Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-t8hqh Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-30T19:11:19.839Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

The effect of protein intake during gestation on ewe and lamb performance

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2010

J. J. Robinson
Affiliation:
Agricultural Research Institute of Northern Ireland, Hillsborough, and The Queen's University of Belfast
T. J. Forbes
Affiliation:
Agricultural Research Institute of Northern Ireland, Hillsborough, and The Queen's University of Belfast
Get access

Extract

Two experiments were carried out in which a total of sixty-four Border Leicester × Scottish Blackface ewes were each individually fed on one of eight experimental diets from six weeks after service to parturition. The eight diets supplied four intakes of crude protein (156, 119, 90 and 65 g/68-kg ewe per day) and two intakes of energy (2923 and 2468 kcal ME/68-kg ewe per day). After parturition the ewes received one of two lactation treatments supplying a standard protein intake of approximately 260 g/68-kg ewe per day at ME intakes of 4700 and 4186 kcal/68-kg ewe per day.

The relationship between net body weight change (Y, kg) and ME (X1) and DCP (X2) intakes (per 68-kg ewe) was described by the equation Y = The DCP intake corresponding to maximum efficiency of energy utilization was 98 g/68-kg ewe per day. The relationship between lamb birth weight (Y, kg) and ME and DCP intake was described by the equation Y = 0·0003X1 + 0·0080 X2 + 2·8501.

Ewe live-weight loss during early lactation, lamb growth rates from birth to three weeks and ewe milk yield at three weeks tended to decrease with decreasing protein intake during pregnancy.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 1968

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

Agricultural Research Council 1965. The nutrient requirements of farm livestock, No. 2, Ruminants. Agricultural Research Council, London.Google Scholar
Barnicoat, C. R., Logan, A. G. and Grant, A. I. 1949. Milk secretion studies with New Zealand Romney ewes. J. agric. Sci., Camb. 39: 4455.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Blaxter, K. L. and Clapperton, J. L. 1965. Prediction of the amount of methane produced by ruminants. Br. J. Nutr. 19: 511522.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Blaxter, K. L., Clapperton, J. L. and Martin, A. K. 1966. The heat of combustion of the urine of sheep and cattle in relation to its chemical composition and to diet. Br. J. Nutr. 20: 449460.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Blaxter, K. L. and Graham, N. McC. 1955. Plane of nutrition and starch equivalents. J. agric. Sci. Camb. 46: 292306.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Campling, R. C. 1966. The control of voluntary intake of food in cattle. Outlook on Agriculture 5: 7479.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cloete, J. H. L. 1939. Prenatal growth in the Merino sheep. Onderstepoort J. Vet. Sci. 13: 417558.Google Scholar
Forbes, T. J. and Robinson, J. J. 1967. The effect of source and level of dietary protein on the performance of in-lamb ewes. Anim. Prod. 9: 521530.Google Scholar
Guyer, P. Q. and Dyer, A. J. 1954. Study of factors affecting sheep production. Res. Bull. Missouri agric. Exp. Sta., No. 558.Google Scholar
Hadjipieris, G. and Holmes, W. 1966. Studies on feed intake and feed utilization by sheep. 1. The voluntary feed intake of dry, pregnant and lactating ewes. J. agric. Sci., Camb. 66: 217223.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Klosterman, E. W., Bolin, D. W., Buchanan, M. L., Bolin, F. M. and Dinusson, W. E. 1953. Protein requirements of ewes during breeding and pregnancy. J. Anim. Sci. 12: 188200.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Munro, J. and Inkson, R. H. E. 1957. The effects of different suckling frequencies on the quantity of milk consumed by young lambs. J. agric. Sci., Camb. 49: 169170.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
National Research Council 1964. Nutrient requirements of sheep. Publ. natn. Res. Coun., Wash. No. 1193.Google Scholar
Owen, J. B. 1957. A study of the lactation and growth of hill sheep in their native environment and under lowland conditions. J. agric. Sci., Camb. 48: 387412.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Papadopoulos, J. C. and Robinson, T. J. 1957. Fat lamb studies in Victoria. 2. The interaction between pre- and post-natal planes of nutrition on the production of wool and lambs by crossbred sheep. Aust. J. agric. Res., 8: 471493.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Peart, J. N. 1967. The effect of different levels of nutrition during late pregnancy on the subsequent milk production of Blackface ewes and on the growth of their lambs. J. agric. Sci., Camb. 68: 365371.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Phillipson, A. T. 1959. In Scientific Principles of Feeding Farm Livestock, pp. 105123. London: Farmer and Stock-Breeder Publications Ltd.Google Scholar
Reid, R. L. and Hinks, N. T. 1962. Studies on the carbohydrate metabolism of sheep. 17. Feed requirements and voluntary feed intake in late pregnancy with particular reference to prevention of hypoglycaemia and hyperketonaemia. Aust. J. agric. Res. 13: 10921111.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Robinson, J. J. and Forbes, T.J. 1967. A study of the protein requirements of the mature breeding ewe. 2. Protein utilization in the pregnant ewe. Br. J. Nutr. 21: 879891.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Slen, S. B. and Whiting, F. 1952. Lamb production as affected by level of protein in the ration of the mature ewe. J. Anim. Sci. 11: 166173.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Steel, R. G. D. and Torrie, J. H. 1960. In Principles and Procedures of Statistics. McGraw-Hill Book Company. New York, Toronto and London.Google Scholar
Thomson, W. and Aitken, F. C. 1959. Diet in relation to reproduction and the viability of the young. Pt. II. Sheep: World survey of reproduction and review of feeding experiments. Tech. Commun. Commonw. Bur. Anim. Nutr. No. 20.Google Scholar
Thomson, A.M. and Thomson, W. 1949. Lambing in relation to the diet of the pregnant ewe. Br. J. Nutr. 2: 290305.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wallace, R. L. 1948. The growth of lambs before and after birth in relation to the level of nutrition. J. agric. Sci., Camb. 38: 93153.CrossRefGoogle Scholar