Plantain (Plantago lanceolata L.) and perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) as pregnancy and lactation feed for ewes joined at 8 months of age
M. C. Raeside A B , Z. N. Nie A , M. Robertson A , D. L. Partington A and R. Behrendt AA Department of Environment and Primary Industries, Private Bag 105, Hamilton, Vic. 3300, Australia.
B Corresponding author. Email: Margaret.Raeside@depi.vic.gov.au
Animal Production Science 54(8) 1023-1029 https://doi.org/10.1071/AN13205
Submitted: 7 January 2013 Accepted: 13 October 2013 Published: 16 December 2013
Abstract
Ewe nutrition during pregnancy and lactation is a key determinant of ewe and lamb performance. A paddock-scale field experiment in western Victoria, Australia, tested the hypothesis that grazing maiden ewes on plantain (Plantago lanceolata L.) from mid-pregnancy until lamb weaning (July 2010–January 2011) would increase ewe liveweight and condition score during this period, reduce worm egg counts, and increase lamb liveweights at birth, marking and weaning, relative to tetraploid perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.), but that further increases would be achieved by offering a spatially arranged sward of plantain and perennial ryegrass. The experiment tested three treatments: plantain (PL), perennial ryegrass (PR), and a 50 : 50 (by area) spatially separated mixture of perennial ryegrass and plantain (PR + PL). Plots were ~1 ha in size arranged in a randomised complete block design with four replications. The ewes were Coopworth composites joined at 8 months of age. Feed-on-offer levels (kg DM/ha) did not differ (P > 0.05) between treatments, with 2.3–3.0 t DM/ha being available pre-grazing. Twin-bearing ewes had higher (P < 0.05) liveweights when offered PR + PL compared with PR or PL at late-pregnancy and higher (P < 0.05) liveweights than PR but not PL (P > 0.05) at lamb marking. At weaning, single-born lambs were heavier (P < 0.05) on PR than PR + PL, with the PL being intermediate. There were no other significant differences (P > 0.05). This experiment has found that feeding plantain to ewes during pregnancy and lactation, or offering ewes spatially separated mixes of plantain and perennial ryegrass, offers no clear liveweight or worm egg count improvement for ewes and lambs relative to a tetraploid perennial ryegrass under Western Victorian conditions.
Additional keywords: diet selection, grazing management, spatial pastures, temperate, herbs, winter feed.
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