Supplementation of Palmitic and Omega-3 Fatty Acid Concentrate Flushing During Late Gestation Enhances Ewe and Lamb Performance
Abstract
Nutrient adequacy during late gestation and early lactation in ewes is critical for reproductive success, metabolic adaptation, and neonatal vitality. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of flushing concentrates containing different fatty acid sources administered during late gestation on reproductive performance, colostrum composition, neonatal behavior, and blood metabolites of ewes and lambs. Fifteen ewes at the fourth month of gestation (35.70 ± 5.32 kg) were assigned to a randomized block design based on body weight to three treatments: R1 (palm oil; rich in palmitic acid, saturated fatty acids), R2 (lemuru fish oil; rich in eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA); unsaturated fatty acids (UFA), and R3 (soybean oil; rich in linoleic and α-linolenic acids, UFA). The flushing diets were isocaloric and isonitrogenous, with equivalent omega-3 levels in treatments R2 and R3, and were provided during 2–3 weeks of late gestation and 2 weeks of early lactation. Data were analyzed using ANOVA, followed by Duncan’s test. The fat source of each diet did not significantly affect litter size, birth weight, sex ratio, and colostrum composition. Colostrum yield was affected by treatments (p<0.05), with the highest udder volume in R1 and exhibited higher IgG levels (10%) in R2. The mean plasma concentrations of glucose and cholesterol in ewes were within normal ranges, indicating sufficient metabolic adaptation. Lambs from ewes fed the UFA diet stood earlier (p<0.05), but suckling time was not affected. In conclusion, flushing concentrate supported normal reproductive performance, metabolic status, and neonatal vitality in ewes. The lack of significant differences among fatty acid sources suggests that UFA did not confer additional benefits, likely due to ruminal biohydrogenation.
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References
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