Use of supplements for increasing performances of suckling Martinik ewes when fed tropical forages

International audience; Experiments have been carried out to determine the effects of supplementation upon milk production and growing performances with hair sheep Martinik ewes weighing 48 ± 4 kg liveweight (LW). In a first trial, 6 single bearing ewes (group GS) were offered individually a daily 0.5 kg of commercial pellets. They were compared to the control group (GN; 6 ewes)with no supplement during 10 weeks of lactation. Basal diet was chopped Digitaria decumbens grass ad libitum. In a second trial, level of supplementation was adapted to the ewes’ litter size: 6 twins bearing ewes (TW) and 6 single (SI). Mean milk production (oxytocin method) reached 1186 and 940 g.d-1 (P