›› 2017, Vol. 44 ›› Issue (5): 1369-1374.doi: 10.16431/j.cnki.1671-7236.2017.05.016

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Effect of Energy Levels During Late Gestation on the Ewe Health and Growth Performance of Lambs

ZHANG Fan, DIAO Qi-yu   

  1. Key Laboratory of Feed Biotechnology of the Ministry of Agriculture, Feed Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China
  • Received:2016-09-13 Online:2017-05-20 Published:2017-05-18

Abstract:

The late pregnancy is a critical period of fetal growth and development. As approximately 80% of fetal body weight is obtained during late gestation, so that the amount of energy needed for the ewes at this period is much greater than the other periods. Now ewes with multiple fetuses are mutton sheep breeding cultivation objectives, however,under the grazing or confined feeding conditions where nutrient requirement can't satisfy the nutrient requirement of sheep, especially for pregnant ewes with twins or more lambs.The body glycogen and protein as well as body fat will be mobilized for energy needed for the fetal growth and reproduction, which would lead to bad influence on ewes (metabolic disorders, liver function damage, pregnancy toxemia, embryonic development and health) and also on lamb (weak lamb, dead lamb and health). Therefore, investigating the effects of dietary energy levels during late gestation on the ewe's health and growth performance of lambs are essential for the sustainability of livestock production systems. This review summarized the effect of different energy levels on the ewes' health, reproductive performance of the ewes, lactation performance, embryo development and the growth of lambs, then expounded the roles of energy in later gestation. When the dietary energy of ewes in late gestation are restricted, the weight, breast development, lactation capacity, pregnancy rate will all be decreased, and the growth rate and organ development of embryos and lamb will also be restricted.

Key words: energy level; late pregnancy; ewe; embryo; lamb

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