RESPONSE OF LACTATING EWES TO SNOW AS A SOURCE OF WATER

Abstract

Eight Suffolk-cross ewes, each nursing a ram-lamb, were kept in a snow-covered field and were individually offered 2 kg of dehydrated alfalfa pellets daily. Half the ewes were denied water from the 4th to 14th wk of lactation but had access to snow as a water source (snow ewes), while the others were offered water during the daily feeding period (water ewes). The ewes readily accepted snow as their source of water. The total water turnover of the snow ewes was approximately 35% less than that of the water ewes; however, this reduced water intake did not affect their milk yield, total body water, or hemactocrit. The liveweight and total body solids of the ewes and energy content of the milk were not significantly different in the two groups. The weight gain of the lambs from the two groups of ewes was not significantly different, averaging 118 and 105 g/day for lambs from the water and snow ewes, respectively.