Responses of dairy ewes before and after parturition, to different nutritional regimes during pregnancy. I. - Ewe body weight, uterine contents, and lamb birth weight

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Abstract
The effects of nutritional levels were compared in pregnant dairy ewes in which 3 basic (maintenance) levels and 3 levels of late pregnancy allowance (steaming up) were utilized. During the last 3 wk of pregnancy, loss of appetite appeared in the high steaming-up groups, mainly among those which had started pregnancy in a fat body condition. Ewes whose steaming-up ration were adjusted according to the plasma free fatty acids (FFA) concentration (gradual rise of ration) reached a level of feed consumption by the end of pregnancy only slightly higher than that of those receiving the low steaming up level. There was no difference between these 2 groups in total feed consumption during pregnancy. Ewes on the high steaming-up ration gained more weight than those on the other levels. Fat ewes (high basic ration) lost weight during the last 3 wk of pregnancy. Twin-bearing ewes gained less or lost more than single-bearing ones. Ewes on the gradually increasing regime (adjusted) maintained a more stable weight throughout pregnancy in spite of their relatively low consumption. There were no differences in lamb birth weights among the 3 maintenance levels. Mean litter birth weights of the high (H), low (L) and adjusted (A) steaming-up groups were discussed. The twins of the adjusted level (lighter) and the singles (heavier) differed significantly from those of the 2 other steaming-up treatments. Occurrence of disease and loss of appetite around term was high (43%) among ewes receiving the high basic ration. Occurrence of peri-term disease for the H, L and A steaming-up levels was calculated. The pattern of steaming-up, whether constant or gradually rising, may affect the energy partition among the mother''s body and her embryos. The efficiency of feed utilization was higher in the gradually rising regime.

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