Performance of Lambs Born to Energy- and Protein-Supplemented Ewes During Gestation and Lactation
Abstract
Maternal nutrition and supplementation during gestation and lactation improve fetal development, survival, and growth of lambs. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of energy and protein supplementation in the diet before, during, and in the final third of gestation and lactation, within a synchronized breeding system, on the health and performance of lambs. Forty Santa Inês × Dorper ewes, averaging ten months of age and two previous births, were distributed in a completely randomized design with four treatments: mineral supplementation only, supplementation initiated before breeding, supplementation starting after pregnancy confirmation, and supplementation restricted to late gestation. Supplements were provided daily at 4 pm at 1% of body weight (BW), adjusted every 15 days when ewes were weighed. The experimental period lasted 60 days, with 10 days of adaptation. Variance analysis was performed in subdivided plots, and the means were compared using Tukey's test at 5% probability. Concentrated supplementation altered (p<0.0072) birth weight 3.79 kg, colostrum intake, daily gain (p<0.0028) 242.39 g/animal/day, morphometric measurements, eggs per gram of feces, protein and energy metabolic profiles, and cortisol levels in lambs. There was no difference in lambing rate, litter type, sex, fecal score, or mineral metabolism. However, supplementation begun 20 days before breeding and after pregnancy confirmation improved anthelmintic response 272.49 EPG and produced heavier lambs at weaning 20.78 kg. Maternal energy and protein supplementation, especially when started before breeding or after pregnancy confirmation, improves lamb growth, metabolic status, and parasitic resistance.
Full text article
References
Agricultural Research Council – ARC (1980). The nutrient requirements of farm animals. (1st ed.) London, 351p.
American Oil Chemists’ Society. (2017). Official methods and recommended practices of the AOCS (7th ed.). AOCS Press.
Andrade, N., Sobrinho, A. G. S., Borghi, T. H., Valença, R. L., Romanzini, E. P., & Van Cleef, E. H. C. B. (2024). Effects of maternal nutrition regimen of ewes on performance, carcass, and meat traits of their feedlot-finished lambs. Anais da Academia Brasileira de Ciências, 96(2), 2–12. https://doi.org/10.1590/0001-3765202420220963
Arnhold, E. (2013). Package in the R environment for analysis of variance and complementary analyses. Brazilian Journal of Veterinary Research and Animal Science, 50(6), 488-492. https://doi.org/10.11606/issn.1678-4456.v50i6p488-492
Asadi, M., Rahimi, S., Karimi, H., & Zarei, M. (2024). The effect of maternal organic manganese supplementation on offspring performance and immune markers. Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition, 108(2),493-499 https://doi.org/10.1111/jpn.13909
Brougham, B. J., Smith, N., Jones, C., Williams, K., & Thompson, R. (2024). Maternal betaine supplementation during late gestation improves lamb viability and early growth. Animals, 14(1), 1-14. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14172605
Brondani, W. C., Silveira, F. A., Lemes, J. S., Evangelho, L. A., & Ferreira, O. G. L. (2020). Gestational supplementation in wool production of sheep and lambs. Brazilian Archives of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, 72(3), 977–984. https://doi.org/10.1590/1678-4162-11208
Campos, N. R. F., Difante, G. S., Rangel, A. H. N., Urbano, S. A., Neto, J. V. E., Costa, A. B. G., Netto, R. T. C., Ribeiro, P. H. C., & Bezerra, J. I. (2019). Supplementation strategies and their effects on ewes’ colostrum and milk compositions in the initial third lactation period. Semina: Ciências Agrárias, 40, 1535–1542. https://doi.org/10.5433/1679-0359.2019v40n4p1535
Eduarda, B. P., Emily, C. S. B., Jacqueline, S. S., Kharenn, G., Rayane, S. G., Wendy, A. M., Stérffane, A. F., Camila, P. N., Clauber, R., & Demis, C. R. (2025). Evaluation of egg count per gram of feces (EPG) in sheep and goats from the region of Palmas, Tocantins. Multidisciplinary Journal of Northeastern Minas Gerais, 57(1), 1–16. https://doi.org/10.61164/remunom.v1i1.3416
Geraseev, L. C., Silva, N. C., Chaves, A. S., Costa, D. S., Ornelas, L. T. C., Crocomo, L. F., & Moreira, S. J. M. (2023). Use of sunflower meal as a protein source in diets of growing lambs. Revista Brasileira de Zootecnia, 52(1), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.37496/rbz5220220144
Higano, L. M., Ítavo, C. C. B. F., Ítavo, L. C. V., Difante, G. S., Melo, G. K. A., Silva, P. C. G., Monteiro, K. L. S., Soares, E. S. M., Arco, T. F. F. S., Andrade, P. B., Miguel, A. A. S., Oliveira, F. G. G., Ribeiro, E. L. M., & Gurgel, A. L. C. (2025). Reproductive efficiency of ewe lambs kept on tropical pastures under different feeding systems. Arquivo Brasileiro de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, 77(1), 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1590/1678-4162-13258
Kaneko, J. J., Harvey, J. W., & Bruss, M. (1997). Clinical biochemistry of domestic animals (5th ed., pp. 877–901). Academic Press.
Klein, J. L., Adams, S. M., Alves Filho, D. C., Brondani, I. L., Pizutti, L. A. D., Antunes, D. P., Poletto, V., Karsten, M. S., Bem, P. H. T., & Mello, D. A. S. (2021). Fetal programming and the consequences on progeny development: A review. Research, Society and Development, 10(12). https://doi.org/10.33448/rsd-v10i12.20766
Licitra, G., Hernandez, T. M., & Van Soest, P. J. (1996). Standardization of procedures for nitrogen fractionation of ruminant feeds. Animal Feed Science and Technology, 57(4), 347–358. https://doi.org/10.1016/0377-8401(95)00837-3
Melo, A. F., Dávila, F. S., & Ungerfeld, R. (2023). Progressive weaning alters behaviour and biomarkers of stress in weaned lambs subjected to social isolation. Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 265, 106001. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2023.106001
National Research Council. (2007). Nutrient requirements of small ruminants: Sheep, goats, cervids, and New World camelids. The National Academies Press.
Sacoman, G. A. Z., Constantino, C., Ribeiro, E. L. A., Giotto, F. M., & Fernandes Junior, F. (2016). Desempenho, parâmetros sanguíneos, ingestão de água e escore de fezes de ovelhas confinadas sob diferentes frequências de alimentação. Synergismus Scyentifica, 11(1), 62–65. http://revistas.utfpr.edu.br/pb/index.php/SysScy/article/view/2098
Silva, N. C., Gaspar, R. C., Chaves, A. S., Geraseev, L. C., Athayde, A. L., & Crocomo, L. F. (2019). Morphometric measurements of sheep fed with increasing levels of sunflower meal. Acta Scientiarum. Animal Sciences, 41, e42891. https://doi.org/10.4025/actascianimsci.v41i1.42891
Sniffen, C. J., O’Connor, J. D., Van Soest, P. J., Fox, D. G., & Russell, J. B. (1992). A net carbohydrate and protein system for evaluating cattle diets: II. Carbohydrate and protein availability. Journal of Animal Science, 70(11), 3562–3577. https://doi.org/10.2527/1992.70113562x
Titto, C. G., Pantoja, M. H. A., Martins, M. M., Mendes, N. L., Ungerfeld, R., & Melo, A. F. (2025). Lambs cope better with gradual weaning and definitive maternal separation when housed with known-adult companion ewes. Applied Animal Behaviour Science, 288(1), 106662. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2025.106662
Van Soest, P. J., Robertson, J. B., & Lewis, B. A. (1991). Methods for dietary fiber, neutral detergent fiber, and nonstarch polysaccharides in relation to animal nutrition. Journal of Dairy Science, 74(10), 3583–3597. https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.S0022-0302(91)78551-2
Authors
Copyright (c) 2026 Tropical Animal Science Journal
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Authors submitting manuscripts should understand and agree that copyright of manuscripts of the article shall be assigned/transferred to Tropical Animal Science Journal. The statement to release the copyright to Tropical Animal Science Journal is stated in Form A. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License (CC BY-SA) where Authors and Readers can copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format, as well as remix, transform, and build upon the material for any purpose, but they must give appropriate credit (cite to the article or content), provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made. If you remix, transform, or build upon the material, you must distribute your contributions under the same license as the original.
Article Details
How to Cite
