耕作放棄地を利用した放牧における野菜クズの補助給与が子羊の行動および増体に及ぼす影響

Abstract

Effect of the supplementary feeding of vegetable rubbish on grazing behavior and body weight gain of lambs in a less favored area (natural grassland) were investigated. Six Suffolk lambs were divided into two groups ; treatment (T) and control (C) groups. Both groups of lambs were kept in one side of the divided grazing area (3.9 a each) enclosed with electric fences. The lambs of group T were fed vegetable rubbish every morning as additional feed. Both groups of lambs maintained their body weight over the grazing periods. In the middle and the latter grazing periods, the proportion of lying-ruminating was significantly high in group C than T (both P<0.05). Group T showed higher proportion of moving than group C. The lambs of group T began to eat the vegetable rubbish from the second grazing week. These results suggest that it was useful to feed sheep on vegetable rubbish in natural grassland. Feeding sheep on vegetable rubbish can prevent unwitting feeding to wild animals by vegetable dregs left in the fields.