Feed intakes and meal patterns of sheep during pregnancy and lactation, and after weaning

Four cross-bred ewes were kept in individual pens from the last month of pregnancy until the third week of weaning after a 5-week lactation; lambing occurred in late March. The ewes were offered a complete pelleted feed ad libitum, and every few days the feeding behaviour of each was monitored by continuous recording of the weight of the feed container. The weight and timing of each meal was used to calculate mean meal size and length, intermeal interval, hunger and satiety ratios. The increase in daily intake which occurred after parturition was due to increases in meal size, rate of eating and meal frequency. Intake was lower in the period of the day from 0400 hrs to 0800 hrs than during any of the 4-h periods between 0800 hrs and 2400 hrs, with intermediate values at 2400-0400 hrs. The time of day had no effect on meal size or rate of eating. These results are compared with the predictions of a model designed to predict meal occurrences in sheep and the differences used to suggest improvements to the model.