Final Data

The lambs were weighed for a final time on September 25. This was 91 days after they were split into their two treatment groups. For this final weigh period (of 11 days), the PASTURE group (n=36) had a much higher ADG than the SUPPLEMENTED group (n=37):  0.555 ± 0.305 vs. 0.188 ± 260 lbs. per day. They had a 0.4 unit advantage in FAMACHA© scores: 1.6 vs. 2.0. Two of the SUPPLEMENTED lambs were dewormed, with one having a FAMACHA© score of 4. 

However, for the 91-day duration of the study, the SUPPLEMENTED lambs had a higher ADG (+9.3%) than the PASTURE lambs:  0.386 ± 0.059 vs. 0.353 ± 0.059 lbs. per day. The SUPPLEMENTED lambs had heavier final ending weights than the PASTURE lambs: 108.6 ± 15.5 vs. 106.6 ± 13.9 lbs. They finished the study with a 0.2 unit advantage in body condition score. Throughout the study, the PASTURE lambs tended to have higher dag scores (more scours).

For the 73 lambs that finished the study, ADG ranged from 0.209 to 0.543 lbs. per day and averaged 0.370 ± 0.061 lbs. per day. No lamb lost weight. However, four lambs were removed from the PASTURE group and two lambs were removed from the SUPPLEMENTED group.