Abstract
Simple SummaryExposure of lambs to herbage-based diets prior to weaning may facilitate the development of the rumen which may subsequently increase animal performance after early weaning. The aim of this study was to estimate the effects of varying durations of exposure of lambs to a herb–clover mix containing chicory, plantain, red clover, and white clover prior to early weaning (at ~45 days of age) on their subsequent growth and rumen development at conventional weaning age. Prolonged exposure of lambs to the herb–clover mix prior to early weaning had no impact on lamb growth or rumen development, suggesting that using this management option will not improve performance of lambs after early weaning.Twin sets of lambs were randomly allocated to one of six treatments: (1) lambs born and managed on ryegrass–clover-based pasture until conventional weaning approximately at 99 days of age (Grass–GrassCW); (2) lambs born on ryegrass–clover-based pasture and early weaned onto a herb–clover mix at ~45 days of age (Grass–HerbEW); (3) lambs born on ryegrass–clover-based pasture, transferred with their dam onto a herb–clover mix at ~45 days of age until conventional weaning (Grass–HerbCW); (4) lambs born on ryegrass–clover-based pasture, transferred with their dam onto a herb–clover mix at ~15 days of age and early weaned onto a herb–clover mix at ~45 days of age (Grass–HerbD15EW); (5) lambs born and managed on herb–clover mix until conventional weaning (Herb–HerbCW); (6) lambs born on herb–clover mix and weaned early onto a herb–clover mix at ~45 days of age (Herb–HerbEW). In both years, Herb–HerbCW lambs had greater (p < 0.05) growth rates than lambs in other treatments. The liveweight gains and rumen papillae development of Herb–HerbEW, Grass–HerbD15EW and Grass–HerbEW lambs did not differ (p > 0.05). The weight of the empty digestive tract components at either early weaning or conventional weaning did not differ (p > 0.05) between treatments. Exposing early-weaned lambs to the herb mix for a prolonged period, prior to early weaning, does not improve their subsequent growth.
Highlights
Weaning lambs early can be a useful management option that farmers can use when herbage production is inadequate or of poor quality, to reduce the overall ewe feed demand and to support the growth of early-weaned lambs to achieve liveweight targets [1,2]
L, average days of age; Herb–HerbCW, lambs born on herb–clover mix and conventional weaning; Herb–HerbEW, lambs born on herb–clover mix and early weaned onto herb–clover mix at ~45 days of age; Grass–HerbD15EW, lambs born on ryegrass–clover-based pasture and transferred with dam onto herb–clover mix at 15 days of age and early weaned at ~45 days of age; Grass–HerbCW, lambs born on ryegrass–clover-based pasture and transferred with dam onto herb–clover mix at ~45 days of age and conventional weaning; Grass–HerbEW, lambs born on ryegrass–clover-based pasture and early weaned at ~45 days of age onto herb–clover mix; Grass–GrassCW, lambs born on ryegrass–clover-based pasture and conventional weaning. a–f Means with different superscripts are significantly different across years and treatments
L, average days of age; Herb–HerbCW, lambs born on herb–clover mix and conventional weaning; Herb–HerbEW, lambs born on herb–clover mix and early weaned onto herb–clover mix at ~45 days of age; 15 days of age and early weaned at ~45 days of age; Grass–HerbCW, lambs born on ryegrass–clover-based pasture and transferred with dam onto herb–clover mix at ~45 days of age and conventional weaning; Grass–HerbEW, lambs born on ryegrass–clover-based pasture and early weaned at ~45 days of age onto herb–clover mix; Grass–GrassCW, lambs born on ryegrass–clover-based pasture and conventional weaning. a–b Means with different superscripts are significantly different across years and treatments
Summary
Weaning lambs early can be a useful management option that farmers can use when herbage production is inadequate or of poor quality, to reduce the overall ewe feed demand and to support the growth of early-weaned lambs to achieve liveweight targets [1,2]. Animals 2020, 10, 1354 age onto a ryegrass–clover-based pasture have consistently displayed lower live weight gains and poorer survival compared to unweaned lambs on ryegrass–clover-based pastures, to approximately 14 weeks of age [3,4] This is likely explained by the inadequate nutritional quality of ryegrass–clover-based pastures. A herb–clover mix containing plantain (Plantago lanceolata), chicory (Cichorium intybus), red clover (Trifolium pretanse) and white clover (Trifolium repens) has been shown to have a greater nutritional quality compared to a ryegrass–clover-based pasture [5,6,7] This suggests that a herb–clove mix can be used to support lamb growth, post-early weaning. If prior exposure to the herb–clover mix was found to result in a consistent positive effect on lamb growth, management guidelines for farmers could be developed
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