- ME requirements for maintenance and liveweight gain in mature ewes (MJ ME/day)
- ME requirements of ewe hoggets (MJ ME/day)
- ME requirements for cattle for maintenance and growth (MJ ME/day)
- Weeks before Term
How Much Feed is needed to Maintain Animals?
The amount of feed an animal needs at any given time depends on:
- Its body weight.
- Changes in weight (growth or loss).
- Its physiological state (pregnancy, lactation or dry).
- The weather.
"Maintenance" is defined as the amount of feed necessary to keep the animal at the same weight. We measure this in megajoules of metabolisable energy (MJ ME). Cold weather, which may be accentuated by wind, rain or snow, will increase the maintenance requirement, while warm weather will reduce it. Shearing will increase the animal's requirement until the fleece is again long enough to reduce heat loss.
Surplus energy is stored in the body as fat, either under the skin or in the body cavity such as kidney fat. In a ewe it takes 65 MJ of ME to increase the liveweight by 1 kg, while each kilogram of liveweight lost is only 17 MJ. Consequently, it is best to maintain ewe liveweight at an optimum level, rather than allow weights to fluctuate.
ME requirements are measured under controlled situations. Under a farm situation, slightly more feed is needed. Regular weighing of stock should be carried out while you are supplementary feeding to check that the animals are being adequately fed.
ME requirements for maintenance and liveweight gain in mature ewes (MJ ME/day)
| Liveweight (kg) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liveweight gain (gms/day) | 40 | 45 | 50 | 55 | 60 |
| 0 (Maintenance) | 8.5 | 9 | 10.0 | 11.0 | 11.5 |
| 50 | 11.0 | 12.0 | 13.0 | 14.0 | 14.5 |
| 100 | 13.5 | 15.0 | 16.5 | 17.0 | 18.0 |
| 150 | 16.0 | 18.0 | 20.0 | 20.5 | 22.0 |
As an example, a 50 kg ewe being fed maintenance will need 10.0 MJ of ME per day. Returning to the table under Supplementary Feeding Levels, this requirement will be met by 0.5 kg barley, 0.5 kg barley grain, and 0.62 kg of fresh pasture.
ME requirements of ewe hoggets (MJ ME/day)
| Liveweight (kg) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liveweight gain (gms/day) | 25 | 30 | 35 | 40 | 45 |
| 0 | 8.0 | 9.0 | 10.0 | 11.0 | 12.0 |
| 50 | 10.0 | 11.5 | 13.0 | 14.0 | 15.5 |
| 100 | 12.5 | 14.0 | 16.0 | 17.5 | 19.0 |
| 150 | 14.5 | 17.0 | 19.0 | 21.0 | 23.0 |
| 200 | 17.0 | 19.5 | 22.0 | 24.5 | 26.5 |
As ewes approach lambing, their feed requirements increase-see graph below:
ME requirements for cattle for maintenance and growth (MJ ME/day)
| Liveweight gain (kg/day) | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liveweight | 0 | 0.25 | .50 | .75 | 1.0 | 1.25 | 1.5 |
| 100 | 14 | 23 | 28 | 32 | 37 | 41 | 46 |
| 150 | 21 | 31 | 37 | 43 | 49 | 55 | 61 |
| 200 | 28 | 39 | 47 | 54 | 62 | 69 | 77 |
| 250 | 35 | 46 | 55 | 64 | 72 | 81 | 90 |
| 300 | 40 | 53 | 63 | 73 | 84 | 94 | 104 |
| 350 | 45 | 59 | 71 | 82 | 94 | 105 | 116 |
| 400 | 49 | 66 | 78 | 81 | 103 | 116 | 129 |
| 450 | 54 | 72 | 86 | 99 | 1113 | 127 | 141 |
| 500 | 58 | 78 | 93 | 108 | 123 | 128 | 152 |
Additional ME is required during pregnancy in addition to maternal requirements for calf birth of 40 kg.
Weeks before Term
| 12 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 2 | Term |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8.2 | 14.2 | 17.5 | 24.7 | 33.8 | 42.9 |
(Tables are taken from A Guide to Feed Planning-A New Zealand Sheep Council Publication)
Ken Muscroft-Taylor
Agricultural Consultant
Agriculture New Zealand
Darfield
Contact for Enquiries
Manager
North Island Regions
Sector Performance Policy
MAF Policy
Hamilton
NEW ZEALAND
Phone: +64 7 957 8313
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