Twenty multiparous, crossbred, black-faced ewes and their newborn twin lambs were assigned to one of four dietary treatments in a 2 x 2 factorial experiment to examine the effects of increased supply of CP or a mixture of encapsulated methionine and lysine or both on the performance of ewes and their nursing twin lambs. Ewes were fed ad libitum amounts of either a 10.2% low CP diet or a 16.2% moderate CP diet with or without additional encapsulated amino acids. Nitrogen metabolism trials were conducted simultaneously on both ewes and lambs at wk 2, 4, and 8 of lactation. Analyses were conducted for blood urea N, plasma 3-hydroxybutyrate, lactate, NEFA, insulin, and amino acids (plasma, feed, and milk). Ewe DMI, BW, BW gain, and milk yield were not changed by dietary treatments. Balance of N and N digested were increased by moderate CP treatment. The portion of retained N used for milk synthesis was increased by low CP treatment. Methionine and total branched-chain amino acids were increased by encapsulated amino acids and by protein treatment. Gains in BW and N balance were increased in lambs nursing ewes fed protected amino acids. Increased growth of nursing lambs would be an important beneficial effect of supplementing diets of ewes with encapsulated methionine and lysine.

No abstract

Early cut crownvetch (Coronilla varia L.) and alfalfa hays of similar chemical composition were compared in a 70‐day feeding experiment, using 6‐month‐old crossbred wethers. The two forages in either pelleted or ground form were fed ad libitum as the sole diet. Liveweight gain was greater on alfalfa than on crownvetch and greater on pelleted forage than ground forage. Forage consumption was generally high. Consumption of pelleted forage was considerably greater than that of ground forage. Digestibility of crownvetch was generally less than that of alfalfa. Overall, the lesser liveweight gains on crownvetch were attributable to its lesser digestibility and, in the case of ground forage, to its lesser consumption as well. The differences in digestibility of the structural components of the two forages did not appear to be related to the degree of lignification of lignocellulose.

Three experiments are reported in which crownvetch (Coronilla varia L.) forage was fed to sheep for periods up to 40 days. Crownvetch soilage cut in the early bloom stage was consumed as readily as regrowth ladino doverorchardgrass soilage. Ground, pelleted crownvetch cut in July in the seed stage was poorly digested. Gross energy digestibility and voluntary consumption of chopped, frozen crownvetch cut in early bloom were similar to published values for dehydrated, early bloom alfalfa, birdsfoot trefoil, and red clover. According to the literature, crownvetch forage may be unpalatable or even toxic, but neither of these properties was observed in the experiments reported. Crownvetch as a forage may compare well with other biennial and perennial legumes. More extensive experiments, in which the yield of animal product is measured, are indicated.

During a 4‐year study on the comparative productivity of pastures grazed by cattle and sheep, we also observed the social behavior of these species when kept together. We observed that a strong social relationship between steers and sheep will develop and that time will add to the strength of this relationship. Changes in feeding behavior in response to established social relationships might affect animal performance.