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RESEARCH ARTICLE
Contents Vol 50(6)

Effects of dam parity and rearing rank on the glucose and fat metabolism, and adrenal function of post-pubertal single and twin-ewe progeny

S. J. Pain A B C , P. R. Kenyon A B , S. T. Morris A B and H. T. Blair A B
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Sheep Research Centre, Institute of Veterinary, Animal and Biomedical Sciences, Massey University, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand.

B National Research Centre for Growth and Development, Massey University, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand.

C Corresponding author. Email: s.j.pain@massey.ac.nz

Animal Production Science 50(6) 473-478 https://doi.org/10.1071/AN09182
Submitted: 7 December 2009  Accepted: 11 April 2010   Published: 11 June 2010

Abstract

In an effort to increase the number of lambs produced per ewe’s productive lifetime in New Zealand, an increasing number of ewe lambs (8–9 months old) are being bred. This, in turn, results in an increased proportion of second-parity 2-year-old ewes in New Zealand’s breeding flock, rather than the more usual first-parity 2-year olds. The longer-term effects of dam parity on resulting ewe progeny are of interest and few studies have examined this. The present study was designed to determine whether parity (first or second) of Romney 2-year-old dams had any effect on the metabolic function of their single- and twin-born and reared ewe lamb progeny at 10 months of age. Ten-month-old, single and twin ewe lamb progeny born to first- or second-parity dams (n = 8 per group) were catheterised and given intravenous glucose (0.17 g/kg liveweight) (GTT), insulin (0.15 IU/kg liveweight) (ITT) and epinephrine (1 μg/kg liveweight) (ETT) tolerance tests to assess their glucose and fat metabolism and adrenal function. Rearing rank reduced (P < 0.05) the insulin response of twins to a glucose challenge, but increased (P < 0.05) their glucose response to an insulin challenge. Offspring from first-parity dams had higher (P < 0.05) basal plasma concentrations of cortisol and cortisone, whereas their cortisol/cortisone responses to an insulin challenge were unaffected by either dam parity or rearing rank. Neither dam parity nor rearing rank appeared to influence responses to an epinephrine challenge. The present study suggests that both dam parity and rearing rank alter the glucose and insulin metabolism of the offspring, which may have longer-term impacts on the growth and reproductive efficiency of the animal.

Additional keywords: adrenal function, glucose tolerance, insulin resistance, maternal parity, rearing rank, sheep.


Acknowledgements

The authors thank the technical team at the Institute of Veterinary, Animal and Biomedical Science, Massey University, for their help with blood collection and Eric Thorstensen at Auckland University for blood analyses. The authors acknowledge the funding gratefully provided by Massey University and the National Research Centre for Growth and Development.


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