Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-r5fsc Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-27T12:14:20.511Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

A note on the relation between weights of alimentary tract contents, body fat and the uterus in Blackface ewes

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2010

Janet Z. Foot
Affiliation:
The Rowett Research Institute, Bucksburn, Aberdeen AB2 9SB
J. F. D. Greenhalgh
Affiliation:
The Rowett Research Institute, Bucksburn, Aberdeen AB2 9SB
Get access

Summary

The relation between the weight of the alimentary tract contents and the weights of body fat and the uterus was examined in 23 Blackface ewes. Six ewes were not pregnant, five had single foetuses and 12 had twins. The pregnant ewes were slaughtered three or four days before their expected lambing date. There was a negative relation between uterine weight or body fat weight and the weight of alimentary tract contents. The effect of uterine weight was small and not significant when only the pregnant animals were considered. It was unlikely that physical restriction of the alimentary tract by the uterus played more than a minor role in limiting voluntary food intake under the conditions of this experiment.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 1970

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

Forbes, J. M. 1968. The physical relationships of the abdominal organs in the pregnant ewe. J. agric. Sci., Camb. 70: 171177.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mäkelä, A. 1956. Studies on the question of bulk in the nutrition of farm animals with special reference to cattle. Suom. maatal. Seur. Julk. No. 85.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
Tayler, J. C. 1959. A relationship between weight of internal fat, ‘fill’ and the herbage intake of grazing cattle. Nature, Lond. 184: 20212022.CrossRefGoogle Scholar