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 Similar articles in PubMed 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 Jenkins, T. G. Articles by Leymaster, K. A. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Jenkins, T. G. Articles by Leymaster, K. A.

Feeding Behavior Characteristics of Intact Male Lambs as Affected by Number of Lambs in a Pen with Restricted Access to the Feed Stall

U.S. Department of Agriculture^1,2, Clay Center, NE 68933

Abstract

To investigate the effect of number of animals housed in a pen upon feed intake, 72 intact male lambs were randomly assigned to treatments consisting of 3, 7, 11 or 15 animals/pen in each of two trials. For each animal's feeding event, length of feeding (s) and feed consumption (g) were recorded through use of an automatic feeding system. This system allows one animal to feed at a time. Pens were treated as experimental units with observations repeated daily for 21 d. Response variables were feed consumption (g), time (s) and rate of feed consumed (g/s) per visit and feed consumption (g), average time (s) and number of visits per animal daily. Number of animals/pen was significant for most feeding behavior characteristics. As number of lambs within a pen increased, feed consumption/visit increased linearly in both trials. For Exp. 1, rate of feed consumption/visit increased at a decreasing rate, while in Exp. 2 only the linear effect of lamb numbers on this trait was significant. Daily feed consumption/lamb was greatest for intermediate lamb numbers, and the number of visits and time spent feeding/lamb decreased as the number of lambs within a pen increased. Results suggest that the feeding behavior of ram lambs with restricted access to a feeding stall can be modified by the number of lambs housed in a pen.

¹ ARS, NCR, CPA, Roman L. Hruska U.S. Meat Anim. Res. Center, P. O. Box 166, Clay Center, NE 68933.

² Mention of a trade name, proprietary product or specific equipment does not constitute a guarantee or warranty by the USDA and does not imply approval to the exclusion of other products that may be suitable.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				K. M Cammack, K. A. Leymaster, T. G. Jenkins, and M. K. Nielsen Estimates of genetic parameters for feed intake, feeding behavior, and daily gain in composite ram lambs J Anim Sci, April 1, 2005; 83(4): 777 - 785. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]