Hostname: page-component-7c8c6479df-5xszh Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-03-28T22:36:12.859Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Nutritional status of adult ewes during early and mid-pregnancy. 2. Effects of supplementation with selenised yeast on ewe reproduction and offspring performance to weaning

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 January 2008

C. Muñoz*
Affiliation:
Queen’s University Belfast, University Road, Belfast BT7 1NN, Northern Ireland, UK
A. F. Carson
Affiliation:
Agriculture Branch, Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI), Large Park, Hillsborough, Co., Down BT26 6DR, Northern Ireland, UK
M. A. McCoy
Affiliation:
Veterinary Sciences Division, AFBI, Stoney Road, Belfast BT4 3SD, Northern Ireland, UK
L. E. R. Dawson
Affiliation:
Agriculture Branch, Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI), Large Park, Hillsborough, Co., Down BT26 6DR, Northern Ireland, UK
N. E. O’Connell
Affiliation:
Agriculture Branch, Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI), Large Park, Hillsborough, Co., Down BT26 6DR, Northern Ireland, UK
A. W. Gordon
Affiliation:
Biometrics Department, AFBI, Newforge Lane, Belfast BT9 5PX, Northern Ireland, UK
Get access

Abstract

The objective of this study was to determine the effects of selenium (Se) supplementation of mature ewes in the period from day −14 to day 90 post mating on Se status, productivity and viability of ewes and their offspring. Multiparous crossbred ewes (n = 82) were randomly assigned to receive a standard dried grass-based diet (control) or dried grass diet supplemented with 1 g of selenised yeast (Selplex®), providing 0.5 mg Se per ewe per day. After day 90 post mating, all ewes were offered grass-based diets supplemented with a standard multivitamin and mineral mix, up to lambing. Ewes that were fed additional Se had increased (P < 0.001) activity of glutathione peroxidase enzyme (GPx) and increased plasma Se concentrations throughout the treatment period. At lambing, GPx activity of supplemented ewes was higher (P < 0.001) than that of controls. Twenty-four hours after birth, lambs of ewes given Se had higher (P < 0.001) concentration of Se in plasma, greater (P < 0.001) activity of GPx and better (P < 0.01) immune status. Lambs of ewes that received supplementation showed a faster progression to stand than control lambs (P < 0.05), independent of maternal behaviour which was not affected. Supplementation reduced perinatal lamb mortality (0.04 v. 0.17; P < 0.05). However, overall mortality from birth to weaning was unaffected (P > 0.05). Supplemented ewes weaned lambs on average 2 kg heavier than control ewes, due to the higher (P < 0.05) growth rates achieved by their offspring. In conclusion, for ewes with a marginal Se status, an organic source of Se supplemented throughout pregnancy, compared with supplementation only in the last trimester, positively affected measures of lamb viability and survival.

Type
Full Paper
Copyright
Copyright © The Animal Consortium 2008

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Agriculture and Food Research Council 1993. Energy and protein requirements of ruminants. CAB International, Wallingford.Google Scholar
Amemiya, T 1973. Regression analysis when the dependent variable is truncated normal. Econometrica 41, 9971016.Google Scholar
Anderson, PH, Berrett, S, Patterson, DSP 1979. The biological selenium status of livestock in Britain as indicated by sheep erythrocyte glutathione peroxidase activity. The Veterinary Record 104, 235238.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Blaxter, KL 1963. The effect of selenium administration on the growth and health of sheep on Scottish farms. The British Journal of Nutrition 17, 105115.Google Scholar
Boland, TM, Brophy, PO, Callan, JJ, Quinn, PJ, Nowakowski, P, Crosby, TF 2004. The effects of mineral-block components when offered to ewes in late pregnancy on colostrum yield and immunoglobulin G absorption in their lambs. Animal Science 79, 293302.Google Scholar
Carson, AF, Dawson, LER, Irwin, D, Kilpatrick, DJ 2004. The effect of management system at lambing and flock genetics on lamb output and labour requirements on lowland sheep farms. Animal Science 78, 439450.Google Scholar
Culleton, N, Parle, PJ, Rogers, PAM, Murphy, WE, Murphy, J 1997. Selenium supplementation for dairy cows. Irish Journal of Agricultural and Food Research 36, 2329.Google Scholar
Davis, PA, McDowell, LR, Wilkinson, NS, Buergelt, CD, Van Alstyne, R, Weldon, RN, Marshall, TT 2006. Effects of selenium levels in ewe diets on selenium in milk and the plasma and tissue selenium concentrations of lambs. Small Ruminant Research 65, 1423.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Donald, GE, Langlands, JP, Bowles, JE, Smith, AJ 1994. Subclinical selenium insufficiency. 6. Thermoregulatory ability of perinatal lambs born to ewes supplemented with selenium and iodine. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 34, 1924.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dwyer, CM, Lawrence, AB 1998. Variability in the expression of maternal behaviour in primiparous sheep: effects of genotype and litter size. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 58, 311330.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dwyer, CM, Lawrence, AB, Brown, HE, Simm, G 1996. Effect of ewe and lamb genotype on gestation length, lambing ease and neonatal behaviour of lambs. Reproduction, Fertility and Development 8, 11231129.Google Scholar
Dwyer, CM, Lawrence, AB, Bishop, SC 2001. The effects of selection for lean tissue content on maternal and neonatal lamb behaviours in Scottish Blackface sheep. Animal Science 72, 555571.Google Scholar
Dwyer, CM, Lawrence, AB, Bishop, SC, Lewis, M 2003. Ewe-lamb bonding behaviours at birth are affected by maternal under nutrition in pregnancy. The British Journal of Nutrition 89, 123136.Google Scholar
Grace, ND, Knowles, SO 2002. A reference curve using blood selenium concentration to diagnose selenium deficiency and predict growth responses in lambs. New Zealand Veterinary Journal 50, 163165.Google Scholar
Hemingway, RG, Parkins, JJ, Ritchie, NS 2001. Enhanced reproductive performance of ewes given a sustained-release multi-trace element/vitamin ruminal bolus. Small Ruminant Research 39, 2530.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hidiroglou, M 1980. Trace elements in the fetal and neonate ruminant: a review. Canadian Veterinary Journal 21, 328335.Google Scholar
Hostetler, CE, Kincaid, RL, Mirando, MA 2003. The role of essential trace elements in embryonic and fetal development in livestock. Veterinary Journal 166, 125139.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Langlands, JP, Donald, GE, Bowles, JE, Smith, AJ 1994. Selenium concentration in the blood of ruminants grazing in northern New-South-Wales. 4. Relationship with tissue concentrations and wool production of merino sheep. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 45, 17011714.Google Scholar
McEwan, AD, Fisher, EW, Selman, IE, Penhale, WJ 1970. A turbidity test for the estimation of immune globulin levels in neonatal calf serum. Clinica Chimica Acta 27, 155163.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
McMurray, CH, Rice, DA 1982. Vitamin-E and selenium deficiency diseases. The Irish Veterinary Journal 36, 5767.Google Scholar
Mee, JF, O’Farrell, KJ, Rogers, PAM 1994. Base-line survey of blood trace-element status of 50 dairy herds in the south of Ireland in the spring and autumn of 1991. The Irish Veterinary Journal 47, 115122.Google Scholar
Menzies PI, Boermans H and Terris C 2005. The effect of selenium supplementation on the performance of prolific ewes. In Proceedings of the sixth International Sheep Veterinary Congress, Greece, pp. 243–245.Google Scholar
Muñoz C, Carson AF, McCoy MA, Dawson LER, Irwin D and Gordon AW 2007. Effect of selenium supplementation on the performance of ewes from hill sheep systems. In Proceedings of the British Society of Animal Science 2007, Southport, UK, p. 113.Google Scholar
Muñoz, C, Carson, AF, McCoy, MA, Dawson, LER, O’Connell, NE, Gordon, AW 2008. Nutritional status of adult ewes during early and mid pregnancy. 1. Effect of plane of nutrition on ewe reproduction and offspring performance to weaning. Animal 2, 5263.Google Scholar
National Research Council 1985. Nutrient requirements of sheep. National Academy Press, Washington, DC.Google Scholar
Puls, R 1994. Mineral levels in animal health: diagnostic data, 2nd edition. Sherpa International Clearbrook, BC, Canada.Google Scholar
Robinson, JJ 1983. Nutrition of the pregnant ewe. In Sheep production (ed. W Haresign), pp. 111131. Butterworth, London.Google Scholar
Rock, MJ, Kincaid, RL, Carstens, GE 2001. Effects of prenatal source and level of dietary selenium on passive immunity and thermometabolism of newborn lambs. Small Ruminant Research 40, 129138.Google Scholar
Rooke, JA, Robinson, JJ, Arthur, JR 2004. Effects of vitamin E and selenium on the performance and immune status of ewes and lambs. The Journal of Agricultural Science 142, 253262.Google Scholar
Scales GH 1974. Reproductive performance of Merino ewes dosed with selenium prior to mating. In Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production, pp. 103–113.Google Scholar
Stowe, HD, Herdt, TH 1992. Clinical assessment of selenium status of livestock. Journal of Animal Science 70, 39283933.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Surai, PF 2006. Selenium in food and feed: selenomethionine and beyond. In Selenium in nutrition and health (ed. PF Surai), pp. 151212. Nottingham University Press, UK.Google Scholar
Tinggi, U 2003. Essentiality and toxicity of selenium and its status in Australia: a review. Toxicology Letters 137, 103110.Google Scholar
Van Metre, DC, Callan, RJ 2001. Selenium and vitamin E. Veterinary Clinics of North America: Food Animal Practice 17, 373402.Google Scholar
Wang, W, Van Dorst, S, Thornton, I 1987. The selenium status of sheep in Britain as indicated by wool selenium concentration. Environmental Geochemistry and Health 9, 4851.Google Scholar
Watkinson, JH 1983. Prevention of selenium deficiency in grazing animals by annual topdressing of pasture with sodium selenate. New Zealand Veterinary Journal 31, 7885.Google Scholar