Hostname: page-component-8448b6f56d-jr42d Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-25T02:06:58.030Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The phosphorus requirement of pregnant sheep

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 March 2009

A. R. Sykes  and
R. A. Dingwall
A. R. Sykes
Affiliation:
Moredun Research Institute, Edinburgh, EH17 7JH
R. A. Dingwall
Affiliation:
Moredun Research Institute, Edinburgh, EH17 7JH
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Summary

Thirty-eight mature Scottish Blackface sheep were mated at pasture and 32 brought indoors when 3–4 weeks pregnant. Eight were killed at this stage as controls (CI). The remaining 24 were offered a basal hay ration (200 g/head/day) supplemented with a semi-purified diet containing 84 g crude protein/kg and either 1·5 (P1), 2·8 (P2) or 9·3 (P3) g P/kg dry matter. The rate of feeding of the supplement allowed a mean daily P intake (g/day) in groups P1, P2 and P3 of 1·1, 1·6 and 4·7 and 1·6, 2·5 and 7·9 during weeks 4–15 and 16–21 of pregnancy, respectively. Six well-nourished sheep, fed conventionally, provided control ewes and lambs.

Balance trials were conducted on four sheep from each of groups P1 P2 and P3 during weeks 9–10, 14–15 and 19–20 of pregnancy. All sheep were slaughtered at parturition and selected bones of ewes and lambs removed for histological and chemical examinations. Whole body fat, nitrogen, Ca and P contents of the ewes and mineral content of the lambs were determined.

The faecal P excretion of the P1 sheep ranged from 10·8 to 19·1 mg/kg body weight/ day; urinary P excretion ranged from 0·7 to 2·9 mg/kg body weight/day in early and mid-pregnancy and from 1·0 to 8·1 mg/kg body weight/day in late pregnancy. It is suggested that on this evidence the minimum net faecal and urinary endogenous P loss can be no greater than about 13·5 mg/kg body weight/day. Carcass analysis and bone histology and chemical composition confirmed that the P requirement of pregnant ewes is much smaller than has been generally assumed.

It is suggested that for a 50-kg ewe carrying twins the P requirement increases from an average of 1·1 g/day during the first to about 2·5 g/day during the last month of pregnancy.

Type
Research Article
Information
The Journal of Agricultural Science , Volume 86 , Issue 3 , June 1976 , pp. 587 - 594
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1976

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

Agricultural Research Council (1965). The Nutrient Requirements of Farm Livestock. No. 2. Ruminants London: Agricultural Research Council.Google Scholar
Bruce, J., Goodall, E. D., Kay, R. N. B., Phillipson, A. T. & Vowles, L. E. (1966). The flow of organic and inorganic materials through the alimentary tract of the sheep. Proceedings of the Royal Society, B 166, 46–62.Google Scholar
Clark, R. C., Budzt-Olsen, O. E., Cross, R. B., Finnamore, P. & Bauert, P. A. (1973). The importance of the salivary glands in the maintenance of phosphorus homeostasis in the sheep. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research, 24, 913–19.Google Scholar
Clayden, E. C. (1952). A discussion on the preparation of bone sections by the paraffin wax method with special reference to the control of decalcification. Journal of Medical Laboratory Technology 10, 103–23.Google Scholar
Compère, R. (1967). L'étude de l'equilibre phosphocalcique du régime basée sur les variations du metaboliame phosphoré. Les Presses Agronomiques de Gembloux, A.S.B.L. ed. Duculot, J., S.A.Google Scholar
Donald, H. P. & Russell, W. S. (1970). The relationship between live-weight of ewe at mating and weight of new-born lamb. Animal Production 12, 273–80.Google Scholar
Field, A. C. & Suttle, N. F. (1967). Retention of calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium and potassium by the developing sheep foetus. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 69, 417–23.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Field, A. C., Suttle, N. F. & Gunn, R. G. (1968).Seasonal changes in the composition and mineral content of the body of hill ewes. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 71, 303–10.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Field, A. C., Suttle, N. F. & Nisbet, D. I. (1975). Effect of diets low in calcium and phosphorus on the development of growing lambs. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 85, 435–42.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Field, A. C., Sykes, A. R. & Gunn, R. G. (1974). Effects of age and state of incisor dentition on faecal output of dry matter and on faecal and urinary output of nitrogen and minerals of sheep grazing hill pastures. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 83, 151–60.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Langlands, J. P. & Sutherland, H. A. M. (1968). An estimate of the nutrients utilized for pregnancy by Merino sheep. British Journal of Nutrition 22, 217–27.Google Scholar
Lofgreen, G. P. & Kleiber, M. (1953). The availability of the phosphorus in alfalfa hay. Journal of Animal Science 12, 366–71.Google Scholar
Preston, R. L. & Pfander, W. H. (1964). Phosphorus metabolism in lambs fed varying phosphorus intakes. Journal of Nutrition 83, 369–78.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Riddell, W. H., Hughes, J. S. & Fitch, J. B. (1934). The relation of phosphorus deficiency to the utilization of feed in dairy cattle. Technical Bulletin No. 36. Kansas Agricultural Experimental Station.Google Scholar
Robinson, R., Roughan, M. E. & Wagstaff, D. F. (1971). Measuring inorganic phosphate without using a reducing agent. Annals of Clinical Biochemistry 8, 168–70.Google Scholar
Russel, A. J. F., Gunn, R. G. & Doney, J. M. (1968). Components of weight loss in pregnant hill ewes during winter. Animal Production 10, 43–51.Google Scholar
Schroder, J. D. & Hansard, S. (1958). Effects of orally administered stilboestral upon growth and upon calcium and phosphorus metabolism in lambs. Journal of Animal Science 17, 343–52.Google Scholar
Sykes, A. R. & Coop, R. L. (1976). Intake and utilization of food by growing lambs with parasitic damage to the small intestine caused by daily dosing with Trichostrongylus colubriformis larvae. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 86, 507–15.Google Scholar
Sykes, A. R. & Dingwall, R. A. (1975). Calcium absorption during lactation in sheep with demineralized skeletons. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 84, 245–8.Google Scholar
Sykes, A. R. & Field, A. C. (1972a). Effects of dietary deficiencies of energy, protein and calcium on the pregnant ewe. I. Body composition and mineral content of the ewes. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 78, 109–17.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sykes, A. R. & Field, A. C. (1972b). Effects of dietary deficiencies of energy, protein and calcium on the pregnant ewe. II. Body composition and mineral content of the lamb. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 78, 119–25.Google Scholar
Sykes, A. R., Nisbet, D. I. & Field, A. C. (1973). Effects of dietary deficiencies of energy, protein and calcium on the pregnant ewe. V. Chemical analyses and histological examination of some individual bones. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 81, 433–40.Google Scholar
Tillman, A. D. & Brethour, J. R. (1958a). Utilization of phytin phosphorus by sheep. Journal of Animal Science 17, 104–12.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Tillman, A. D. & Brethour, J. R. (1958b). The effect of corn oil upon the metabolism of calcium and phosphorus by sheep. Journal of Animal Science 17, 782–6.Google Scholar
Tomas, F. M. (1974). Phosphorus homeostasis in sheep. III. Relationship between the amount of salivary phosphorus secreted and the quantities of phosphorus excreted via the urine and faeces. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 25, 495–507.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Tomas, F. M., Moir, R. J. & Somers, M. (1967). Phosphorus turnover in sheep. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 18, 635–45.Google Scholar
Tomas, F. M. & Somers, M. (1974). Phosphorus homeostasis in sheep. I. Effects of ligation of parotid salivary ducts. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 25, 475–83.Google Scholar
Wasserman, R. H. & Taylor, A. N. (1973). Intestinal absorption of phosphate in the chick: effect of vitamin D3 and other parameters. Journal of Nutrition 103, 586–99.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Watson, R. H. (1933). Observations on the secretion of phosphorus in the saliva of sheep. Australian Journal of Experimental Biology and Medical Science 11, 67–74.Google Scholar
Young, V. R., Lofgreen, G. P. & Luick, J. R. (1966). The effects of phosphorus depletion, and of calcium and phosphorus intake on the endogenous excretion of these elements by sheep. British Journal of Nutrition 20, 795–805.Google Scholar