Session: Animal Health I

63 - Effect of Chicory Silage and Se-yeast on Peripartum Ewes: Performance Data

Thursday, July 15, 2021

9:30 AM – 9:45 AM EST

Location: Kentucky International Convention Center (KICC), L007/008

Presenting Author(s)

Hunter Ford, PhD

Graduate Research Assistant
Oregon State University
Corvallis, Oregon

PDF Slides and Audio

Author(s)

MB

Massimo Bionaz

Oregon State University
Corvallis, Oregon
SA

Serkan Ates, n/a

Assist Prof
Oregon State University
Corvallis, Oregon
JK

Joe Klopfenstein

Oregon State University
Corvallis, Oregon
DH

Daniella Hasan

Oregon State University
Corvallis, Oregon
GP

Gracia Puerto Hernandez

Oregon State University
Corvallis, Oregon
JV

Julia VanDerZanden

Oregon State University
Corvallis, Oregon
MI

Magdalena Ibarra

Oregon State University
Corvallis, Oregon
CD

Caitlynn Dougherty

Oregon State University
Corvallis, Oregon
SH

Samantha Heney

Oregon State University
Corvallis, Oregon

The objective of this study was to test the possibility of improving the performance of peripartum ewes by feeding a combination of chicory silage and Se-yeast. Approximately four weeks prior to lambing, 36 pregnant Polypay ewes were moved into single pens and randomly assigned to one of four groups to be fed either grass or chicory silage and supplemented or not with 3.6 mg Se/day (DiaMune, Diamond V). Daily dry matter intake (DMI), water intake, body weight gain of lambs and body weight changes of the ewes, milk yield using a weigh-suckle-weigh system, and milk components were recorded. Data were analyzed using GLIMMIX (SAS v9) with time, silage, and Se interaction as fixed effects and ewe as random effect. Significance was declared with P ≤ 0.05. The DMI was lower in ewes fed chicory compared to grass silage with no effect of Se. Water intake was greater in ewes that were fed chicory silage than grass silage but lower in those supplemented with Se. Milk production of ewes and BW gain of the lambs were not affected by the treatments, but the gain efficiency (G:F) of lambs was larger in animal fed chicory vs. grass silage. Few differences were observed in milk components between the treatments. Protein content and SNF tended to be reduced by feeding Se (P = 0.08) while feeding Se increased C18:0 and preformed fatty acids in milk. Feeding chicory+Se tended to increase percentage of de novo-derived fatty acids in milk compared to feeding grass+Se. Somatic cell count (SCC) was not affected by the treatments. Overall, our data indicated that performance of the animals as well as milk components were not affected by feeding chicory and/or Se despite a lower feed intake when chicory was fed. Higher feed efficiency by using chicory is suggested by the DMI/gain of lambs.