Milk yield, its composition and performance of Malpura ewes under protocol of grazing and supplementation

The reported study was conducted to assess potential milk yield of Malpura ewes under protocol of grazing with concentrate supplementation @ 1.5% of body weight. The bio mass yield of Cenchrus ciliaris dominated pasture was 18.2 q/ha and the mouth grab sample of the vegetation contained 8.3% CP while the concentrate mixture offered to the ewes had 15.7% CP. Milk yield of the ewes was 525 ml on the date of lambing and peak yield was recorded on 1st, 2nd an 3rd week of lactation (548 ml) and the yield gradually declined by 12th week of lactation. Based on lactation records of 3 months, the daily milk yield of the ewes was 496 g/day. The average milk fat content of the ewes in total lactation length of 90 days was 6.1%: the milk fat content increased with decrease in milk yield (r = -0.62). On an average the milk contained 3.4% lactose, 5.1% protein, 9.5% SNF and 15.8% TS. The ash content was higher in 1st and 2nd week (3.3%) than other periods (0.9%). The ewes showed linear gain in body weight after termination of pregnancy in lactation phase of the study. It is concluded that average milk yield of Malpura ewes was 496 g/day in the lactation period of 3 months. Further the lactating ewes showed linear gain in body weight under protocol of grazing with concentrate supplementation @ 1.5% body weight which was adequate for their requirements.