The effect of late pregnancy supplementation of ewes with vitamin E on lamb vigour

Abstract

The experiment measured lamb responses to supplementation of the pregnant ewe diet with vitamin E above requirement. Crossbred ewes were mated with either Suffolk or Texel rams. Twin-bearing ewes were randomly allocated (approximately 21 months of age at allocation) to one of four treatment groups (20 ewes per group, 10 mated with Suffolk and 10 with Texel rams). Treatments imposed were 50, 100, 150 or 250 IU supplementary vitamin E per ewe per day to give a four treatment by two sire-type factorial experimental design. Ewes were fed concentrates to meet energy requirements for stage of pregnancy and hay ad libitum. Diets were introduced approximately 6 weeks before lambing. Blood samples were obtained prior to introduction of diets, 17 days after introduction of diets and within 24 h of lambing from a subset of eight ewes per treatment (32 total). Colostrum samples were obtained from 10 ewes per treatment, 12 h after birth of the first lamb. All births were observed and a lamb vigour score was assigned to each lamb 5 min after birth. At 1 and 12 h after birth, rectal temperature, and at 12 h after birth, sex, crown-rump length and BW of each lamb were recorded. Mean ewe plasma a-tocopherol concentration prior to introduction of the diets was 1.5 mg/ml (s.e.m. 0.09) and did not differ between groups. There were positive linear ( P , 0.001) effects of dietary vitamin E on plasma (17 days after introduction of diets) and colostrum (12 h after birth) a-tocopherol concentrations. Lamb vigour scores were superior ( P , 0.001) for lambs sired by Texel rather than Suffolk rams but there were no differences as a result of vitamin E supplementation. Lamb mortality was low and unrelated to either sire or supplementary vitamin E. Lamb birth and weaning weights were also unaffected by vitamin E supplementation. Supplementing the ewe with vitamin E therefore had no effect on any lamb measurements.

Supplementation of Underfed Twin-Bearing Ewes with Herbal Vitamins C and E: Impacts on Birth Weight, Postnatal Growth, and Pre-Weaning Survival of the Lambs

“…This finding is remarkable from the biological point of view, although this difference should be taken with caution because it was only at the limit of being statistically significant (p = 0.056). Previous studies on the effects of maternal supplementation with vitamin E in the last third of gestation on developmental patterns show contradictory results, reporting improvements in weaning weight [21], and no effects in other cases [20,29]. These results highlight the need for further studies on causes and significance of these effects, which are not specific of sheep.…”

The importance of the gestation period for welfare of lambs: maternal stressors and lamb vigour and wellbeing

“…In both these cases, the supplementary vitamin E was approximately 10-times requirement. Rooke et al (2009) offered twin-bearing ewes of adequate vitamin E status four levels of supplementary vitamin E ranging from 1 to 5 times requirement from GD100. No responses to supplementation were observed in lamb birth-weight, mortality, LWG or vigour.…”