The variation in, and often the disappointingly poor weight gains and the inability of lambs to achieve desirable carcass grades on ryegrass pastures have long been a concern to researchers, extension officers, advisors and farmers. The objectives of this study were to investigate whether concentrate supplementation to lambs on Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum cv Midmar) pastures would improve the performance of lambs, and what the optimum level of supplementation is to lambs on the pasture. The investigation extended over the pre-and post-weaning growth phases of lambs and was conducted during two consecutive seasons at the Cedara Research Station in the KwaZulu-Natal Mistbelt. The pre-weaning stocking rate applied, was 20 South African Mutton Merino ewes with lambs/ha and the following treatments were applied: Control: continuous grazing -no creep feed; forward creep grazing by the lambs in a rotational grazing system where the lambs were allowed to graze paddocks allocated to the ewes, plus the next paddock in their series of grazing paddocks; 100 g creep feed/lamb/day; 250 g creep feed/lamb/day and creep feed ad libitum. The post-weaning stocking rate applied, was 50 lambs/ha and treatments were: Control -no supplement; 250 g of supplement/lamb/day (only the second season); 500 g of supplement/lamb/day and supplement ad libitum. From 42 days of age to weaning, supplementation significantly improved the live weight gain of suckling lambs. Creep feed intake varied between 300 and 350 g/lamb/day. The average daily gain of the weaned lambs improved significantly with supplementation. No significant advantage in terms of growth was gained by supplementing the weaned lambs at levels of higher than 500 g/day.

Kikuyu (Pennisetum clandestinum) is a summer growing tropical pasture species well adapted to the Midlands of KwaZulu-Natal. Kikuyu foggage (standing hay) could play an important role in a fodder flow programme to sustain dry ewes during late winter after their lambs have been weaned in mid-winter. The potential of kikuyu foggage to supply in the feed requirements of dry ewes was evaluated over four winter periods. The foggage was obtained by closing off the kikuyu to grazing during either late January or late February. The foggage was grazed for eight weeks, from mid-July to mid-September, using either strip or continuous grazing systems. Closing off date did not significantly influence the chemical composition of the material on offer. The ewes in the different treatments lost between 4.7 and 10.3% of their initial body weight over the grazing period. In vitro digestible organic matter (IVDOM) of the foggage declined as winter progressed and was positively correlated with the body weight loss of the ewes. Foggage utilization varied between 36.7 and 43.5%, indicating a high proportion of fodder wastage. The body weight loss of the dry ewes during the grazing period suggested that kikuyu foggage in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands was unable to sustain the body weight of the dry ewe.