The timing of a moderate nutritional restriction in mid pregnancy and its effect on lamb birth weight and ewe gestation length

Abstract

Lamb birth weight and ewe gestation length data were collected from a flock of 300-600 parous Border Leicester x Merino ewes over 4 years, as part of a study on nutritional restriction of pregnant ewes. One half of these ewes were nutritionally restricted for a 4-week period commencing 75-95 days post coitus, in order to achieve loss of maternal liveweight and reduction in body fat score to a minimum of 3. The remaining ewes with no nutritional restriction were >6 kg heavier and had a body fat score >0.8 higher at the end of the restriction period. Nutritional restriction affected (P