Management of Body Condition Score between Pregnancy Scanning and Lamb Marking Impacts the Survival of Triplet-Bearing Ewes and Their Lambs

Author:

Haslin Emmanuelle1ORCID,Allington Travis2,Blumer Sarah E.2,Boshoff Johan3,Clarke Bronwyn E.2ORCID,Hancock Serina N.2ORCID,Kearney Gavin A.4,Kenyon Paul R.1ORCID,Krog Jarryd2,Kubeil Lyndon J.5,Lockwood Amy2,Refshauge Gordon6ORCID,Trompf Jason P.7,Thompson Andrew N.2ORCID

Affiliation:

1. School of Agriculture and Environment, Massey University, Tennent Drive, Palmerston North 4410, New Zealand

2. Centre for Animal Production and Health, Murdoch University, 90 South Street, Murdoch, WA 6150, Australia

3. Faculty of Science, Agriculture, Business and Law, University of New England, Elm Avenue, Armidale, NSW 2351, Australia

4. 36 Paynes Road, Hamilton, VIC 3300, Australia

5. Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources, 89 Sydney Road, Benalla, VIC 3672, Australia

6. New South Wales Department of Primary Industries, Cowra Agricultural Research and Advisory Station, 296 Binni Creek Road, Cowra, NSW 2351, Australia

7. J.T. Agri-Source, 2A Bradley Drive, Melbourne, VIC 3082, Australia

Abstract

This study evaluated the impacts of management of body condition score (BCS) between pregnancy scanning and lamb marking on the mortality of triplet-bearing ewes and their lambs at 19 research sites across Southern Australia. Triplet-bearing ewes of Maternal (crossbred or composite) or Merino breed were randomly allocated to treatment at pregnancy scanning at an average of 97 days from the start of joining: High or Low BCS. The BCS of individual ewes was assessed at pregnancy scanning, pre-lambing (average of 137 days from the start of joining) and marking (average of 165 days from the end of joining), and ewe and lamb mortality to marking, recorded for each mob. The average BCS at pregnancy scanning was 3.4 for Maternal ewes and 3.3 for Merino ewes. There were no breed by BCS treatment effects on the BCS of ewes at pregnancy scanning or lamb marking or on the change in BCS between pregnancy scanning and pre-lambing or between pre-lambing and marking. The change in BCS differed between the High and Low BCS treatments, between pregnancy scanning and pre-lambing (0.12 vs. −0.33; p < 0.001) and between pre-lambing and marking (−0.39 vs. 0.07; p < 0.001) but did not differ between breeds. The average BCS at marking for ewes managed at the High and Low BCS treatments was 3.1 and 3.0 for Maternals and 3.0 and 2.8 for Merinos. Survival of triplet-bearing Merino ewes (p < 0.01) and their lambs (p < 0.001) was greater when ewes were managed at the High BCS compared to the Low BCS. The BCS treatment did not impact the survival of Maternal ewes or their lambs. The survival of Merino but not Maternal lambs was higher when ewes were in greater BCS pre-lambing (p < 0.01) and when ewes gained BCS between pregnancy scanning and pre-lambing (p < 0.01). Ewe mortality was lower when ewes gained BCS between pregnancy scanning and pre-lambing (p < 0.05). Merino ewes were more likely to die than Maternal ewes for a given change in BCS between pregnancy scanning and pre-lambing (p = 0.065). Overall, our findings demonstrate that producers should manage the nutrition of triplet-bearing Merino ewes so that ewes are in greater BCS at lambing and/or to gain BCS between pregnancy scanning and lambing to improve ewe and lamb survival. Triplet-bearing Maternal ewes should be managed to gain BCS between pregnancy scanning and lambing to improve ewe survival.

Funder

Meat and Livestock Australia

Publisher

MDPI AG

Subject

General Veterinary,Animal Science and Zoology

Reference43 articles.

1. Sensitivity analysis of weaner lamb production in New Zealand;Morel;Proc. N. Z. Soc. Anim. Prod.,2006

2. Bioeconomic modelling to identify the relative importance of a range of critical control points for prime lamb production systems in south-west Victoria;Young;Anim. Prod. Sci.,2010

3. The critical control points for increasing reproductive performance can be used to inform research priorities;Young;Anim. Prod. Sci.,2014

4. Kubeil, L. (2017). Informing Future Sheep Extension Strategies to Improve Reproduction and Related Welfare Outcomes, Meat and Livestock Australia Limited.

5. Ewe wastage in commercial sheep flocks: A review of current knowledge;Flay;N. Z. Vet. J.,2022

Cited by 2 articles. 订阅此论文施引文献 订阅此论文施引文献,注册后可以免费订阅5篇论文的施引文献,订阅后可以查看论文全部施引文献

同舟云学术

1.学者识别学者识别

2.学术分析学术分析

3.人才评估人才评估

"同舟云学术"是以全球学者为主线,采集、加工和组织学术论文而形成的新型学术文献查询和分析系统,可以对全球学者进行文献检索和人才价值评估。用户可以通过关注某些学科领域的顶尖人物而持续追踪该领域的学科进展和研究前沿。经过近期的数据扩容,当前同舟云学术共收录了国内外主流学术期刊6万余种,收集的期刊论文及会议论文总量共计约1.5亿篇,并以每天添加12000余篇中外论文的速度递增。我们也可以为用户提供个性化、定制化的学者数据。欢迎来电咨询!咨询电话:010-8811{复制后删除}0370

www.globalauthorid.com

TOP

Copyright © 2019-2024 北京同舟云网络信息技术有限公司
京公网安备11010802033243号  京ICP备18003416号-3