| To rear lambs of the Ojalada breed, fed exclusively on mothers' milk until 5 weeks, three feeding systems were compared: a) ewes kept indoors and fed chopped straw plus concentrate (IND+CH+C), total mixed ration (TMR); b) ewes kept indoors and fed whole straw in the form of large bales plus concentrate (IND+W+C), TMR; and c) free-range grazing plus concentrate (GR+C; control group). Parameters related to ruminal fermentation (pH, NH3-N concentration and proportion of volatile fatty acids (VFAs)) in 40 sheep during a production cycle were monitored. The plasma concentrations of stress-related metabolites (i.e., glucose, lactate, phosphate, creatine kinase (CK), cortisol and non-esterified fatty acids (NEFAs)) during a production cycle and in 10 sheep during... |
