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

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Abstract
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.

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