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Second FAO Electronic Conference on Tropical Feeds
Livestock Feed Resources within Integrated Farming Systems
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Abstract of twenty third paper, from T. Treacher et al.

Questions that might stimulate discussion on this topic
include:

1. Do you have figures on the profitability of different kinds of
supplementation given to sheep grazing stubble?

2. In your area, are multinutrient blocks (containing urea)
competitive with other supplements as barley grain or cotton seed
cakes?

3. Do you have figures on the importance of stubble grazing for
recycling nutrients?

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STUBBLE GRAZING BY SHEEP

T T Treacher (1), S Rihawi (2) and E Owen (3)

(1) Departamento de Produccion Animal, Escuela Superior Tecnica de
Ingenieros Agronomos y de Montes, Apartado 3048, 14080 Cordoba,
Spain
E-mail: pa1treac@uco.es

(2) Pasture, Forage and Livestock Programme, International Centre
for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas, P O Box 5466, Aleppo,
Syria

(3) Dept of Agriculture, University of Reading, Reading RG6 2AT,
UK
E-mail: aasowene@reading.ac.uk

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ABSTRACT

In most small ruminant systems in the Mediterranean basin and west
Asia, cereal stubble is the major source of feed in late summer,
when mating generally occurs. In spite of its importance, there
has been little research on stubble grazing. A programme in ICARDA
surveyed farm practice in northern Syria and examined the effects
of stocking rate and supplementation on intake of barley stubble
by Awassi sheep grazing for 28 day periods. Heads were removed in
the first 4 to 8 days of grazing in a new area of stubble. Intake
of stem increased when most of the leaf had been removed. Mean
intakes of dry matter (DM) in 28 days were 1.10 and 0.83 kg/day in
unsupplemented sheep at stocking rates of 20 and 40 sheep/ha,
respectively. Intakes of ME were approximately 2.5 maintenance (M)
in days 1 to 4 irrespective of stocking rate and declined to 0.70
to 0.35 M in days 23 to 28. Supplementation with 200-360 g/day of
barley decreased intake of stubble in the first 4 to 6 days on a
new area of stubble but, as intake was subsequently higher, total
intake of stubble DM in 28 days was not affected. Supplementation
with 200-360 g/day of cotton seed meal (CSM) or barley and CSM
slightly increased intake of stem. Supplements, especially those
with higher protein contents, had large effects on weight change
and reduced the time taken for the ewes to become pregnant. More
research is needed to obtain a clear understanding of the effects
of different types and levels of supplementation on intake and
performance in sheep grazing barley and wheat stubbles. 

KEY WORDS: Stubble, barley, sheep, ewe, stocking rate,
supplementation, intake

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FAO ELECTRONIC CONFERENCE:
LIVESTOCK FEED RESOURCES WITHIN INTEGRATED FARMING SYSTEMS
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