Research Progress Report 190
June, 1965

Gestation and Lactation Rations for Ewes

J. B. Outhouse, J. A. Osborn, H. Paarlberg, and T. W. Perry Department of Animal Sciences

Summary
	Three roughages were compared in the gestation and lactation rations of two groups of ewes totaling 160 head during the winter and spring of 1964-65. These rough-ages included alfalfa hay, low moisture legume silage or haylage, and haylage made with 20 percent shelled corn added at the time of ensiling. The alfalfa hay and plain haylage was supplemented with one-half pound of shelled corn during the gestation period and with one pound of shelled corn during the lactation period. All lots received bonemeal and trace mineralized salt free choice.

	The alfalfa hay appeared to be the most palatable ration as measured by greater consumption on a dry matter basis and the haylage with corn added was the least palatable. The two haylage rations were more economical than the alfalfa hay. The costs of the rations for the combined gestation and lactation periods, expressed as cents per day, were 7.58 for the alfalfa hay, 6.53 for the plain haylage and 5.90 for the haylage with corn added. This relationship agrees with the results obtained in a similar study on gestation rations made during 1963-64.

	The ewes receiving the alfalfa hay had a lower lamb loss and a slightly higher weight of grease wool than the ewes on the haylage rations. The ewes receiving haylage with corn added at the time of ensiling showed the greatest weight loss at the close of the lactation period. This is related to the reduced consumption of dry matter. There appeared to be no significant difference in the birth weight of the lambs or the average daily gain of the lambs on the three rations.
This study indicates that haylage can serve as a satisfactory and economical roughage in the gestation and lactation rations for ewes. It must be supplemented with a source of energy similar to alfalfa hay. When corn is used as the energy supplement, the results indicate that it is better to add it at the time of feeding rather than at the time of ensiling so that the consumption of dry matter can be maintained.

Introduction
	In 1964, research was conducted at Purdue to determine the value of low moisture legume silage or haylage in the gestation ration for ewes. The haylage used in this study was made by adding 400 pounds of dried ground shelled corn to each 1,600

PURDUE UNIVERSITY • Agricultural Experiment Station • Lafayette, Indiana