Abstract: The Small-tail Han ewes with 3 years old, (48.7±2.0)kg body weight, carring the multi-lamb gene, were fed with the same diet, mating after one month.18 pregnant ewes were selected and divided into 3 groups(groups 1(control group), 2 and 3).From 90 days of pregnancy, groups 2 and 3 were supplemented with aerosol OT(800 mg/kg) and paraformaldehyde(300 mg/kg), respectively, and the experiments of digestion and metabolism were carried on from 121 to 130 days of pregnancy to study the effect of aerosol OT and paraformaldehyde supplements on the voluntary intake, digestion and metabolism, lambing of late-pregnant ewes.The results showed that when fed with aerosol OT, the voluntary intake of dry matter was increased by 13.0%(P<0.01);The amount of digestion of DM, OM, CP, cellulose and GE was increased by 12.4%(P<0.05), 14.4%(P<0.01), 23.2%(P<0.01), 15.2%(P>0.05) and 27.4%(P<0.01), respectively;The retention of N, Ca and P was increased by 31.1%(P<0.01), 48.5%(P<0.01) and 31.9%(P<0.01), respectively;The serum triglyceride and free fatty acid content tended to decrease;but the apparent digestibility of the dietary nutrients were not significantly affected(P>0.05);The loss of ewe postpartum weight was reduced by 61.9%(P<0.01), a nest of lamb weight was increased by 4.2%(P>0.05).In the condition of feeding paraformaldehyde, the voluntary intake of dry matter was increased by 12.6%(P<0.01);The amount of digestion of DM, OM, CP, cellulose and GE was increased by 15.4%(P<0.01), 16.2%(P<0.01), 22.4%(P<0.01), 14.2%(P>0.05) and 29.0%(P<0.01), respectively;The retention of N, Ca and P was increased by 33.5%(P<0.01), 48.9%(P<0.01) and 36.3%(P<0.01), respectively;But the apparent digestibility of the dietary nutrients were no significantly affected(P>0.05);The serum β-hydroxybutrate and free fatty acid content tended to decrease;The loss of ewe postpartum weight was reduced by 57.1%(P<0.01), a nest of lamb weight was increased by 11.1%(P<0.05).This study showed that by feeding aerosol OT or paraformaldehyde, the intake, digestibility of Ca, P and N could be improved in late-pregnant ewe, the body weight loss, body fat mobilization could be reduced, and the birth weight of litter could be increased.

Key words: aerosolf; formaldehyde; pregnancy; sheep; digestion