Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-j824f Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-19T06:33:36.794Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The body composition of growing sheep during milk feeding, and the effect on composition of weaning at various body weights

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 March 2009

T. W. Searle  and
D. A. Griffiths
T. W. Searle
Affiliation:
C.S.I.R.O., Division of Animal Production, P.O. Box 239, Blacktovm N.S.W., 2148, Australia
D. A. Griffiths
Affiliation:
C.S.I.R.O., Division of Mathematics and Statistics, Newtown N.S.W., 2042, Australia
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Summary

Thirty-four (13♂, 21♀) entire cross-bred lambs were suckled on reconstituted, spray-dried cows' milk from 2 days of age for varying periods of time up to 18 weeks before being weaned on to solid food or slaughtered to determine chemical composition. The body composition of each sheep (water, fat, protein, energy) was also estimated from the tritiated water (TOH) space at 3-weekly intervals during milk feeding, at intervals of 5–8 weeks subsequently and at slaughter. Comparison between. TOH estimates and whole body analysis confirmed the accuracy of the previously-derived prediction equations.

The relationship between each of the various body components and body weight for individual sheep during milk feeding was described by a ‘bent’ (non-rectangular) hyperbola. There were no substantial differences between animals in either the position or slope of the lower asymptote nor in the slope of the upper asymptote. There were, however, substantial differences in the point of intersection of the two asymptotes both within and between sexes. The mean intersection points for males and females were 17·7 and 14·4 kg body weight respectively.

Sheep weaned at body weights of 11–16 kg subsequently followed the previously defined pattern of growth. Weaning at higher body weights (21–34 kg, body fat not less than 5·5 kg) resulted initially in both fat and/or body weight loss. In the final fattening phase of growth early- and late-weaned sheep of the same sex had similar body composition but females were fatter than males.

Type
Research Article
Information
The Journal of Agricultural Science , Volume 86 , Issue 3 , June 1976 , pp. 483 - 493
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1976

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

Andrews, R. P. & Ørskov, E. R. (1970). The nutrition of the early weaned lamb. II. The effect of dietary protein concentration, feeding level and sex on body composition at two live weights. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 75, 19–26.Google Scholar
Bergen, W. G. (1974). Protein synthesis in animal models. Journal of Animal Science 38, 1079–91.Google Scholar
Black, J. L. (1974). Manipulation of body composition through nutrition. Proceedings of the Australian Society of Animal Production 10, 211–18.Google Scholar
Black, J. L., Pearce, A. R. & Tribe, D. E. (1973). Protein requirements of growing lambs. British Journal of Nutrition 30, 45–60.Google Scholar
Bull, L. S. (1969). Effect of acetic acid on energy metabolism and body composition of sheep. Ph.D. Thesis, Cornell University, Ithaca, N.Y.Google Scholar
Burton, J. H., Anderson, M. & Reid, J. T. (1974). Some biological aspects of partial starvation. The effect of weight loss and regrowth on body composition in sheep. British Journal of Nutrition 32, 515–27.Google Scholar
Cizek, L. J. (1954). Total water content of laboratory animals with special reference to volume of fluid within the lumen of the gastro-intestinal tract. American Journal of Physiology 179, 104–10.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Downes, A. M., Clarke, W. H. & Dagg, T. C. (1967). Use of radioisotopes in the measurement of wool growth. Atomic Energy in Australia 10, 2–7.Google Scholar
Edelman, I. S. (1952). Exchange of water between blood and tissues. Characteristics of deuterium oxide equilibration in body water. American Journal of Physiology 171, 279–96.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fennessy, P. E, Woodlock, M. R. & Jagusch, K. T. (1972). The effect of early weaning on the concentrations of non-esterified fatty acids and glucose in the plasma of lambs. New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research 15, 802–7.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Griffiths, D. A. & Miller, A. J. (1973). Hyperbolic regression — a model based on two-phase piecewise linear regression with a smooth transition between rèimes. Communications in Statistics 2, 561–9.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Haugebak, C. D., Hedrick, H. B. & Asplund, J. M. (1974). Adipose tissue accumulation and cellularity in growing and fattening lambs. Journal of Animal Science 39, 1016–25.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hirsch, J. & Han, P. W. (1969). Cellularity of ratadipose tissue: effects of growth, starvation and obesity. Journal of Lipid Research 10, 77–82.Google Scholar
Hodge, R. W. (1974). Efficiency of food conversion and body composition of the preruminant lamb and the young pig. British Journal of Nutrition 32, 113–26.Google Scholar
Kellaway, R. C. (1973). The effects of plane of nutrition, genotype and sex on growth, body composition and wool production in grazing sheep. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 80, 17–27.Google Scholar
Mitchell, R. M. & Jagusch, K. T. (1972). Energy balance studies with weaned lambs. I. Utilisation of metabolisable energy of lucerne by lambs weaned at five weeks of age. New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research 15, 788–94.Google Scholar
Norton, B. W., Jagusch, K. T. & Walker, D. M. (1970). Body composition studies with the milk-fed lamb. III. The effect of the protein and energy intake on the composition of the live weight gain. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 75, 287–92.Google Scholar
Pinson, E. A. & Langham, W. H. (1957). Physiology and toxicology of tritium in man. Journal of Applied Physiology 10, 108–26.Google Scholar
Reid, J. T., Balch, C. C. & Glascock, R. F. (1958). The use of tritium, of antiprine and of N-acetyl-4-aminoantipyrine in the measurement of body water in living rabbits. British Journal of Nutrition 12, 43–51.Google Scholar
Searle, T. W. (1970 a). Body composition in lambs and young sheep and its prediction in vivo from tritiated water space and body weight. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 74, 357–62.Google Scholar
Searle, T. W. (1970 b). Prediction of body composition of sheep from tritiated water space and body weight – tests of published equations. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 75, 497–500.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Searle, T. W. & Graham, N. McC. (1972). Comparisons of body composition and energy utilisation between Merino and Fixed Half bred (Border Leicester × Merino) wethers. Australian Journal of Agriculturalm Research 23, 339–46.Google Scholar
Searle, T. W. & Graham, N. McC. (1975). Studies of weaner sheep during and after a period of weight stasis. II. Body composition. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 26, 355–61.Google Scholar
Searle, T. W., Graham, N. McC. & O'Callaghan, M. (1972). Growth in sheep. I. The chemical composition of the body. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 79, 371–82.Google Scholar
Till, A. R. & Downes, A. M. (1962). The measurement of total body water in sheep. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 13, 335–42.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wardrop, I. D. & Coombe, J. B. (1961). The development of rumen function in the lamb. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 12, 661–80.Google Scholar
Zucker, T. F. & Zucker, L. M. (1963). Fat accretion and growth in the rat. journal of Nutrition 80, 6–19.Google Scholar