Colostrum quality is generally defined by the IgG concentration in colostrum, and many methods have been used to assess it. Methods to measure colostrum quality both in the laboratory and in the ...field have been validated in cattle; however, this is only a recent topic of interest for sheep colostrum. Laboratory-based methods are often time consuming and require trained personnel compared with new handheld evaluation tools such as the digital Brix refractometer, which gives real-time results. The aims of this study were to (1) evaluate the relationship between the digital Brix refractometer and constituents indicative of quality (IgG, protein, fat, and lactose) in colostrum and transition milk, and (2) determine an appropriate Brix % cut-off value for the Brix refractometer in sheep colostrum and transition milk. The study used 50 colostrum samples (collected at 0 h postpartum, before lambs' sucking) and 169 transitional milk samples (collected at 4 and 24 h postpartum, after lambs had sucked) collected over 6 lambing trials in 2 years (2019 and 2020). We concluded that the Brix refractometer results correlated weakly with IgG concentration determined by radial immunodiffusion assay in colostrum collected at 0 h postpartum (r = 0.11) and in transition milk collected at 4 h postpartum (r = 0.12); however, a moderate to strong correlation was shown in transition milk samples collected at 24 h (r = 0.66). Brix % was significantly correlated with fat %, lactose %, and protein % at all timepoints. To determine an appropriate Brix % cut-off value indicating an IgG concentration of 20 mg/mL, we analyzed sensitivity and specificity of the Brix refractometer at 0, 4, and 24 h. In samples collected at 0 and 4 h, the highest combination of sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy was achieved at a Brix % cut-off value of 29%; in samples collected at 24 h postpartum, a Brix % cut-off value of 27% gave the highest sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy. Overall, the Brix refractometer has potential as a useful in-field tool for researchers and producers in both extensively and intensively managed flocks to measure and determine the quality of sheep colostrum and transition milk.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
2.
Lambs need colostrum: A review Agenbag, Bianca; Swinbourne, Alyce M.; Petrovski, Kiro ...
Livestock science,
September 2021, 2021-09-00, Volume:
251
Journal Article
Peer reviewed
•Colostrum contains bioactive components that significantly increases offspring survival.•Colostrum improves development, future production and reproductive efficiency of ...offspring.•Maternally-derived factors such as parity, nutrition and hormones effects colostrum quality.•Colostrum quality can be assessed using both laboratory assays and hand-held devices.
In contrast to pigs and cattle, research focussed on sheep colostrum is limited, especially regarding measuring and defining colostrum quality. Colostrum is the first mammary gland secretion available to offspring and it is accumulated during the last term of gestation. Colostrum is an essential source of nutrition, immunoglobulins and bio-actives, and adequate consumption significantly increases the neonate's chance of surviving the challenging ex utero environment. Colostrum plays an important role during development of the immune system, post-natal growth and thermoregulation, and also mediates the creation of the ewe-lamb bond. In addition to increasing the neonate's ability to survive, access to colostrum during the neonatal period has the potential to improve the future production, development and reproductive efficiency of lambs, as studies in pigs have shown that access to colostrum during the neonatal period promotes maturation of the reproductive tract and increases reproductive efficiency later in life. Colostrum effects many developmental aspects of the neonate therefore, it is important that it is of high quality to ensure maximum future productivity. This review summarises the information currently available on sheep colostrum, including supporting research conducted in cattle and pigs, with particular focus on the impact of colostrum composition and quality on progeny performance.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
•Twin lambs have higher mortality than singletons associated with lower birth weight.•Nutritional strategies may increase lamb birth weight and survival via increasing maternal ...arginine.•Supplementing ewes with rumen-protected lysine, methionine and choline did not increase maternal arginine or lamb survival.
High twin lamb mortality in Merino sheep is a major cost for the Australian wool and sheep meat industry. Most lambs die within three days of birth due to low birthweight and/or complications arising during parturition. Maternal arginine supplementation can potentially increase birthweight by improving utero-placental haemodynamics; but availability and cost of rumen-protected arginine are barriers. Therefore, we sought to increase circulating concentrations of arginine, lamb birthweight and survival by supplementing twin-bearing Merino ewes with lysine, methionine and choline from day 80 of gestation (dG 80) to parturition. Each day, ewes were individually fed a supplement (barley, pea, pollard and molasses) with addition of either 14 g lysine, 7 g methionine and 7 g choline (amino acid; AA; n = 48); or no amino acids (control; CTL; n = 48). Supplementation did not alter circulating amino acid profiles in ewes at dG 120. Parturition difficulty of ewes and meconium staining of lambs did not differ between AA and CTL groups. Rectal temperatures during the first 24 h of life and serum IgG concentrations (indicative of colostrum intake) at 24 h after birth were similar in lambs born to AA and CTL ewes. AA supplementation did not alter lamb weights from birth to weaning (~three months of age), or lamb survival to weaning (CTL: 75%; AA: 84.8%, P > 0.05). The lack of response to maternal supplementation with this combination of rumen-protected lysine, methionine and choline suggests that alternate strategies are needed to increase maternal arginine abundance and twin lamb survival.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
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