The effects of daily and weekly feeding regimes on the efficiency of energy utilization by sheep given all-wheat diets

Abstract

The metabolizable energy (ME) content of an all-wheat ration was similar whether given to sheep at a rate of 300 g each day or at 2100 g once each week. However, the net availability of ME was 79 % in the former group compared with 70 % in the latter, owing to the significantly (P < 0.05) higher heat production of sheep given feed once weekly. It is suggested that the increased heat production resulted from fluctuations between storage of energy and oxidation of tissue reserves associated with the extended feeding interval.