The objective of this study was to determine the effect of warm shed housing on liveweight loss of ewes and on their lambing performance in winter-spring period.One hundred and twenty ewes,from two adjacent local farmers in Taipusi Banner of Xilinguole,Inner Mongolia,were used in winter-spring of 2011,2012 and 2013.The animals were randomly assigned to two treatment groups:housing in a traditional shed+grazing (TS,control),and housing in a modified warm shed+no-grazing (WS).In summer all animals grazed pasture during the day and were housed in a traditional unheated shed overnight.During winter and spring the ewes in the TS treatment were again grazed on pasture each day and housed in the traditional shed each night,while the ewes in the WS treatment were not sent out to graze during the day.The ewes and their lambs in each treatment were fed the same amounts of supplements of hay and concentrate per day throughout the experiment period.The liveweight loss of ewes in the WS treatment was 22 g/day lower (P=0.005),and their liveweight 1.6 kg higher (P=0.004) at the end of the period,than for sheep in the TS treatment.In all three years the weight loss was greater in December and January than in February and March,and was significantly less (P＜0.001) in 2012 and 2013 than in the first year of the experiment (2011).More lambs were born in the warm shed than in the traditional unheated shed (P=0.020),and lambs born in the warm shed also had a higher liveweight (P=0.0005) and daily weight gain (P=0.0001).The lamb weight gain and birth weight were also significantly higher in the later years of the experiment (P＜0.001).As the shed temperature increased lambing,survival and twinning rates continuously increased.These results demonstrate that sheep housing in a warm shed during winter and spring will improve animal performance and household incomes and reduce grazing pressure on already degraded grasslands.Importantly,keeping animals in a warm shed in the cold season will assist herders to change from a traditional'animal survival'mind set to a production oriented attitude.Thereby,we recommend sheep sheds should have a thermal time (degree-days)＞-40 ℃ · d or have an air temperature＞2 ℃ during the cold season in pastoral regions of Northwest China.%研究冬春季暖棚舍饲对母羊体重损失及产羔性能的影响.试验分别于2011、2012和2013年冬春季在内蒙古锡林郭勒盟太仆寺旗进行,在当地选用2户临近牧户,每户挑选120只母羊,随机分为2组,分别为传统棚十放牧组(TS,对照)、改造暖棚十舍饲组(WS).参试母羊夏秋季白天自由放牧,晚上归牧后圈在传统棚内;到冬春季TS组饲养方式不变,WS组舍饲在简易改造暖棚.整个试验期间,2组母羊及其羔羊的补饲饲料组成及饲喂量相同.试验结果表明,WS组母羊体重较TS组高1.6 kg(P=0.004),体重损失较之少22 g/d(P=0.005);母羊体重损失在12-1月份最严重,但经第一年(2011)饲养损失程度显著缓解(P＜0.00l),体重损失随棚圈积温升高而减少.TS组的年均产羔数、羔羊体重及其日增重均显著低于WS组(P=0.020;P=0.0005;P=0.0001),初生重及日增重随着饲养年份的延后而增加(P＜0.001);产羔率、羔羊存活率和双羔率随棚圈积温的升高而增大.以上结果表明,冬春季暖棚舍饲可显著减少母羊越冬体重损失,并提高产羔力,进而提高家庭牧场收入,保护退化草场.更重要的是,冷季舍饲有助于改变牧民的传统养殖观念,从“生存观”转向“生产观”.建议,西北牧区冷季绵羊圈舍适宜积温应高于-40℃·d或基本温度高于2℃.
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