

The voluntary intake by ewes of silage (experiment 1) and hay (experiment 2) declined in the last few weeks of pregnancy. The severity of the decline was inversely related to subsequent lamb birth weight in some cases. When pregnant ewes were fed on straw, hay or barley (experiment 3) the decline in voluntary intake started during the 15 th and 16th weeks of pregnancy with each feed despite wide differences in their chemical and physical properties and levels of intake. Although physical compression of the rumen by the growing uterus might explain the results of experiments 1 and 2, such a theory is not adequate to explain the results of experiment 3 and a possible alternative theory is discussed. There was usually an increase in food intake in mid pregnancy before the onset of the decline in the last few weeks.

¹ Department of Agricultural Sciences.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				H. H. Patterson, T. J. Klopfenstein, D. C. Adams, and J. A. Musgrave Supplementation to meet metabolizable protein requirements of primiparous beef heifers: I. Performance, forage intake, and nutrient balance J Anim Sci, March 1, 2003; 81(3): 800 - 811. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]