Abstract | Effects of individual terpenes on alfalfa pellet intake by lambs were examined. Forty-five lambs were individually fed alfalfa pellets treated with either camphene, myrcene, caryophyllene oxide, or beta-pinene at one of five concentrations. Treatments (0, .5, 1, 2, and 10X) were multiples of the concentration (X) of a specific terpene on Flourensia cernua leaves. Terpenes were applied to alfalfa pellets (.64 kg DM/lamb) and intake during a 20-minute interval was measured for 5 days. Lambs were adapted to handling and individual pen feeding for 10 d and were group-fed alfalfa pellets (4.7% of BW). Camphene and caryophyllene oxide tended to decrease intake (linear contrasts were P = .0651 and P = .0504, respectively), while myrcene and beta-pinene had no effect on alfalfa pellet consumption during the 20-minute interval. Camphene and caryophyllene oxide may be involved in the differential herbivory of individual tarbush plants by livestock. |