Responses to supplementary feed blocks at mating with May lambing ewes

Abstract

May lambing is attracting significant interest as a low input production method on UK farms but one major constraint to its uptake is a reduction in lamb output of around 20%. This is likely to be associated with adverse nutritional effects at grazing in December when nutrient intake is reduced by low sward quality and availability and weather effects. Supplementary feeding using feed blocks offers a method of improving nutrient intake which has been effective at improving reproductive performance in spring lambing hill flocks (Marsh and McCracken 1995).