Regulating material production of twin-bearing Merino ewes through fat score and prepartum supplementation when infected with 'Haemonchus contortus'

Title
Regulating material production of twin-bearing Merino ewes through fat score and prepartum supplementation when infected with 'Haemonchus contortus'
Publication Date
2013
Author(s)
Macarthur, Fiona Anne
Kahn, Lewis
( author )
OrcID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3679-4530
Email: lkahn3@une.edu.au
UNE Id une-id:lkahn3
Windon, R G
Type of document
Journal Article
Language
en
Entity Type
Publication
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Place of publication
Netherlands
DOI
10.1016/j.livsci.2013.08.011
UNE publication id
une:15847
Abstract
The interaction between prepartum protein supplementation and fat score (FS) of twin-bearing Merino ewes was investigated in order to confirm strategies that improve maternal production and pre-weaning lamb growth. The experiment was conducted from day (d) -91 to weaning at d 52, relative to the mid-point of lambing (d 0). The experimental design consisted of two levels of nutrition designed to achieve FS targets of 2 (low) and 4 (high) by d -47 followed by allocation to prepartum protein supplementation group (0 or 200 g/d cottonseed meal from d −47 to -10; CSM). Throughout the experiment, ewes were infected with either 0 or 750 Haemonchus contortus third stage larvae (L₃)/week. Prepartum protein supplementation and FS group were equally effective at increasing maternal and neonatal survival with benefits from supplementation most pronounced in low FS ewes. Increased survival was associated with a greater mobilisation of fat and muscle reserves in ewes from the high FS group and those receiving CSM. Ewes from the high FS group had greater milk yield and higher levels of milk fat and protein which supported increased lamb growth rates to weaning. Infection with 'H. contortus' had only sporadic and minor effects on production restricted to the post-partum period. These results indicate that twin-bearing ewes may be managed over early-mid pregnancy at the lower range of current industry FS targets providing supplementation strategies are in place to allow ewes to regain reserves of fat and muscle in the prepartum period.
Link
Citation
Livestock Science, 157(2-3), p. 442-451
ISSN
1871-1413
Start page
442
End page
451

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