Effect of Steaming Up on Feed Intake of Hassan Ewes under Intensive Rearing System

The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of a steaming-up on the feed intake of Hassan ewes under a stall-feeding system. The trial involved 18 mid-gestation Hassan ewes randomly allotted into two groups (n=9): Group I (G-I) fed as per ICAR (2013) recommendations, and Group II (G-II) fed a steamed-up ration exceeding ICAR standards during the last 45 days of gestation. All animals were maintained under uniform housing and management conditions. Feed intake, dry matter intake (DMI), feed conversion ratio (FCR) and roughage-to-concentrate ratio (R:C) were recorded and analysed. Ewes in G-II, showed significantly lower roughage DMI due to higher concentrate intake but achieved superior feed efficiency and lower FCR during the pre-lambing phase whereas, significantly higher total DMI was recorded during post-lambing period, reflecting enhanced milk production and maternal recovery. The R:C ratio was narrower in G-II, supporting better energy-protein balance. The study demonstrated that steaming-up improved metabolic efficiency, lamb birth weight, and overall productivity, supporting its adoption as a viable nutritional intervention for meat-type sheep breeds like Hassan.