@article {51476, title = {Effects of repeated cycles of feed intake shifts on growth, feed efficiency and endocrine profiles of wether lambs}, journal = {Small Ruminant Research}, volume = {10}, number = {2}, year = {1993}, note = {Reprinted with permission from Elsevier, Copyright {\textcopyright} 1993. (http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/09214488)}, month = {March 1, 1993}, pages = {103-118}, abstract = {

Fifteen wether lambs (average BW 28.8 {\textpm} 1.8 kg) were used in a 128-d trial to examine effects of cyclical feeding changes on growth, feed efficiency and endocrine profiles. Control lambs were fed a 40\% concentrate diet (40C) at 1.5 {\texttimes} NEm requirement during period 1 (64 d). Another group (1x/2x) was fed 40C at 1 and 2 x NEm in 4-d intervals during period 1; a third group (70/10) 70\% and 10\% concentrate diets in 4-d intervals during period 1. To achieve dry matter intake comparable to controls, 70/10 lambs were fed at 1.79 (70C) and 1.21 (10C) {\texttimes} NEm. All lambs were placed on the control diet during period 2 (32 d) and increased to 2 x maintenance during period 3 (32 d). During period 2, ADG and gain/feed of control lambs tended to be greater (P\<0.10) than for lambs fed alternating treatments. Liver weight as a percentage of hot carcass weight was greater (P\<0.05) for controls than for lambs fed alternating treatments. Hot carcass weight (P=0.07) and dressing percentage (P=0.09) tended to be greater for the 70/10 treatment than for controls. The 1x/2x treatment lowered (P\<0.05) serum cholesterol compared with other groups on d 65, but not on d 0 or 129. Smaller liver weight per unit of hot carcass weight for lambs in the 1x/2x and 70/10 treatments suggests a possible reduction of maintenance requirements.

}, keywords = {Carcass weight, Endocrine profile, feed intake, growth, Lamb}, doi = {10.1016/0921-4488(93)90054-L}, url = {/files/bibliography/398.pdf}, author = {Richard E. Estell and Kris Havstad and Heird, C.E. and E.L. Fredrickson and Hallford, D.M. and Shupe, W. Larry} }