Open AccessImpact of change in body condition score in mid-late pregnancy in ewes fed a mixed diet on lamb survival and performance
Author(s) -
S. A. McCoard,
Shen-Yan Hea,
Catherine McKenzie,
K.J. Hammond,
T. O. Smith
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
journal of new zealand grasslands
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.179
H-Index - 2
eISSN - 2463-2880
pISSN - 2463-2872
DOI - 10.33584/jnzg.2020.82.442
Subject(s) - pregnancy , domestic sheep reproduction , litter , gestation , zoology , weaning , offspring , biology , fetus , gestation period , agronomy , genetics
The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect that body condition score of pregnant ewes fed on turnip and swede crops during mid-late gestation had on offspring survival and performance. Data were collected from 755 multiparous mixed-age ewes carrying 1–4 fetuses. Ewes grazed a turnip crop for 1 month prior to pregnancy scanning with supplementary ryegrass/clover baleage (~75 days gestation) followed by a swede crop with supplementary Lucerne baleage for 1 month following pregnancy scanning (to ~120 days gestation). Ewe body condition score (BCS) at mating, pregnancy scanning and pre-lambing, along with lamb survival and growth rates to weaning were recorded. Lamb survival from pregnancy scanning to tailing differed by litter size (P 5 years of age irrespective of the number of fetuses carried. Furthermore, there was high variation in BCS change observed in both early and mid-pregnancy.