Development of a nutritional strategy for increasing lamb survival in Merino ewes mated in late spring/early summer |
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| Institution: | 1. Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Medical School University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia 5005, Australia;2. South Australian Research and Development Institute, GPO Box 1671, Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia 5001, Australia;3. Roseworthy Campus, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia 5005, Australia;1. Department of Animal Science, Campus of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Tehran, Karaj, Tehran 31587-77871, Iran;2. Department of Animal Science, Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan 84156, Iran;3. Department of Animal Nutrition and Nutritional Disorders, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ataturk University, Erzurum 25240, Turkey;1. Department of Animal Genetics and Breeding, Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Ludhiana, 141004, Punjab, India;2. Department of Veterinary Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Ludhiana, 141004, Punjab, India;1. Veterinary Faculty, University of Thessaly, 43100 Karditsa, Greece;2. Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece;1. Centro de Investigaciones en Toxicología Ambiental y Agrobiotecnología del Comahue (CITAAC), Instituto de Biotecnología Agropecuaria del Comahue (IBAC), Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias, Universidad Nacional del Comahue y CONICET. Ruta 151, km 12, (8303) Cinco Saltos, Río Negro, Argentina;2. Departamento de Estadística, Facultad de Economía y Administración, Universidad Nacional del Comahue, Buenos Aires 1400, (8300) Neuquén, Argentina;1. Key Laboratory of Adaptation and Evolution of Plateau Biota, Qinghai Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Ecological Genomics, Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xining 810008, Qinghai, China;2. University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China |
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| Abstract: | A nutritional strategy for increasing lamb survival in Merino ewes mated in late spring/early summer was evaluated in a commercial flock over two consecutive years (Year 1, n=680; Year 2, n=325). The strategy combined the `ram effect' to synchronise oestrus and hence parturition, plus supplementary feeding of lupin grain for 14 days in the expected early post-parturient period. Supplementary lupin feeding commenced 12 days after the expected start of lambing. Lambing was highly synchronised over a 14-day period commencing 17–19 days after the expected start of lambing, in both years. Supplementary feeding did not affect lamb birthweight in either year but subsequent increases in weight were observed at weaning in Year 1 (1.4 kg; P=0.06) and tail docking in Year 2 (1.3 kg; P<0.05). Lamb survival was increased by 7 lambs per 100 ewes exposed to rams in both years. (Year 1 at weaning, NS; Year 2 at tail docking, P<0.001). It was concluded that the strategy improved both lamb survival and lamb performance possibly due to an effect of lupin supplementation on colostrum and subsequent milk production. |
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