Sulfur supplementaion and the use of flavomycin with lupin grain for sheep

Abstract

Two experiments were undertaken to determine the effectiveness of different S sources, in combination with flavomycin, fed with a lupin supplement, to increase wool growth and liveweight gain in 16-month-old Merino sheep fed wheat chaff. In the first experiment, ewes were fed wheat chaff (600 g/sheep) every day and the equivalent of 250 g/day of lupin grain twice weekly. An initial period of 7 weeks was used to quantify differences in wool growth and liveweight gain between individual sheep. Different S sources [2% gypsum, 12% fishmeal, 1.2% DL-methionine or 1.2% hydroxymethyl-methionine (Mepron)] were then added to the lupin grain with or without the addition of flavomycin and fed to sheep for a further period of 7 weeks. Wool growth was significantly increased (P < 0.05) only in the sheep fed lupin grain with the addition of fishmeal and fishmeal with flavomycin. Wool growth was significantly decreased (P<0.05) in the sheep fed lupin grain with the addition of gypsum or Mepron (+flavomycin). Liveweight gain was significantly increased (P < 0.05) in the sheep given methionine, Mepron or fishmeal. In the second experiment, ewes were offered wheat chaff ad libitum every day and the equivalent of 250 g/day of lupin grain twice weekly. After an introductory period of 2 weeks, different S sources (2% gypsum or 1.2% DL-methionine) were added to the lupin grain with or without the addition of flavomycin and fed to sheep for a period of 8 weeks. Wool growth was only increased (P < 0.08) in the sheep fed lupin grain with the addition of methionine with flavomycin. This treatment also resulted in a change in the pattern of chaff consumption. Liveweight gain was increased significantly (P < 0.05) in the sheep given gypsum, methionine or flavomycin. Poor quality feed supplemented with lupin grain appears to have sufficient N and S for wool growth. When sheep fed restricted amounts of poor quality feed are supplemented with lupins, increases in liveweight gain can be achieved with the addition of flavomycin, with or without S, to the lupins.