This experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of pre and postnatal feed restriction on growth and production of Santa Inês lambs from weaning to slaughter. Forty-eight lambs were assigned to three treatments as follows: lambs with prenatal feed restriction (PRER), lambs with postnatal feed restriction (POSTR), and lambs with no feed restriction (Control). Average daily feed intake (as fed basis) of lambs on POSTR treatment (624 g/d) was significantly lower (P<0.05) than that of lambs on control (757 g/d) and PRER (765 g/d) treatments possibly because of the feed restriction after birth. However, total feed intake was lowest on control, which may be explained by the earlier slaughter age of lambs in this treatment compared to feed-restricted animals. Daily weight gain of non-restricted lambs (Control) averaged 257 g/d and was greater than the daily weight gain of POSR and PRER treatments that averaged 155 and 198 g/d, respectively. Lower after weaning production on PRER and POSR treatments compared to control indicated that feed-restricted animals were not able to compensate the imposed restriction leading to later slaughter age and higher feed consumption.
feed restriction; postnatal nutrition; prenatal nutrition; sheep
