Effect of nutrition pre-breeding and during pregnancy on breeding performance of ewe lambs
F. J. Mulvaney A B , S. T. Morris A , P. R. Kenyon A , P. C. H. Morel A and D. M. West AA Sheep Research Centre, Massey University, Private Bag 11222, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand.
B Corresponding author. Email: f.mulvaney@massey.ac.nz
Animal Production Science 50(10) 953-960 https://doi.org/10.1071/AN10040
Submitted: 18 March 2010 Accepted: 3 August 2010 Published: 21 October 2010
Abstract
The objective of the present studies was to investigate the effect of differing nutritional levels before breeding and during the pregnancy period on the breeding activity, conception rate (proportion pregnant/ewe lambs bred), pregnancy rate (proportion pregnant/ewe lambs joined with the ram) and the number of fetuses identified at pregnancy diagnosis. In Study 1, ewe lambs were allocated to either ‘medium’ or ‘ad lib’ levels of herbage from 4 days before the start of the breeding period (P –4) to P64. In Study 2, four different pre-breeding nutritional groups (‘maintenance’, ‘medium’, ‘medium/ad lib’ and ‘ad lib’) were utilised from P –17 until P5. The ‘medium/ad lib’ group involved a nutritional switch from the ‘medium’ to the ‘ad lib’ group at P –4 and remained in the ‘ad lib’ until P5. At P5, all ewe lambs that were identified as bred (crayon-marked by ram) were allocated to either ‘medium’ or ‘ad lib’ levels of nutrition until P122. In Study 1, more (P < 0.05) ewe lambs were bred, identified as pregnant at P64 and more fetuses identified at P64 in the ‘ad lib’ group compared with the ‘medium’ group. In Study 2, fewer (P < 0.05) ‘maintenance’ pre-breeding group ewe lambs were bred over the 5-day breeding period compared with the other pre-breeding groups but the proportion of the ewe lambs pregnant at P53 did not differ (P > 0.05). In addition, more (P < 0.05) fetuses were identified at pregnancy diagnosis in the ‘ad lib’ pre-breeding group compared with all other pre-breeding groups. Post-breeding nutrition did not affect (P > 0.05) the proportion of ewe lambs displaying oestrus post-breeding, pregnancy rate or the number of fetuses identified at pregnancy diagnosis per ewe lamb present. This indicates that New Zealand pastoral farmers should aim to allow ad libitum levels of nutrition immediately before the start of the breeding period to pregnancy diagnosis to maximise the number of fetuses at pregnancy diagnosis.
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to acknowledge the technical services of Mr Dean Burnham, the on-farm help provided by Mr Graeme Poole, Meat and Wool New Zealand for funding for both studies and the C. Alma Baker Trust for personal financial assistance.
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