Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-7cvxr Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-23T06:57:41.542Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Effect of early shearing during gestation on the productive and reproductive behavior of female sheep offspring in their first 18 months of age

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  30 October 2019

C. López-Mazz ,
F. Baldi ,
G. Quintans ,
P. R. Kenyon ,
O. Correa ,
M. Regueiro ,
A. Álvarez-Oxiley  and
G. E. Banchero Open the ORCID record for G. E. Banchero [Opens in a new window]
C. López-Mazz*
Affiliation:
Department of Animal Production and Pastures, Faculty of Agronomy, Av. Garzón 780, Montevideo 12900, Uruguay
F. Baldi
Affiliation:
Faculdade de Ciencias Agrárias e Veterinárias, Via de Acesso Castellane s/n, Jaboticabal 14884-900, São Paulo, Brazil
G. Quintans
Affiliation:
National Institute for Agricultural Research, Ruta 8, km 281, Treinta y Tres 33000, Uruguay
P. R. Kenyon
Affiliation:
Sheep Research Centre, Institute of Veterinary, Animal and Biomedical Sciences, Massey University, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand
O. Correa
Affiliation:
Department of Veterinary Parasitology, Veterinary Faculty, Las places 1550, Montevideo 11600, Uruguay
M. Regueiro
Affiliation:
Department of Animal Production and Pastures, Faculty of Agronomy, Av. Garzón 780, Montevideo 12900, Uruguay
A. Álvarez-Oxiley
Affiliation:
Department of Animal Production and Pastures, Faculty of Agronomy, Av. Garzón 780, Montevideo 12900, Uruguay
G. E. Banchero
Affiliation:
National Institute for Agricultural Research, Ruta 50, km 11, Colonia 70006, Uruguay
*
†E-mail: [email protected]
Get access

Abstract

The research has shown the interesting contributions of shearing in mid-gestation on the performance of lambs from birth to weaning. Other studies have reported that shearing at early pregnancy influences the development of the placenta and lamb live weight at birth. However, there was a lack of information on the effect of early-prepartum shearing on the behavior of the offspring from weaning onward. This study evaluated the effect of shearing ewes at 50 days of gestation on the growth, reproductive behavior and response to a gastrointestinal parasite challenge in the female offspring from weaning to 18 months old. Fifty-seven Polwarth female lambs were used, 22 being singles and 35 twins born to ewes either shorn at 50 days of pregnancy (PS, n = 23) or shorn at 62 days postpartum (U, control, n = 34) resulting in four subgroups: single lambs born to PS ewes (n = 8), born to U ewes (n = 14), twin lambs born to PS ewes (n = 15) or born to U ewes (n = 20). All progeny were managed together under improved pasture with a minimum forage allowance of 6% live weight on dry basis. Body weight, body condition score and fecal eggs count were recorded every 14 days from weaning to 18 months of age. Concentrations of progesterone were measured weekly (from 4 to 10 months of age and from 14 to 18 months of age) to establish the onset of puberty. Ovulation rate at an induced and a natural heat (545 ± 1.0 and 562 ± 1.0 day old) was recorded. Prepartum shearing did not affect the age at puberty or the ovulation rate of female offspring, but those born as singles were more precocious ( P = 0.03) and heavier ( P = 0.02) at puberty than twin born lambs. Both the average value of parasite egg count ( P = 0.0 7) and the Famacha index ( P = 0.02) for the entire study period were lower in lambs born to prepartum shorn ewes than those born to postpartum shorn ewes. In conclusion, shearing at 50 days of gestation did not affect the growth or the reproductive behavior of female offspring. However, female lambs born from ewe shorn during gestation showed a better response to the parasitic challenge, and further research is required to confirm this.

Keywords

early shearinggrowthreproductionimmunityfemale progeny
Type
Research Article
Information
animal , Volume 14 , Issue 4 , April 2020 , pp. 807 - 813
Copyright
© The Animal Consortium 2019 

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

Ashworth, CJ, McEvoy, TG, Rooke, JA and Robinson, JJ 2005. Nutritional programming of physiological systems throughout development. Trends in Developmental Biology 1, 117–129.Google Scholar
Banchero, G, Vázquez, A, Montossi, F, De Barbieri, I and Quintans, G 2010. Pre-partum shearing of ewes under pastoral conditions improves the early vigour of both single and twin lambs. Animal Production Science 50, 309–314. https://doi.org/10.1071/AN09127CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Banchero, G, Vázquez, A, Vera, M and Quintans, G 2012. Adding condensed tannins to the diet increases ovulation rate in sheep. Animal Production Science 52, 853–856. https://doi.org/10.1071/AN11333CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bauer, MK, Harding, JE, Bassett, NS, Breier, BH, Oliver, MH, Gallaher, BH, Evans, PC, Woodall, SM and Gluckman, PD 1998. Fetal growth and placental function. Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology 140, 115–120. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0303-7207(98)00039-2CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Cam, MA and Kuran, M 2004. Shearing pregnant ewes to improve lamb birth weight increases milk yield of ewes and lamb weaning weight. Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences 17, 1669–1673. https://doi.org/10.5713/ajas.2004.1669CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Corner, RA, Kenyon, PR, Stafford, KJ, West, DM and Oliver, MH 2010. The effect of different types of stressors during mid- and late pregnancy on lamb weight and body size at birth. Animal 4, 2065–2070. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1751731110001321CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Corticelli, B and Lai, M 1963. Ricerche sulla tecnica di coltura delle larve infestive degli strongili gastro-intestinali del bovino. Acta Medica Veterinaria año 9, fásciculo. V / VI.Google Scholar
Cronjé, PB 2003. Foetal programming of immune competence. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 43, 1427–1430. https://doi.org/10.1071/EA03005CrossRefGoogle Scholar
De Barbieri, I, Montossi, F, Viñoles, C and Kenyon, PR 2018. Time of shearing the ewe not only affects lamb live weight and survival at birth and weaning, but also ewe wool production and quality. New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research, 61, 57–66. https://doi.org/10.1080/00288233.2017.1388825CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ehrhardt, RA and Bell, AW 1995. Growth and metabolism of the ovine placenta during mid-gestation. Placenta 16, 727–741. https://doi.org/10.1016/0143-4004(95)90016-0CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Foster, DL, Yellon, SM and Olster, DH 1985. Internal and external determinants of timing of puberty in the female. Journal of Reproduction & Fertility 75, 327–344.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Grazul-Bilska, AT, Johnson, ML, Borowicz, PP, Minten, M, Bilski, JJ, Wroblewski, R, Velimirovich, M, Coupe, LR, Redmer, D and Reynolds, LP 2011. Placental development during early pregnancy in sheep: cell proliferation, global methylation, and angiogenesis in the fetal placenta. Reproduction 141, 529–540. https://doi.org/10.1530/REP-10-0505CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Greenwood, PL, Thompson, A and Ford, SP 2010. Postnatal consequences of the maternal environment and growth during prenatal life for productivity of ruminants. In Managing the prenatal environment to enhance livestock productivity (eds. Greenwood, PL, Bell, AW, Vercoe, PE and Viljoen, GJ), pp. 3–36. Springer Science Business Media, Dordrecht, Netherlands. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-3135-8CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gunn, RG, Sim, DA and Hunter, EA 1995. Effects of nutrition in utero and in early life on the subsequent lifetime reproductive performance of Scottish Blackface ewes in two management systems. Animal Science 60, 223–230. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1357729800008389CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Haydock, KP and Shaw, NH 1975. The comparative yield method for estimating dry matter yield of pasture. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture and Animal Husbandry 15, 663–670. https://doi.org/10.1071/EA9750663Google Scholar
Heasman, L, Clarke, L, Stephenson, TJ and Symonds, ME 1999. The influence of maternal nutrient restriction in early to mid-gestation on placental and fetal development in sheep. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society 58, 283–288. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0029665199000397CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kelly, RW 1992. Nutrition and placental development. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society of Australia 17, 203–211.Google Scholar
Kenyon, PR and Blair, HT 2014. Foetal programming in sheep – effects on production. Small Ruminant Research 118, 16–30. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.smallrumres.2013.12.021GetCrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kenyon, PR, Morris, ST, Revell, DK and McCutcheon, SN 2003. Shearing during pregnancy – review of a policy to increase birth-weight and survival of lambs in New Zealand pastoral farming systems. New Zealand Veterinary Journal 51, 200–207. https://doi.org/10.1080/00480169.2003.36368CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kotsampasi, B, Chadio, S, Papadomichelakis, G, Deligeorgis, S, Kaliogiannis, D, Menegatos, I and Zervas, G 2009. Effects of maternal undernutrition on the hipotalamic-piyuitary-gonadal axis function in female sheep offspring. Reproduction in Domestic Animals 44, 677–684. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1439-0531.2007.01046.xCrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Liu, Y, He, S, Zhang, Y, Xia, W, Li, M, Zhang, C and Gao, F 2015. Effects of intrauterine growth restriction during late pregnancy on the development of the ovine fetal thymus and the T-lymphocyte subpopulation. American Journal of Reproductive Immunology 74, 26–37.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
López-Mazz, C, Baldi, F, Quintans, G and Banchero, G 2017. Shearing ewes in the first third of gestation improves offspring performance. Animal Production Science 58, 1908–1914. https://doi.org/10.1071/AN16461CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Moore, SE 1998. Nutrition, immunity and the fetal and infant origins of disease hypothesis in developing countries. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society 57, 241–247.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Morris, ST, Kenyon, PR, Burnham, DL and McCutcheon, SN 1999. The influence of pre-lamb shearing on lamb birthweight and survival. Proceedings of the New Zealand Grasslands Association 61, 95–98.Google Scholar
Morris, ST and McCutcheon, SN 1997. Selective enhancement of growth in twin foetuses by shearing ewes in early gestation. Animal Science 65, 105–110.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Morris, ST, McCutcheon, SN and Revell, DK 2000 Birth weight responses to shearing ewes in early to mid gestation. Animal Science 70, 363–369. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1357729800054825CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Nari, A, Eddi, C, Martins, JR and Benavides, E 2003. Resistencia a los Antiparasitarios: Estado actual con énfasis en América Latina. Estudio FAO Producción y Sanidad Animal 157. FAO, Rome, Italy, pp. 16.Google Scholar
Osgerby, JC, Wathes, DC, Howard, D and Gadd, TS 2002. The effect of maternal undernutrition on ovine fetal growth. Journal of Endocrinology 173, 131–141. https://doi.org/10.1677/joe.0.1730131CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Paten, AM, Asmad, K, Loureiro, MFP, Kenyon, PR, Pain, SJ, Peterson, SW, Pomroy, WE, Scott, I and Blair, HT 2011. The effects of dam nutrition during pregnancy on the postnatal growth and puberty attainment of ewe progeny. Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production 71, 56–58.Google Scholar
Rae, MT, Kyle, CE, Miller, DW, Hammond, AJ, Brooks, AN and Rhind, SM 2002. The effects of undernutrition, in utero, on reproductive function in adult male and female sheep. Animal Reproduction Science 72, 63–71. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0378-4320(02)00068-4CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Redmer, DA, Wallace, JM and Reynolds, LP 2004. Effect of nutrient intake during pregnancy on fetal and placental growth and vascular development. Domestic Animal Endocrinology 27, 199–217. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.domaniend.2004.06.006CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Revell, DK, Morris, ST, Cottam, YH, Hanna, JE, Thomas, DG, Brown, S and McCutcheon, SN 2002. Shearing ewes at mid-pregnancy is associated with changes in fetal growth and development. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 53, 697–705. https://doi.org/10.1071/AR01140CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Reynolds, LP, Borowicz, PP, Caton, J S, Vonnahme, KA, Luther, JS, Hammer, CJ, Maddock Carlin, KR, Grazul-Bilska, AT and Redmer, DA 2010. Developmental programming: the concept, large animal models, and the key role of uteroplacental vascular development. Journal Animal Science 88 (E. Suppl.), E61–E72.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Reynolds, LP and Redmer, DA 1995. Utero-placental vascular development and placental function. Journal of Animal Science 73, 1839–1851. https://doi.org/10.2527/1995.7361839xCrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Rhind, SM 2004. Effects of maternal nutrition on fetal and neonatal reproductive development and function. Animal Reproduction Science 82–83, 169–181. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anireprosci.2004.04.003CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Robinson, J, Chidzanja, S, Kind, K, Lok, F, Owens, P and Owen, J 1995. Placental control of fetal growth. Reproduction Fertility and Development 7, 333–344. doi:10.1071/rd9950333CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Rooke, JA, Houdijk, JGM, McIlvaney, K, Ashworth, CJ and Dwyer, CM 2010. Differential effects of maternal undernutrition between days 1 and 90 of pregnancy on ewe and lamb performance and lamb parasitism in hill or lowland breeds. Journal of Animal Science 88, 3833–3842. https://doi.org/10.2527/jas.2010-2991CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Russel, AJF, Doney, JM and Gunn, RG 1969. Subjective assessment of body fat in live sheep. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 72, 451–454.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
SAS, 2001. SAS Version 8.02. SAS Inst., Cary, NC, USA.Google Scholar
Sherlock, RG, Kenyon, PR, Morris, ST and Parkinson, TJ 2003. Metabolic changes in ewes shorn during mid-pregnancy. Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production 63, Queenstown, 144–148.Google Scholar
Smeaton, DC, Webby, RW, Tarbotton, IS and Clayton, JB 2000. The effects of shearing Finnish Landrace × Romney ewes in mid-pregnancy on lamb survival, birth weight and other weights. In Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production 60, 58–60Google Scholar
Sphor, L, Banchero, G, Correa, G, Osorio, MTM and Quintans, G 2011. Early prepartum shearing increases milk production of wool sheep and the weight of the lambs at birth and weaning. Small Ruminant Research 99, 44–47. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.smallrumres.2011.03.007CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Symonds, ME, Bryant, MJ and Lomax, MA 1986. The effect of shearing on the energy metabolism of the pregnant ewe. British Journal of Nutrition 56, 635–643. https://doi.org/10.1079/BJN19860144CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Tuchscherer, M, Kanitz, E, Otten, W and Tuchscherer, A 2002. Effects of prenatal stress on cellular and humoral immune response in neonatal pigs. Veterinary Immunology and Immunopathology 86, 195–203. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0165-2427(02)00035-1CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Ueno, H and Goncalves, PC 1998. Manual para diagnóstico de helmintoses de ruminantes. 4th ed. Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Tokyo, Japan. 143p.Google Scholar
Van Wyk, JA and Bath, GF 2002. The famacha system for managing haemonchosis in sheep and goats by clinically identifying individual animals for treatment. Veterinary Research 33, 509–529. https://doi.org/10.1051/vetres:2002036CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Vonnahme, KA, Lemley, CO, Shukla, P and Rourke, STO 2013. Placental programming: how the maternal environment can impact placental function. Journal of Animal Science 91, 2467–2480. https://doi.org/10.2527/jas2012-5929CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Withlock, HV 1948. Some modifications of the McMaster helminth egg-counting technique and apparatus. Journal of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research 21, 177–180.Google Scholar
Wolfinger, R and O’Connell, M 1993. Generalized linear mixed models a pseudo-likelihood approach. Journal of Statistical Computation and Simulation 48, 233–243.CrossRefGoogle Scholar