Diet Preference of Sheep: Effects of Recent Diet, Physiological State and Species Abundance

Abstract

The preference of sheep for two temperate grassland species, ryegrass and white clover, was tested by releasing flocks (of three ewes) onto swards (0.25 ha) that contained adjacent monocultures of grass and clover, and observing their intake behaviour over 6 days. The test paddocks contained either 20, 50, or 80% clover by ground area to distinguish partial preference from indifference. To test whether recent diet affected preference, separate groups of dry (non-pregnant, non-lactating) ewes grazed prior to testing on one of three diet «back-grounds»: an all-grass sward, an all-clover sward, or a 50:50 grass/clover sward by area. To consider the effects of physiological state on preference, a further group of lactating ewes, also from a 50:50 grass/clover «background», were tested