Limit-grazing of cool-season pastures for wintering Angora does

S. Hart, and T. Sahlu

Forty pregnant Angora does were wintered on ad libitum bermudagrass hay with 20 does receiving one pound of a 16% concentrate supplement and the other 20 does allowed to graze a pasture mixture of wheat and ryegrass for two hours per day. The limit-grazed does consumed half the quantity of the hay as the supplemented does and consumed less dormant forage in their pastures. The supplemented does lost 6% of their body weight (BW) during the study, whereas the limit-grazed does maintained their weight. The limit-grazed does produced more clean fleece with no effect on staple length or fiber diameter. Limit-grazing of cool-season pastures improved animal performance while reducing hay and supplement requirements.