Nutrition during fetal life alters annual wool production and quality in young Merino sheep

Kelly, Regis B.; MacLeod, Iona M.; Pi, Huifeng; Greeff, JC

doi:10.1071/ea9960259

Cited by 40 publications

(20 citation statements)

References 21 publications

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“…This is consistent with the findings of Schinckel and Short (1961), Everitt (1967) and Kelly et al (1996). The high repeatability and small errors about the coefficients across years and sites (Tables 6-9) confirms the goodness of fit and predictability of the relationships derived in this study.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 80%

“…The development of the follicle population in the fetus is influenced by the nutrition of the ewe (Short 1955b;Schinckel and Short 1961;Everitt 1967). Progeny born to underfed ewes may grow less wool that is broader than progeny born to ewes that were better fed during pregnancy (Denney 1990;Kelly et al 1996Kelly et al , 2006. Kelly et al (1996) showed that in comparison to progeny from single-bearing ewes fed to maintain maternal liveweight during pregnancy, genetically identical progeny from ewes fed to lose 10 kg between Days 50 and 140 of pregnancy produced~0.14 kg less clean wool that was alsõ 0.1-mm broader at their hogget shearing.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Progeny born to underfed ewes may grow less wool that is broader than progeny born to ewes that were better fed during pregnancy (Denney 1990;Kelly et al 1996Kelly et al , 2006. Kelly et al (1996) showed that in comparison to progeny from single-bearing ewes fed to maintain maternal liveweight during pregnancy, genetically identical progeny from ewes fed to lose 10 kg between Days 50 and 140 of pregnancy produced~0.14 kg less clean wool that was alsõ 0.1-mm broader at their hogget shearing. These differences in clean fleece weight and fibre diameter between single-born progeny were permanent (Kelly et al 2006), and this is consistent with the differences in wool production and quality that persist between single-and twin-born lambs until at least 2-3 years of age (Huisman et al 2008).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Improving the nutrition of Merino ewes during pregnancy increases the fleece weight and reduces the fibre diameter of their progeny's wool during their lifetime and these effects can be predicted from the ewe's liveweight profile

Thompson

Ferguson

Gordon³

et al. 2011

Anim. Prod. Sci.

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Abstract. Nutrition of ewes during pregnancy can have permanent impacts on the production potential of their progeny. The hypothesis tested in the experiments reported in this paper was that improving the nutrition of Merino ewes during pregnancy and lactation increases the fleece weight and reduces the fibre diameter of their progeny's wool during their lifetime. In addition, that these effects on the progeny's wool production can be predicted from the ewe's liveweight profile. At sites in Victoria and Western Australia in each of 2 years, a wide range in the liveweight and condition score profiles of Merino ewes was generated by varying the amount of supplements fed from joining to Day 100 of pregnancy and the amount of feed on offer grazed from Day 100 to weaning. The site in Victoria was based on perennial pastures and included both single-and twin-bearing ewes whereas the site in Western Australia was based on annual pastures and included singlebearing ewes only. The production and characteristics of wool from the progeny were measured until 51 months of age at the site in Victoria and 33 months of age at the site in Western Australia. The nutritional treatments and the resulting changes in ewe liveweight had significant impacts on the fleece weight and to a lesser extent the fibre diameter of wool produced by their progeny, but there were no consistent effects on other characteristics of progeny fleece wool. The fleece weight of the progeny was related to the liveweight change during pregnancy of their mothers (P < 0.05) and the relationships were similar for the two experiments at each site. At the site in Victoria, a loss of 10 kg in ewe liveweight between joining and Day 100 of pregnancy reduced fleece weight by~0.2 kg at each shearing until 51 months of age whereas gaining 10 kg from Day 100 of pregnancy to lambing had the opposite effect. The effect of changes in ewe liveweight during late pregnancy on the fleece weight of their progeny at each shearing was of similar magnitude at the site in Western Australia. When evident, the effect of the ewe liveweight profile on the fibre diameter of progeny wool was opposite to the effect on clean fleece weight and the effect of poor nutrition in early to mid pregnancy could be completely overcome by improving nutrition during late pregnancy. Twin-born and reared progeny produced~0.3 kg less clean wool at each shearing (P < 0.001) that was 0.3-mm broader (P < 0.001) than that from single-born progeny at the site in Victoria. However, the effects of varying ewe nutrition and ewe liveweight change during pregnancy on fleece weight and fibre diameter of progeny wool were similar (P > 0.05) for both single-and twin-born or reared progeny. Overall, these results supported our hypothesis and it is clear that the nutritional management of Merino ewes during pregnancy is important for optimal wool production from their progeny during their lifetime.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 80%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Improving the nutrition of Merino ewes during pregnancy increases the fleece weight and reduces the fibre diameter of their progeny's wool during their lifetime and these effects can be predicted from the ewe's liveweight profile

Thompson

Ferguson

Gordon³

et al. 2011

Anim. Prod. Sci.

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“…The adjustment factors for Great Southern WA and southern NSW were 8.5 for singles and 2.0 for twins, whereas these adjustment factors were double these values for south-west Vic. The impacts of the adjustments are shown in Tables 6-8. The adjustment in progeny wool production was based on hogget data and applied to all age groups of progeny because the weight of evidence supports that the progeny effects are permanent (Kelly et al 1996(Kelly et al , 2006Thompson et al 2011a). The production of the ewe component of the flock was also adjusted, because those animals are the progeny of the ewes from the previous generation, and it is assumed that the nutrition strategy for the ewes has been applied and the flock has achieved a steady state.…”

Section: Medium Wool Merinomentioning

confidence: 99%

Whole-farm profit and the optimum maternal liveweight profile of Merino ewe flocks lambing in winter and spring are influenced by the effects of ewe nutrition on the progeny's survival and lifetime wool production

Young

Thompson

Curnow³

et al. 2011

Anim. Prod. Sci.

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Abstract. Profitability of sheep production systems in southern Australia is optimised at a stocking rate that provides adequate nutrition for breeding ewes and enables efficient utilisation of grown pasture and supplements. In this paper we used bio-economic modelling to develop optimum liveweight 1 profiles for spring-lambing Merino ewes in different environments. The modelling included the impacts of the ewe liveweight profile on the production of the ewe and the survival and lifetime wool production of her progeny. Fifteen ewe liveweight profiles were analysed for each region to determine the profitability of varying ewe liveweight at joining, varying rate of loss of liveweight after joining and the rate of gain in liveweight from the minimum to lambing. The analyses support the hypotheses that whole-farm profitability is sensitive to the liveweight profile of Merino ewe flocks and that there is a liveweight profile that maximises whole-farm profit. The variation between the most and least profitable ewe liveweight profile was

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“…Complications also arise in later life: human epidemiological studies reveal an increased predisposition to infertility (Ibnaez et al, 2000), cardiovascular disease and non-insulin-dependent diabetes in adults born with a low-birth weight (Barker, 1995). In sheep, unsuitable maternal nutrition during pregnancy can compromise future wool (for review, see Black, 1983;Kelly et al, 1996) and carcass quality (for review, see Bell, 1992) and reproductive performance (Gunn et al, 1995; for review, *Correspondence Email: dcwathes@rvc.ac.uk see Rhind et al, 2001). The term 'fetal programming' is used to describe such permanent alterations in fetal development (for review, see Barker and Clark, 1997;McMillen et al, 2001).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effect of maternal body condition on placental and fetal growth and the insulin-like growth factor axis in Dorset ewes

Osgerby¹

2003

Reproduction

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This study investigated the effects of maternal body condition on fetal growth. Fetal and placental parameters from Dorset ewes of body condition score 2.0 (lean, n = 5), 3.5 (moderate, n = 7) and 5.0 (fat, n = 4) at mating were studied on day 65 of gestation. The fetal weight and fetal weight:crown-rump length ratio were greater in fat ewes than in ewes of moderate condition. The raised total and mean placentome weight in fat ewes compared with ewes of moderate condition may have contributed to their increased fetal growth. However, the fetal crown-rump length was not affected. With in situ hybridization, insulinlike growth factor II (IGF-II) mRNA and insulin-like growth factor binding protein 2 (IGFBP-2), -3 and -6 were all detected in the placentome capsule; IGF-II mRNA was also found in the mesoderm of the fetal villi and IGFBP-3 and IGFBP-6 were present in the caruncular stroma of the maternal villi. Ewes of moderate condition, which had the smallest placentae, had the greatest placental expression of IGF-II, IGFBP-2 and IGFBP-3. In the intercotyledonary endometrium, IGFBP-3, IGFBP-5 and uterine milk protein (UTMP) mRNA were all expressed in the glandular epithelium. IGFBP-3 and IGFBP-5 absorbance values were lowest in the lean ewes, whereas UTMP values were highest. Maternal insulin concentrations were greater in fat ewes, whereas plasma glucose and IGF-I concentrations in the fetal compartment were lowest in fat ewes. Therefore, in obese ewes, fetal and placental growth is increased in mid-gestation in association with higher maternal insulin concentrations and lower expression of IGFBPs in the maternal placentomes. Placental and fetal development in lean ewes may be promoted by reduced IGFBP expression in the placentomes and enhanced UTMP production by the endometrial glands. The ewes of moderate condition had the smallest fetuses and placentae coupled with the highest placental expression of IGF-II and IGFBPs.

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Nutrition during fetal life alters annual wool production and quality in young Merino sheep

Cited by 40 publications

References 21 publications

Improving the nutrition of Merino ewes during pregnancy increases the fleece weight and reduces the fibre diameter of their progeny's wool during their lifetime and these effects can be predicted from the ewe's liveweight profile

Improving the nutrition of Merino ewes during pregnancy increases the fleece weight and reduces the fibre diameter of their progeny's wool during their lifetime and these effects can be predicted from the ewe's liveweight profile

Whole-farm profit and the optimum maternal liveweight profile of Merino ewe flocks lambing in winter and spring are influenced by the effects of ewe nutrition on the progeny's survival and lifetime wool production

Effect of maternal body condition on placental and fetal growth and the insulin-like growth factor axis in Dorset ewes

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