Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-jbqgn Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-06-24T09:11:49.689Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The effect of offering concentrate supplement to twin- and triplet-bearing ewes grazing a 60 mm herbage sward height on lamb birth weight, heat production and post-natal growth

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 June 2009

J. I. KERSLAKE ,
P. R. KENYON ,
K. J. STAFFORD ,
S. T. MORRIS  and
P. C. H. MOREL
J. I. KERSLAKE*
Affiliation:
Sheep Research Group and the National Centre for Growth and Development, College of Sciences, Massey University, Private Bag 11222, Palmerston North, Postcode 4442, New Zealand
P. R. KENYON
Affiliation:
Sheep Research Group and the National Centre for Growth and Development, College of Sciences, Massey University, Private Bag 11222, Palmerston North, Postcode 4442, New Zealand
K. J. STAFFORD
Affiliation:
Sheep Research Group and the National Centre for Growth and Development, College of Sciences, Massey University, Private Bag 11222, Palmerston North, Postcode 4442, New Zealand
S. T. MORRIS
Affiliation:
Sheep Research Group and the National Centre for Growth and Development, College of Sciences, Massey University, Private Bag 11222, Palmerston North, Postcode 4442, New Zealand
P. C. H. MOREL
Affiliation:
Sheep Research Group and the National Centre for Growth and Development, College of Sciences, Massey University, Private Bag 11222, Palmerston North, Postcode 4442, New Zealand
*
*To whom all correspondence should be addressed. Present address: AbacusBio Limited, 1st Floor Public Trust Building, 442 Moray Place, PO Box 5585, Dunedin9058, New Zealand. Email: jkerslake@abacusbio.co.nz
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Summary

The current study investigated the effect of offering concentrate supplement to ewes in late pregnancy on twin- and triplet-born lamb heat production at 24–36 h old and performance from birth until lactation day 94 (L94). Twin- (n=40) and triplet-bearing (n=28) ewes were grazed on a 60 mm sward height from day 70 of pregnancy (P70) until L94. From P100, half of the ewes from each litter size were offered 400 g/ewe/day of concentrate sheep pellets. Ewe liveweight and body condition were recorded on P50, 100, 130, 135 and 140. Ewe blood samples were also collected on P130, 135 and 140, and ewe herbage intake was estimated from P133–136 using the n-alkane method. Lamb measurements included liveweight and body size at birth, production of heat using indirect open-circuit calorimetry at 24–36 h old and liveweight at L94. Blood samples were also collected from lambs at 24–36 h old and directly before and after calorimetry measurements. While estimates of ewe herbage intake suggested that substitution of herbage for concentrate did not occur, offering concentrate supplement failed to improve ewe liveweight gain, or birth weight of lambs. Offering concentrate supplement, however, did have a positive effect (P<0·05) on the maximal amount of heat a triplet-born lamb can produce on a per kg of body weight basis (concentrate 21±1·3 W/kg, non-concentrate 17±0·6 W/kg). It also had a positive effect (P<0·05) on lamb square-root-transformed plasma gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) concentrations, an indicator of colostrum uptake (concentrate 46±3·1 U/l, non-concentrate 38±2·9 U/l). Irrespective of lamb birth rank, offering concentrate supplement had a positive effect (P<0·01) on liveweight gain per day from birth until L94 (concentrate 261±5·7 g/day, non-concentrate 239±5·8 g/day), although there was no effect on the total weight of lamb reared/ewe. Supplementation with concentrate resulted in triplet-born lambs that produced more heat which may have positive effects on the ability of the newborn lamb to deal with cold stress and potentially its survival. Offering concentrate supplement also produced greater lamb growth in twin- and triplet-born lambs.

Type
Animals
Information
The Journal of Agricultural Science , Volume 147 , Issue 5 , October 2009 , pp. 613 - 624
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2009

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Alexander, G. (1962). Temperature regulation in the new-born lamb. 5. Summit metabolism. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 13, 100–121.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Alexander, G. (1978). Quantitative development of adipose-tissue in fetal sheep. Australian Journal of Biological Sciences 31, 489–503.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Banchero, G. E., Quintans, G., Martin, G. B., Lindsay, D. R. & Milton, J. T. B. (2004). Nutrition and colostrum production in sheep. 1. Metabolic and hormonal responses to a high-energy supplement in the final stages of pregnancy. Reproduction, Fertility and Development 16, 633–643.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Boland, T. M., Brophy, P. O., Callan, J. J., Quinn, P. J., Nowakowski, P. & Crosby, T. F. (2004). The effects of mineral-block components when offered to ewes in late pregnancy on colostrum yield and immunoglobulin G absorption in their lambs. Animal Science 79, 293–302.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Boland, T. M., Brophy, P. O., Callan, J. J., Quinn, P. J., Nowakowski, P. & Crosby, T. F. (2005). The effects of mineral supplementation to ewes in late pregnancy on colostrum yield and immunoglobulin G absorption in their lambs. Livestock Production Science 97, 141–150.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Britti, D., Massimini, G., Peli, A., Luciani, A. & Boari, A. (2005). Evaluation of serum enzyme activities as predictors of passive transfer status in lambs. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 226, 951–955.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Budge, H., Bispham, J., Dandrea, J., Evans, E., Heasman, L., Ingleton, P. M., Sullivan, C., Wilson, V., Stephenson, T. & Symonds, M. E. (2000). Effect of maternal nutrition on brown adipose tissue and its prolactin receptor status in the fetal lamb. Pediatric Research 47, 781–786.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Budge, H., Dandrea, J., Mostyn, A., Evens, Y., Watkins, R., Sullivan, C., Ingleton, P., Stephenson, T. & Symonds, M. E. (2003). Differential effects of fetal number and maternal nutrition in late gestation on prolactin receptor abundance and adipose tissue development in the neonatal lamb. Pediatric Research 53, 302–308.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Dalinghaus, M., Rudolph, C. D. & Rudolph, A. M. (1991). Effects of maternal fasting on hepatic gluconeogenesis and glucose-metabolism in fetal lambs. Journal of Developmental Physiology 16, 267–275.Google ScholarPubMed
Donnelly, J. R. (1984). The productivity of breeding ewes grazing on lucerne or grass and clover pastures on the tablelands of Southern Australia. III. Lamb mortality and weaning percentage. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 35, 709–721.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dove, H. & Mayes, R. W. (1996). Plant wax components: A new approach to estimating intake and diet composition in herbivores. Journal of Nutrition 126, 13–26.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Dove, H. & Mayes, R. W. (2005). Using n-alkanes and other plant wax components to estimate intake, digestibility and diet composition of grazing/browsing sheep and goats. Small Ruminant Research 59, 123–139.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dwyer, C. M. & Morgan, C. A. (2006). Maintenance of body temperature in the neonatal lamb: Effects of breed, birth weight, and litter size. Journal of Animal Science 84, 1093–1101.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Eales, F. A. & Small, J. (1980). Determinants of heat-production in newborn lambs. International Journal of Biometeorology 24, 157–166.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Eales, F. A. & Small, J. (1981). Effects of colostrum on summit metabolic rate in Scottish Blackface lambs at five hours old. Research in Veterinary Science 30, 266–269.Google ScholarPubMed
Eales, F. A., Gilmour, J. S., Barlow, R. M. & Small, J. (1982). Causes of hypothermia in 89 lambs. Veterinary Record 110, 118–120.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Everett-Hincks, J. & Dodds, K. (2008). Management of maternal-offspring behaviour to improve lamb survival in easy care sheep systems. Journal of Animal Science 86, E259–E270.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Gardner, D. S., Buttery, P. J., Daniel, Z. & Symonds, M. E. (2007). Factors affecting birth weight in sheep: maternal environment. Reproduction 133, 297–307.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Gootwine, E. (2005). Variability in the rate of decline in birth weight as litter size increases in sheep. Animal Science 81, 393–398.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gootwine, E., Spencer, T. E. & Bazer, F. W. (2007). Litter-size-dependent intrauterine growth restriction in sheep. Animal 1, 547–564.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Harding, J. E. & Johnston, B. M. (1995). Nutrition and fetal growth. Reproduction, Fertility and Development 7, 539–547.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hinch, G. N., Lynch, J. J., Nolan, J. V., Leng, R. A., Bindon, B. M. & Piper, L. R. (1996). Supplementation of high fecundity Border Leicester×Merino ewes with a high protein feed: its effect on lamb survival. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 36, 129–136.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hodgson, J., Matthews, P. N. P., Matthew, C., & Lucas, R. S. (1999). Pasture Management. In New Zealand Pasture and Crop Science (Eds White, J. & Hodgson, J.), pp. 56–67. USA, New York: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Kenyon, P. R., Morris, S. T., Corner, R. A., Stafford, K. J., Jenkinson, C. M. C. & West, D. M. (2005 a). Manipulating triplet lamb survival. Proceedings of the Society of Sheep and Beef Cattle Veterinarians 34, 83–90.Google Scholar
Kenyon, P. R., Stafford, K. J., Morel, P. C. H. & Morris, S. T. (2005 b). Does sward height grazed by ewes in mid- to late-pregnancy affect indices of colostrum intake by twin and triplet lambs? New Zealand Veterinary Journal 53, 336–339.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kerslake, J. I., Everett-Hincks, J. M. & Campbell, A. W. (2005). Lamb survival: a new examination of an old problem. Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production 65, 13–18.Google Scholar
Kerslake, J. I., Kenyon, P. R., Stafford, K. J., Morris, S. T. & Morel, P. C. H. (2007). Effect of birth rank on the physiological status of the newborn lamb. In Aspen Perinatal Biology Conference 2007, p. 380. Aspen, CO.Google Scholar
Kerslake, J. I., Kenyon, P. R., Morris, S. T., Stafford, K. J. & Morel, P. C. H. (2008). Effect of concentrate supplement and sward height on twin-bearing ewe body condition and the performance of their offspring. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 48, 988–994.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kerslake, J. I., Kenyon, P. R., Morris, S. T., Stafford, J. K. & Morel, P. C. H. (in press). The effect of offering concentrate supplement from pregnancy day 102 until pregnancy day 145 on twin- and triplet-bearing ewe and lamb performance. New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research.Google Scholar
Maden, M., Altunok, V., Birdane, F. M., Aslan, V. & Nizamlioglu, M. (2003). Blood and colostrum/milk serum gamma-glutamyltransferase activity as a predictor of passive transfer status in lambs. Journal of Veterinary Medicine Series B – Infectious Diseases and Veterinary Public Health 50, 128–131.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
McCutcheon, S. N., Holmes, C. W., McDonald, M. F. & Rae, A. L. (1983). Resistance to cold stress in the newborn lamb. 2. Role of body weight, birth rank, and some birth coat characters as determinants of resistance to cold stress. New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research 26, 175–181.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
McLean, J. A. (1972). On the calculation of heat production from open-circuit calorimetric measurements. British Journal of Nutrition 27, 597–600.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Mellor, D. J. & Cockburn, F. (1986). A comparison of energy metabolism in the new-born infant, piglet and lamb. Quarterly Journal of Experimental Physiology 71, 361–379.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Mellor, D. J. & Murray, L. (1985). Effects of maternal nutrition on udder development during late pregnancy and on colostrum production in Scottish Blackface ewes with twin lambs. Research in Veterinary Science 39, 230–234.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Milley, J. R. (1993). Exogenous substrate uptake by fetal lambs during reduced glucose delivery. American Journal of Physiology 264, E250–E256.Google ScholarPubMed
Morgan, J. E., Fogarty, N. M., Nielsen, S. & Gilmour, A. R. (2007). The relationship of lamb growth from birth to weaning and the milk production of their primiparous crossbred dams. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 47, 899–904.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Morris, S. T. & Kenyon, P. R. (2004). The effect of litter size and sward height on ewe and lamb performance. New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research 47, 275–286.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mostyn, A., Pearce, S., Stephenson, T. & Symonds, M. E. (2004). Hormonal and nutritional regulation of adipose tissue mitochondrial development and function in the newborn. Experimental and Clinical Endocrinology & Diabetes 112, 2–9.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Mount, L. E. & Stephens, D. B. (1970). The relation between body size and maximum and minimum metabolic rates in the new-born pig. Journal of Physiology, London 207, 417–427.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Revell, D. K., Morris, S. T., Cottam, Y. H., Hanna, J. E., Thomas, D. G., Brown, S. & McCutcheon, S. N. (2002). Shearing ewes at mid-pregnancy is associated with changes in fetal growth and development. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 53, 697–705.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Robinson, J. J. & McDonald, I. (1989). Ewe nutrition, foetal growth and development. In Reproduction, Growth and Nutrition in Sheep (Eds Dyrmundsson, O. R. & Thorgeirsson, S.), pp. 57–77. Iceland, Reykjavik: Agricultural Research Institute and Agricultural Society.Google Scholar
Stafford, K. J., Mellor, D. J., Todd, S. E., Gregory, N. G., Bruce, R. A. & Ward, R. N. (2001). The physical state and plasma biochemical profile of young calves on arrival at a slaughter plant. New Zealand Veterinary Journal 49, 142–149.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Stafford, K. J., Kenyon, P. R., Morris, S. T. & West, D. M. (2007). The physical state and metabolic status of lambs of different birth rank soon after birth. Livestock Science 111, 10–15.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Stephenson, T., Budge, H., Mostyn, A., Pearce, S., Webb, R. & Symonds, M. E. (2001). Fetal and neonatal adipose maturation: a primary site of cytokine and cytokine-receptor action. Biochemical Society Transactions 29, 80–85.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Stevens, D., Alexander, G. & Bell, A. W. (1990). Effect of prolonged glucose infusion into fetal sheep on body growth, fat deposition and gestation length. Journal of Developmental Physiology 13, 277–281.Google ScholarPubMed
Stott, A. W. & Slee, J. (1987). The effects of litter size, sex, age, body weight, dam age and genetic selection for cold resistance on the physiological responses to cold exposure of Scottish Blackface lambs in a progressively cooled water bath. Animal Production 45, 477–491.Google Scholar
Tessman, R. K., Tyler, J. W., Parish, S. M., Johnson, D. L., Gant, R. G. & Grasseschi, H. A. (1997). Use of age and serum gamma-glutamyltransferase activity to assess passive transfer status in lambs. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association 211, 1163–1164.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Thompson, M. J., Briegel, J. R., Thompson, A. N. & Adams, N. R. (2006). Differences in survival and neonatal metabolism in lambs from flocks selected for or against staple strength. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 57, 1221–1228.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Treacher, T. T. (1970). Effects of nutrition in late pregnancy on subsequent milk production in ewes. Animal Production 12, 23–36.Google Scholar