Maternal lysine, methionine and choline supplementation in twin-bearing Merino ewes during mid-to-late gestation does not alter pregnancy outcomes or progeny growth and survival

McCarthy, N; Weaver, Alice C.; Agenbag, Bianca; Flinn, Tom; Brougham, Billie-Jaye; Swinbourne, Alyce M.; Kelly, Jennifer; Kleemann, David O.; Gatford, Kathryn L.; Wettere, W. H. E. J. van

doi:10.1016/j.livsci.2021.104620

Cited by 2 publications

(1 citation statement)

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“…L-Arginine (Arg) is a versatile amino acid [ 7 ], which has been shown to improve not only fetal growth when supplemented to nutrient-restricted ewes [ 8 ] but also traits important for lamb survival in multiple gestations [ 9 , 10 ]. However, Arg is degraded in the rumen [ 11 ], has a short biological half-life [ 12 ], and the reduced availability and high cost of protected forms limits its use in extensive sheep systems [ 13 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Effect of N-Carbamylglutamate Supplementation during the Last Third of Gestation on the Growth and Development of Fetuses Born to Nutrient-Restricted Twin-Bearing Ewes

Parraguez,

McCoard,

Sandoval

et al. 2024

Animals

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N-carbamylglutamate (NCG) is postulated to improve fetal growth in nutrient-restricted gestations when supplemented from day 35 to 110 of gestation, but the effects of supplementation from 100 days of gestation to birth have not been evaluated. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of oral NCG supplementation from 100 days of gestation (dga) to term in naturally nutrient-restricted grazing twin-bearing ewes, on the maternal body weight (BW), body condition score (BCS), placental morphology, fetal body and organ weights and blood biochemistry and antioxidant status in the ewe and fetuses. Eighteen twin-bearing ewes maintained under grazing management were randomly allocated to either a treatment group (NCG; n = 10), orally dosed once daily with 60 mg/kg of NCG from day 100 until 140 dga, or an unsupplemented control group (CON; n = 8). At 140 dga, blood gases, redox status, maternal and fetal plasma and fetal biometrics were obtained after caesarian section. The serum concentration of NCG was increased 15-fold in the NCG ewes compared to the CON. No major effects on dam or fetal body weight nor on blood biochemistry or antioxidant parameters were observed. These results indicate that NCG supplementation in mid-to-late gestation to grazing ewes was unable to rescue the negative production effects of severe natural nutritional restriction on both the dam and fetuses.

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