@article {3672,
	title = {BRIEF COMMUNICATION: Effect of a fodder beet or lucerne-chaff-based diet on triplet-bearing ewe live weight, body condition score and lamb birth weight},
	journal = {New Zealand Journal of Animal Science and Production},
	volume = {79},
	year = {2019},
	month = {07/2019},
	pages = {168-170},
	address = {Palmerston North},
	abstract = {The objective was to determine whether a fodder-beet based diet (FB) balanced for crude protein, vitamins and minerals could support similar ewe live weight (LW), body condition score (BCS) and lamb birth weight compared to a lucerne-based diet. Triplet-bearing ewes (60-70 days gestation) were randomly allocated to a lucerne-based (65\% of dry matter [DM] n=12) or FB-based (56\% FB bulb; n=16) diet. Lambs were weighed two hours after birth. Ewe LW (P=0.970) and BCS (P=0.165) did not differ between treatments and there was no diet-by-day gestational age (dGA) interaction. A diet-by-dGA interaction was observed for DM intake (P=0.003) where FB-fed ewes consumed less than control ewes with advancing gestation. A diet-by-sex interaction was evident for lamb birth weight (P=0.026) where female lambs from FB-fed ewes were heavier than female lambs from control-fed ewes, with no difference between males. These results indicate that supplementing a FB-based diet with additional protein, fibre and minerals can maintain triplet-bearing ewe BCS and LW and improve female lamb birth weight compared to those born to control ewes.},
	issn = {1176-5283},
	author = {Knol FW and Erichsen C and Jonker A and Sandoval E and Pacheco D and Hea SY and McCoard SA}
}
@conference {3672,
	title = {BRIEF COMMUNICATION: The effect of arginine supplementation and milk allowance on small intestinal development in pre-weaning calves},
	booktitle = {Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production},
	volume = {77},
	year = {2017},
	month = {06/2017},
	pages = {88-90},
	address = {Rotorua},
	abstract = {The gastrointestinal tract is an organ system crucial in feed digestion, nutrient absorption and protection against external pathogens. In this respect, changes in the structure of the small intestine in pre-ruminant calves are particularly important because it is the primary site of digestion and absorption (Blum 2006). Understanding factors that influence intestinal development is essential to inform calf feeding practices to optimise growth performance and health. Increasing milk allowance increases calf growth, but suppresses solid feed intake before weaning and, therefore, delays rumen development (Khan et al. 2011). In comparison to the rumen, development of the small intestine has received little attention in calf nutrition (Steele et al. 2016) and the effect of increased milk intake on small intestine development in calves is largely unknown (Khan et al. 2016)....},
	issn = {1176-5283},
	author = {van Keulen P and Welboren AC and Kahn MA and Knol FW and Dijkstra J and McCoard SA}
}
@conference {3672,
	title = {The effects of early access to meal on the behaviour of artificially reared dairy lambs},
	booktitle = {Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production},
	volume = {77},
	year = {2017},
	month = {06/2017},
	pages = {18-22},
	address = {Rotorua},
	abstract = {he New Zealand sheep dairy industry is growing (Peterson \& Prichard 2015). Several large commercial sheep dairy farms remove lambs from their dams within the first four days of life. In some systems, lambs have access to milk replacer (MR) ad libitum and a grain-based solid feed (Bimczok et al. 2005). Compared to young ruminants fed a milk-only diet, early access to solid feed stimulates rumen development (Baldwin et al. 2004) and earlier onset of rumination (Khan et al. 2016) to allow early weaning off MR (Bimczok et al. 2005). Earlier rumen development through access to meal may also encourage earlier grazing of pasture and greater rumination, thereby supporting early weaning. The potential to replace meal with early pasture access as the sole solid feed source to support early weaning has not been evaluated...},
	issn = {1176-5283},
	author = {Nieper BA and Khan MA and Ganesh S and Knol FW and Peterson SW and Stafford KJ and Stevens DR and McCoard SA}
}
@conference {3672,
	title = {How does feeding meal affect growth of artificially reared East Friesian-cross dairy lambs?},
	booktitle = {Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production},
	volume = {77},
	year = {2017},
	month = {06/2017},
	pages = {13-17},
	address = {Rotorua},
	abstract = {Artificial rearing is routinely used in large-scale dairy sheep farms. One approach is to offer milk replacer (MR) and meal ad libi-tum to lambs. Our aim was to evaluate growth performance of female lambs in the first 12 weeks of rearing with (M) and without (NM) grain-based meal access (n=30/group) during four feeding periods. In period 1 (wk 0-3) lambs were offered MR and meal ad libitum, and in period 2 (wk 4-5) were transitioned outdoors onto pasture with continued access to MR and meal. Lambs were weaned off MR in period 3 (wk 6-10), and meal in period 4 (wk 10-12). The NM lambs received identical management but meal was excluded. A treatment-by-time interaction was found whereby NM lambs had lower average daily gain (ADG) (P<0.05) in periods 1 (376{\textpm}6 vs. 414{\textpm}8 g/day) and 3 (146{\textpm}7 vs. 241{\textpm}7 g/day), no difference in period 2 (P>0.05), and higher ADG in period 4 (157{\textpm}18 vs. -55{\textpm}18 g/day, P<0.05) than M lambs. There was no difference (P>0.05) in live weight by week 12, and all lambs survived. These results indicate when lambs fed MR ad libitum are offered unrestricted access to good-quality pasture before weaning, meal may not be required to achieve a similar live weight at 12 weeks.},
	issn = {1176-5283},
	author = {Jensen AC and Khan MA and Knol FW and Peterson SW and Morel PCH and McKenzie C and Stevens DR and McCoard SA}
}
@conference {3672,
	title = {Impact of early weaning on rumen fermentation profiles of artificially reared lambs},
	booktitle = {Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production},
	volume = {77},
	year = {2017},
	month = {06/2017},
	pages = {49-54},
	address = {Rotorua},
	abstract = {This study investigated the impact of weaning age on rumen fermentation profiles in lambs. Mixed-sex lambs (n=32) were ran-domly allocated to one of two weaning groups: early-weaning (4wk) and control (6wk). Milk replacer (24\% CP and 25\% fat, DM basis) was offered at 20\% of initial body weight. Lambs were weaned at either four or six weeks after commencement of the trial using a three-week step-down procedure, initiated at the start of week 2 (early weaned group) or week 4 (control group). Lambs were individually penned indoors and concentrate and chopped meadow hay were offered ad libitum and individual feed intakes recorded until week six. At the end of week six, lambs were moved onto a ryegrass-based pasture and transitioned to an all pasture diet by week ten. Rumen contents were collected at slaughter, half of the lambs from each group at week four and sixteen, to de-termine rumen pH, and short chain fatty acid (SCFA) and ammonia concentrations. Ammonia concentrations were 132\% greater (P<0.05) in early weaned than control lambs at week four, but did not differ at week sixteen. Weaning age did not affect ruminal pH and SCFA total concentrations and proportions at week four or sixteen. The results suggest that ruminal fermentation can be established in lambs weaned off milk by four weeks using a step-down weaning method.},
	issn = {1176-5283},
	author = {Cristobal-Carballo O and Khan MA and Knol FW and Lewis SJ and Stevens D and McCoard SA}
}
