Estimations of pasture and grain intake of prepartum single- and twin-bearing ewes

Holst, PJ; Hall, DG; Nolan, JV

doi:10.1071/ea9960529

Cited by 4 publications

(2 citation statements)

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“…This demonstrates the difficulty in achieving adequate nutrition in extensive commercial conditions during late pregnancy and lactation for twin-bearing ewes. Others have suggested that it is not necessary to feed twin-bearing ewes separately from single-bearing ewes due to their ability to take advantage of supplements by eating more supplement and eating less pasture (Holst et al 1996). Our results contradicted this conclusion as it was not possible to maintain twin-bearing ewe condition perinatally even with separate feeding.…”

Section: Ewe Productioncontrasting

confidence: 57%

Managing the nutrition of twin-bearing ewes during pregnancy using Lifetimewool recommendations increases production of twin lambs

2011

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Abstract. The effect on ewe and lamb production by differential management of single-and twin-bearing Merino ewes during pregnancy and lactation was examined. The hypothesis that the survival and productivity of single-and twin-born progeny is not affected by differential management of single-and twin-bearing ewes was tested. To test this hypothesis, two ewe flocks were monitored on a commercial property in the south-east of South Australia. The body condition score of one flock of ewes was managed according to Lifetimewool recommendations for southern Australian (Lifetimewool flock; n = 464). Lifetimewool recommendations are that body condition score should be 3.0 at mating and then allowed to decline to an average of 2.7, which is maintained until lambing. Twin-and single-bearing ewes were managed as separate mobs after pregnancy scanning to meet their energy requirements. The second flock was managed similarly to the commercial ewe flock and was representative of ewe management practices in the region (normal-practice flock; n = 464). At lambing, the condition score of the Lifetimewool flock was 0.7 condition scores units greater than the normal-practice flock. Ewe clean fleece weight and fibre diameter were greater in the Lifetimewool flock and their lambs had higher survival rates to weaning. Over three shearings, progeny from Lifetimewool ewe flocks produced more clean wool (P < 0.0001) but there was no consistent effect on fibre diameter, staple length or staple strength. Twin-born lambs from ewes managed to Lifetimewool guidelines had a similar liveweight and produced similar quantity and quality of wool to single-born lambs managed to Lifetimewool guidelines, but still suffered higher rates of mortality to weaning. This suggests that it is possible to manage ewes pregnant with twins to ensure that their surviving progeny perform at a level similar to single-born progeny managed under similar targets.

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Section: Ewe Productioncontrasting

confidence: 57%

Managing the nutrition of twin-bearing ewes during pregnancy using Lifetimewool recommendations increases production of twin lambs

2011

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“…Although lithium salts have pharmacological and toxic effects and can cause feed aversion (Du Toit et al 1991;Suharyono 1992), the amounts necessary to cause these effects in ruminants are much greater than the amounts generally required as a marker. Lithium salts have been used as a marker of supplement intake for grazing sheep (Suharyono 1992;Kahn 1994;Holst et al 1996) and cattle (Dixon and Petherick 1996;McLennan 1999).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Lithium salts as a marker of intake of supplements by cattle

Dixon¹,

Smith²,

Reid³

2003

Aust. J. Exp. Agric.

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Abstract. In a series of experiments the appearance of lithium cation in plasma following ingestion or intravenous administration of lithium salts was measured in order to examine the suitability of lithium as a marker of supplement intake by cattle. In experiment 1, cattle were offered low quality hay ad libitum and 0.15, 0.4, 1.0 and 3.0 kg cottonseed meal (CSM) supplement per day. Following ingestion of lithium-labelled CSM, the lithium concentration in plasma reached a maximum after about 24 h and the subsequent decrease in concentration appeared to follow a single exponential relationship. The rate constant of this disappearance of lithium from plasma was greater (P<0.05) when 3.0 kg than when lesser amounts of lithium-labelled CSM were consumed. Plasma lithium concentrations 24 and 32 h after ingestion of lithium-labelled CSM were both linearly related to the amount of supplement consumed (r = 0.86 and 0.87, respectively, n = 32, P<0.001), indicating that the plasma lithium concentrations could be used to measure intakes of supplement by individual animals. In experiment 2, following intravenous administration of lithium chloride the disappearance of lithium from plasma over 96 h appeared to be best described by 3 exponential compartments. In experiment 3, cattle were offered molasses-based or loose mineral mix (LMM) supplement, or water, labelled with lithium and the rate constant of disappearance of lithium from plasma between 32 and 96 h was determined. The pattern of the decrease in plasma lithium concentration was similar to that observed in experiment 1. In experiment 4, the variation about the estimates of supplement intake was measured in heifers (n = 24) offered hay and water ad libitum and in addition a meal of 60 g of lithium-labelled molasses-urea supplement; between 20 and 28 h after ingestion of the lithium-labelled supplement the coefficient of variation (CV) among animals in plasma lithium concentration was about 15%. The likely errors associated with the use of lithium salts to measure intake of supplement are discussed. These experiments confirm that lithium salts can be used as a marker to estimate intake of supplement by individual animals.

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Effect of concentrate supplement and sward height on twin-bearing ewe body condition and the performance of their offspring

Kerslake

Kenyon

et al. 2008

Aust. J. Exp. Agric.

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These studies investigated the effects of offering concentrate supplement, from day 102 of pregnancy, to twinbearing ewes grazing a 2-or 6-cm sward, on the condition of the ewe and the performance of their offspring in 2005 and 2006. In both years, 80 twin-bearing ewes were randomly assigned to either the 2-or 6-cm sward height pasture treatment from day 70 of pregnancy until parturition. From pregnancy day 102, half of the ewes within each sward height were offered 400 g/ewe. day of concentrate supplement. From day 102 until day 140 of pregnancy, ewes offered the concentrate supplement gained more liveweight then ewes offered pasture only. While supplementation affected ewe liveweight, its effects on lamb birthweight and growth were variable. In 2006, concentrate supplementation within the 6-cm sward height treatment increased (P < 0.05) lamb birthweight from an average of 4.8 to 5.3 kg. In 2005, concentrate supplementation increased (P < 0.05) lamb growth by 20 g/day. These inconsistent and minor production gains are unlikely to be cost effective because of the satisfactory performance of lambs from all other nutritional treatments and the extensive feeding of concentrate supplement. Therefore, feeding 400 g/ewe.day of concentrate supplement from day 102 of pregnancy to twin-bearing ewes on a 2-or 6-cm sward height pasture appears not to be a viable management strategy for commercial sheep farmers.

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Estimations of pasture and grain intake of prepartum single- and twin-bearing ewes

Cited by 4 publications

References 0 publications

Managing the nutrition of twin-bearing ewes during pregnancy using Lifetimewool recommendations increases production of twin lambs

Managing the nutrition of twin-bearing ewes during pregnancy using Lifetimewool recommendations increases production of twin lambs

Lithium salts as a marker of intake of supplements by cattle

Effect of concentrate supplement and sward height on twin-bearing ewe body condition and the performance of their offspring

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