Premature mammary development in ewe lambs exposed to an oestrogenic lucerne pasture

Fields, R. L.; Barrell, Graham K.; Moot, Derrick J.

doi:10.33584/jnzg.2016.78.518

Cited by 4 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 5 publications

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“…To integrate lucerne on-farm also requires understanding of the animal issues that may cause reluctance for on-farm integration. One area of concern is high levels of coumesterol in lucerne herbage that can cause premature mammary development (Fields et al 2016) and reduce ovulation rates. High coumesterol levels (>25 mg/kg DM) have been shown to be caused by high humidity within the canopy and independent of plant growth stage (Fields et al 2018).…”

Section: Lucernementioning

confidence: 99%

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A review of legume research and extension in New Zealand (1990–2022)

Moot

2022

Crop & Pasture Science

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Legumes have underpinned transformational change on New Zealand sheep and beef farms over the last 30 years. This was through an emphasis on ewe nutrition based on lucerne or red clover dominant pastures, and increased use of subterranean and white clovers on uncultivatable hill country. Pre- and post-weaning lamb growth rates have increased, and enabled earlier slaughter of heavier lambs. The farm systems results include greater numbers of hoggets mated, higher lambing percentages and greater ewe efficiency (kg lamb weaned/kg ewe mated). Extension packages to support legume use have compared growth rates of resident and legume-based pastures, economic analyses of successful farms and management packages for the most appropriate legume in different environments. Over the same period, the dairy industry rapidly expanded in cow numbers and area onto flat irrigated land on the Canterbury Plains. The nitrogen deficiency of perennial ryegrass was overcome by a linear increase in nitrogen fertiliser use. Environmental concerns from this intensification has led to a legislated nitrogen cap of 190 kg/ha.year. This, coupled with a recent trebling in urea price, has returned attention to increasing the white clover content of these pastures. Nitrogen applications can be minimised by using diverse pastures sown with a legume, herb and <8 kg/ha of perennial ryegrass. Work on other legumes, including annuals and those with condensed tannins, has to date failed to increase their use in most pastoral settings, with the exception of the perennial lupin which is adapted to high-aluminium soils in the South Island High Country.

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Section: Lucernementioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A review of legume research and extension in New Zealand (1990–2022)

Moot

2022

Crop & Pasture Science

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“…Samples were centrifuged at 4700 x g and debris removed from supernatant with glass fibre syringe filters. Coumestrol content was measured by HPLC as described in Fields et al (2016).…”

Section: Herbage Measurementsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Lucerne with a high coumestrol content is not a suitable feed for ewes just before and during the early breeding period

Cranston¹,

Kenyon²,

Fields³

et al. 2017

Journal of NZ Grasslands

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Abstract The objective was to determine whether grazing lucerne for 7 days before breeding and for the first 7 days of breeding affected the reproductive performance of ewes with different body condition scores (average of 3.2 versus 3.7). This was compared with grazing a grass-based sward with a high proportion of dead herbage that was available at the time of breeding in a summer dry region (Wairarapa) in autumn 2016. The lucerne contained large amounts of fungal infected stem and dead herbage, which induced high levels of coumestrol (107 ± 15 mg/kg DM). By the end of the feeding period the grass and lucerne on offer were both of low quality (7.8 MJ ME/kg DM). Ewes that grazed lucerne for 7 days before breeding and for the first 7 days of the breeding period produced 18 fewer (P

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Recovery of ovulation rate in ewes following their removal from an oestrogenic lucerne forage

et al. 2019

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Grazing ewes on lucerne crops that contain elevated coumestrol concentrations before and during their mating period can decrease ovulation rate, which results in fewer multiple birth lambs. In this experiment, the ovulation rate of ewes grazing a moderately oestrogenic (29.1 ± 2.88 mg coumestrol/kg DM) lucerne crop for 6 weeks was compared with those transferred to grass pasture for 1 or 3 weeks, and a Control group on grass throughout. Ordinal regression predicted an exponential relationship with a sharp initial increase in ovulation rate from 0 to 14 days on grass that levelled off when ewes were on grass for durations greater than 3 weeks. Of importance, moderate coumestrol levels in lucerne remained throughout the experiment, and liveweight was unaffected by grazing treatment. This experiment quantified the decrease in risk of impaired lambing performance due to moderately oestrogenic lucerne consumption in relation to time on grass before ovulation. Specifically, removal of ewes from lucerne 2 weeks before ovulation mitigated the risk of decreased lambing performance.

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Premature mammary development in ewe lambs exposed to an oestrogenic lucerne pasture

Cited by 4 publications

References 5 publications

A review of legume research and extension in New Zealand (1990–2022)

A review of legume research and extension in New Zealand (1990–2022)

Lucerne with a high coumestrol content is not a suitable feed for ewes just before and during the early breeding period

Recovery of ovulation rate in ewes following their removal from an oestrogenic lucerne forage

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