Effects of plane of nutrition in late pregnancy on lamb birth weight and milk yield in early lactation of Chios and Awassi sheep

1974 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
pp. 341-349 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Louca ◽  
A. Mavrogenis ◽  
M. J. Lawlor

SUMMARYTwo trials were conducted using two breeds of sheep varying in prolificacy but producing high commercial milk yields. In the first, 85 Chios ewes were assigned at 10 weeks before lambing to one of three planes of feeding: L, straw ad libitum; M, straw ad libitum + 0·5 kg concentrates; and H, straw ad libitum +1·0 kg concentrates. Six weeks prior to lambing, treatment L was stopped and all 85 ewes were re-randomized to treatments M and H. They were kept on these treatments until 14 days after lambing. In the second trial, 54 Chios and 56 Awassi ewes were allocated to the M and H treatments 6 weeks prior to lambing. After lambing they were fed ad libitum on straw and concentrates for 28 days.The mean metabolizable energy intake (Meal/day) over the 6-week period before lambing was 2·78 and 3·96 for Chios ewes in Trial 1, 2·39 and 3·51 for Chios ewes in Trial 2 and 2·66 and 3·72 for Awassi ewes in Trial 2, for the M and H treatments respectively.In both trials the treatment of the ewes affected the birth v/eight of twin and triplet lambs but not that of singles. In Trial 1, the differences in 14-day milk yield between treatments M and H were highly significant. In Trial 2, however, in which the ewes were fed ad libitum during lactation, no differences in the 14-day or the 28-day milk yields were observed for either breed. It is concluded that milk yields in early lactation are closely related to actual plane of nutrition in lactation but may also be affected by the body condition of the ewe at lambing, which may in turn be influenced by a low level of feeding in pregnancy.

1979 ◽  
Vol 29 (3) ◽  
pp. 393-399 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. M. Khalaf ◽  
D. L. Doxey ◽  
J. T. Baxter ◽  
W. J. M. Black ◽  
J. FitzSimons ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTOne hundred and thirty-nine Scottish Half bred ewes were studied during the last 8 weeks of pregnancy, through parturition and early lactation. They were divided, on the basis of their metabolizable energy intake during this period, into low (483 MJ/ewe; L), medium (742 MJ/ewe; M) or high (974 MJ/ewe; H) feeding groups.Ewe weight change (from mating to 12 h post lambing) was directly related to nutritional level and the number of lambs born, e.g. L ewes with triplets lost a mean 13·8 kg, while H ewes with single lambs gained 14·3 kg.Lamb birth weight and perinatal lamb mortality levels were affected by ewe nutrition and litter size. L twins weighed 19% less at birth than H twins; L triplets weighed 26% less than H triplets. The mortality rate of L twins was 23% greater than M twins; L triplets exceeded the H triplet mortality rate by 87%.Ewe energy feeding during late pregnancy affected the mean daily weight gain of lambs for at least 3 weeks after birth. H single, twin and triplet lambs grew 12%, 15% and 16% faster than M lambs and 19%, 31 % and 31 % faster than L lambs respectively.The H group produced 33 % more lamb live weight at 3 weeks of age for every lamb born than did the L group.Lamb serum immunoglobulin levels were related to litter size but did not reflect the differences in ewe feeding during late pregnancy.


1999 ◽  
Vol 68 (1) ◽  
pp. 231-241 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. V. Goodchild ◽  
A. I. El-Awad ◽  
O. Gürsoy

AbstractIn west Asia, it is traditional for sheep to gain body condition when low-cost native pastures are available and to mobilize reserves thus built up at other times. With diminishing shares of native pasture, crop by-products and food grains are increasing in sheep diets, and facilitate feeding for constant body condition.In a 2 × 2 × 2 factorial experiment, 48 Awassi ewes were individually fed indoors, nursed single lambs for 42 days, and were hand-milked from day 29 after lambing. Dietary treatments were imposed at different times: level of feeding (i) in the last 24 days of pregnancy (Lconstv. Lmob), (ii) in days 18 to 60 after lambing (Lconstv. Lmob), and (iii) level of fibre in days 60 to 102 after lambing (Fhighv. Flow). RationsPconst, Lconst, Flowand Fhighwere calculated to maintain body condition. Fhighprovided the calculated maximum ingestible quantity of barley straw and Flowprovided 0·08 kg barley straw per kg diet. Live weights (M) of ewes and lambs, milk yield and milk quality were recorded.WithPconst, andPmob(0·51 and 0·33 MJ metabolizable energy (ME) per kg M0.75per day), M gains were 140 and 23 g/day (P< 0·001). Lamb birth mass and subsequent maternal milk yield were not affected. WithLconstandLmob(0·81 and 0·61 MJ ME per kg M0.75 per day), M changes were -28 and -70 g/day (P< 0·001) and milk yields (calculated in part from lamb growth) were 1042 and 892 g/day (P < 0·01). Fhighand Flow(385 and 170 g acid-detergent fibre per kg dry matter) were compared in a two-period change-over design experiment. Milk yields were similar (414 and 427 g/day), milk fat concentrations were 64·8 and 72·9 g/kg (P < 0·001) and milk fat yields were 26·5 and 31·1 g/day (P < 0·001) but solids-not-fat and protein yields were not affected.There were benefits and costs in manipulating body reserves in Awassi sheep. M at lambing affects milk yield and body condition around mating is known to improve lambing rate. The existence of body reserves also allows body condition to be lost in late pregnancy and early lactation without affecting health or apparent welfare, which simplifies management of pregnant ewes, permits feeding of milk-fat-increasing high-fibre diets but the ME to maintain increased body reserves must not be ignored.


1981 ◽  
Vol 33 (2) ◽  
pp. 121-127 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. E. Newton ◽  
R. J. Orr

ABSTRACTThe intake of silage, concentrates and grazed herbage, and the performance of 16 Masham ewes carrying and suckling either single or twin lambs, was measured during the last 7 weeks of pregnancy, during lactation and after weaning.There was no difference in intake between ewes with singles or twins in pregnancy, lactation or after weaning. The metabolizable energy intakes, from silage and concentrates, of the ewes with singles and twins were 101 and 100 MJ per head per day in weeks 7 and 6 pre partum, 21·4 and 19·9 MJ in weeks 3 and 2 pre partum, and 24·4 and 23·8MJ in the 1st week of lactation. The intakes from grass and concentrates were 32·3 and 338MJ in weeks 5 and 6 of lactation for the ewes with singles and twins respectively, and 13·8 and 15 2M J from grass alone after weaning. There was no effect of ewe live weight on intake and, although the ewes with singles were producing less milk than those with twins, their intakes were similar.The same ewes consistently ate the most feed. The overall coefficient of concordance was 05 6 and the coefficients for mid- and late-pregnancy, late pregnancy and early lactation, and early- and mid-lactation were 0·57, 0·62 and 0·66 respectively. The ewes with twins that consistently ate the most lost less weight in pregnancy, produced similar litter weights and suckled lambs that grew faster. Their levels of intake and production were high: the growth rate from 0 to 6 weeks of age of the twin lambs suckling the large-eaters was 721 g/day compared with 631 g/day for those suckling the small-eaters. During lactation the ewes with singles appeared t o consume more metabolizable energy than their maintenance, milk yield and live-weight gain requirements justified, whereas the group of smaller-eating ewes with twins put on more weight than expected from their intakes.


1987 ◽  
Vol 45 (3) ◽  
pp. 345-348 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. R. Ørskov ◽  
G. W. Reid ◽  
C. A. G. Tait

ABSTRACTThirty-two Friesian cows in early lactation were divided into four treatment groups to receive ad libitum a mixed diet consisting of silage (0·70) and grain-based concentrate (0·30). Fish meal was subsequently mixed into the diet at levels of 0, 40, 80 and 120 g/kg to provide crude protein concentration (g/kg dry matter) in the complete diets of 156, 181, 200 and 212 respectively. In the 2nd week after calving the yields of fat-corrected milk (FCM) were 28·5, 29·2, 32·0 and 34·9 kg/day for the four levels respectively; at this time, food intake was sufficient only to meet the calculated energy requirement for 15 kg FCM per day. Due to recurring problems with ketosis on the diet containing 120 g fish meal per kg, this treatment was terminated and the experiment continued for 15 weeks with the groups receiving 0, 40 and 80 g/kg fish meal supplements. During this time average yields of FCM were 23·5, 25·6 and 28-0 kg FCM per day respectively and energy intakes were calculated to be sufficient to meet the requirement for 18 kg FCM per day.It appeared possible to increase milk yield by stimulating fat mobilization through giving undegraded protein supplements to underfed cows in early lactation. However, when an excessive mobilization occurred with a high supplement, and when the animals were yielding 15 to 20 kg FCM more than their metabolizable energy intake was calculated to sustain, some cows became ketotic.


1993 ◽  
Vol 56 (1) ◽  
pp. 51-60 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. H. Gustafsson ◽  
L. Andersson ◽  
U. Emanuelson

AbstractThe effects of acetone concentration in milk, feeding frequency, and intake of concentrates and energy in total diet on milk yield were studied in 38624 lactations from 474 herds during 3 years. Herd-related data on feeding factors were collected once per indoor feeding period. Milk acetone concentrations higher than 0·40 mmol/l were deemed to denote hyperketonaemia, whether subclinical or clinical. The lactation curves of ketotic cows had an abnormal shape, with an inverted peak in early lactation. Most of the reduction in milk yield took place during the first 100 days of lactation with an estimated loss of proportionately 0·085 (acetone concentration ≤0·40 v. >2·00 mmol/l). The loss in 200-day milk yield was estimated to 328 kg 40 g/kg fat-corrected milk (FCM) at an overall mean of 5056 kg. If a herd's performance is monitored by lactation curves, a low peak — and hence an apparently high persistency – can indicate a ketosis problem. More frequent feeding of concentrates was correlated with a proportionately 0·033 to 0·074 higher milk yield in multiparous cows, but inconsistent between years. A more variable proportional response (−0·035 to 0·131) was observed in primiparous cows depending on interactions with, for example, breed. A greater total energy supply, including a larger amount of concentrate (maximum in lactation), was correlated with a higher milk yield, about 0·06 kg FCM per day per MJ metabolizable energy and 0·5 kg FCM per day per kg concentrate, respectively. However, increased feeding of concentrates at calving (parity 1) and 15 days after calving (multiparous cows) was correlated with decreased milk yield, by about −0–3 and −0–5 kg FCM per day per kg concentrate, respectively.


1975 ◽  
Vol 15 (73) ◽  
pp. 159 ◽  
Author(s):  
PA Kenney ◽  
IF Davis

A study was made during a three year period (1 968-1 970) of wool production by a flock of 540 ewes grazing annual pasture at Werribee, Victoria. The ewes were stocked at three rates (5, 7 1/2 and 10 ewes ha-1) and lambed between July 6 and August 20 or between September 10 and October 29 each year. Fibre diameter and length of wool samples were measured in 1968, 1969 and 1970 ; in 1970 growth of greasy wool was calculated from staples of dye-banded wool. Wool growth was reduced in all ewes during late pregnancy and early lactation but was not affected during late lactation in ewes lambing in September. The proportion of tender fleeces from all ewes was greater in 1970 and the weight of fleeces from only those ewes bearing single lambs was less in all years for ewes lambing in July than for ewes lambing in September. More ewes were barren and fewer ewes had twins in July and consequently the mean fleece weights of all ewes from both groups were similar. Fleeces from ewes stocked at 10 ha-1 were lighter, shorter and finer than fleeces from ewes stocked at 5 and 7 1/2 ha-1, but the proportion of tender fleeces did not differ between the groups. Wool production of ewes stocked at 5 and 7 1/2 ha-1 increased from 1968 to 1970, whereas that of ewes at 10 ha-1 did not. This was associated with differences in pasture availability and composition. At 10 ewes ha-1 less pasture was present in winter and spring in 1970 than in 1968, whereas at the other stocking rates it was greater. In 1970 the density of weeds in autumn was greater and in spring more silver grass (Vulpia spp.) and less brome grass (Bromus spp.) was available at the high stocking rate.


Author(s):  
Khaled Abouelezz ◽  
Yibing Wang ◽  
Weiwei Wang ◽  
Xiajing Lin ◽  
Long Li ◽  
...  

A dose-response study was conducted to investigate the metabolizable energy (ME) requirement for Lingnan chickens from 57 to 105 days of age. 1200 57-d-old slow-growing yellow-feathered male chickens were allotted to five dietary ME levels (2,805, 2,897, 2,997, 3,095 and 3,236 kcal/kg). The 2,997 kcal/kg treatment was considered to be the control level. The results revealed that the daily metabolizable energy intake increased (P &lt; 0.01), whereas the feed intake and feed: gain ratio decreased linearly (P &lt; 0.01) with the increment in dietary ME level. The final body weight and daily gain of the highest ME treatment tended (P &gt; 0.05) to be greater than those obtained with the lower ME levels. The fat content in breast muscle showed a quadratic response (P &lt; 0.05) to the increase of dietary energy level. The shear force values of breast muscle in the 2,897, 3,095 and 3,236 kcal/kg treatments were lower (P &lt; 0.05) than that of the control. Other results were obtained regarding the body composition, meat quality, and plasma metabolites. In conclusion, the dietary ME level 3,236 kcal/kg can be recommended as the optimal ME requirement for slow-growing yellow-feathered male chickens between 57 and 105 d of age.


1977 ◽  
Vol 17 (86) ◽  
pp. 393
Author(s):  
DS Gillespie ◽  
JW McLaughlin

An experiment at Hamilton in western Victoria from June to October 1972 examined the feasibility of fattening two-year-old Corriedale wethers from 30 to 50 kg liveweight when fed simple rations in feedlots. Using a factorial design, treatments compared were mid-season or late cut pasture hay offered ad libitum and oat grain fed at 0, 0.25, 0.50 kg head-1 day-1 or ad libitum. Two additional groups were set stocked on green pasture; one of them was offered oat grain ad libitum. Performance of sheep in the feedlot (intake, liveweight and carcase gain, feed conversion and wool production) was influenced by hay type and level of oat feeding. Liveweight gain over the period of feeding increased linearly until oats comprised about 50 per cent of the daily dry matter intake, but the highest liveweight gain in the feedlot (127 g day-1) occurred when sheep were given a ration consisting of 25 per cent mid-season hay and 75 per cent oats. Sheep on pasture gained at an average of 146 g day-1. Irrespective of composition of the ration, liveweight gain increased by 20 g day1, carcase weight by 15 g day-1 and wool by 1.7 g day -1 for each additional MJ of metabolizable energy intake.


1984 ◽  
Vol 39 (3) ◽  
pp. 315-324 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. Taylor ◽  
J. D. Leaver

ABSTRACTHigh quality grass silage (10·5 MJ metabolizable energy per kg dry matter (DM)) was offered ad libitum to three groups of autumn-calving dairy cattle, each group containing eight cows and eight heifers. In a 20-week period commencing at week 3 post partum each group received, on average, 1260 kg fresh weight of a concentrate containing 180 g crude protein per kg. Animals in treatment F each received a flat-rate of 9 kg concentrates per day throughout. In treatment D, a declining rate of 11, 10, 9, 8 and 7 kg/day was given in successive 4-week periods. Animals in treatment Y were each offered a fixed rate of concentrates (range 7 to 12 kg/day) based on their milk yield at 2 weeks post partum with a mean intake of 9 kg/day for the group. For treatments F, D and Y respectively, the mean daily milk yields were, 26·2, 26·7 and 26·9 kg for cows, and 19·5, 19·1 and 18·8 kg for heifers; mean live-weight gains were, 0·28, 0·30 and 0·22 kg/day for cows, and 0·41, 0·54 and 0·38 kg/day for heifers; and intakes of silage were, 10·1, 10·6 and 10·7 kg DM per day for cows, and 7·8, 7·7 and 7·3 kg DM per day for heifers. The differences between treatments were not significant but there were significant differences between cows and heifers. No significant differences were found between treatments in milk composition although heifers produced milk with significantly higher milk protein concentration (P < 0·05) and significantly greater milk lactose concentration (P < 0·01) than did cows. During the residual period (4 weeks indoors and 16 weeks grazing) all animals were treated as a single group and there were no significant differences in performance. The 305-day milk yields were not significantly different between treatments and averaged 6587 kg for cows, and 5124 kg for heifers.


Author(s):  
D.A.R. Davies ◽  
C.B. Gallo

In ewes rearing triplets high milk yields in early lactation are vitally important. The trial was conducted to investigate the influence of dietary protein intake on ewe milk yield and the performance of their triplet reared lambs.The trial involved 24 Cambridge (C) and 12 Suffolk x Cambridge (SxC) ewes rearing triplets. Ewes and their lambs were housed and penned in individual family groups until 35 days post partum. During the 7-35 day period ewes were fed ad libitum one of two coarsely milled complete diets differing in protein concentration (Table 1) together with a daily allocation of 510 g hay (oven dry).


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