Effect of lupin grain and recently cut lucerne on intake and digestibility of mature weathered herbage by Border Leicester × Merino ewes

Abstract

The effect of lupin grain and freshly cut lucerne supplements on the ad libitum intake of mature, weathered herbage (Lolium rigidum and Trifolium subterraneum) by fourteen Border Leicester x Merino ewes was examined. There were seven treatments: in six, each supplement was fed separately at three rates between 190 and 750 g ewe-1 day-1. and in one, no supplement was fed. There were two replicates : one of ewes with high, and the other with low, ad libitum intake. Treatments were imposed for three weeks, and for analysis, data for an individual ewe were related to data collected during two periods of three weeks before and after the experimental period. Apparent digestibilities of DM of herbage, lucerne, and lupins were 50, 60 and 88%, respectively, and were not affected by different rates of supplement fed. Ad libitum intake of herbage at 0 and 200 g ewe-l day-1 of supplement intake was similar. At supplements above 200 g ewe-1 day-1, intake of herbage decreased by 40 and 61 g DM for each 100 g DM increase in supplement consumed by high and low intake ewes, respectively. Liveweights increased by 100 g for every 250 g DM of supplement consumed. It was concluded that the effect of feeding ewes lupin grain on consumption and digestion of roughage was unlikely, by itself, to be responsible for improvements in reproduction observed in ewes fed a supplement of lupin grain.