Narbon beans (Vicia narbonensis) and field peas (Vicia sativa) were fe
d at 0, 10 and 20 g/kg BW as supplements to pasture hay (47% IVOMD, 1.
15% N) to five groups of ten mature Merino wethers for 8 weeks. Unsupp
lemented sheep grew 6 g/day. Sheep fed narbon beans grew faster than s
heep fed field peas (P < 0.001), 128 g/d vs. 58 g/d at 10 g/kg BW and
99 vs. 90 g/d at 20 g/kg BW, with no differences in wool growth. When
sheep in individual pens were supplemented at 10 g/kg BW, legume grain
s were substituted completely for hay, with intakes of 1104 g hay vs.
654 g hay plus 457 g narbon beans and 652 g hay plus 471 g field peas.
Digestibility of the supplemented diets (66.2% and 65.5%, respectivel
y) did not differ (P > 0.05). Narbon beans were eaten more slowly than
field peas and perhaps provide more stable rumen conditions at the lo
wer supplementation level which may have contributed to greater growth
rate.