Banchero G E, Quintans G, Martin G B, Lindsay D R, Milton J T B
School of Animal Biology, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, Australia.
Reprod Fertil Dev. 2004;16(6):633-43. doi: 10.1071/rd03091.
We tested the hypothesis that supplementation with cracked maize during the last week of pregnancy would provide ewes with a substrate for glucose and enhance the synthesis of lactose and, consequently, their production of colostrum. Thirty single- and 30 twin-bearing ewes were fed lucerne hay and half of each group was supplemented daily with 0.75 kg per head cracked maize during the last week of pregnancy. Colostrum production and the endocrine patterns in the animals were investigated. Supplementation with maize more than doubled the mass of colostrum available at birth in unsupplemented ewes: 339 v. 145 g in single-bearing ewes and 536 v. 197 g in twin-bearing ewes (P < 0.001). The total colostrum produced in the 10 h after birth was also significantly increased by supplementation: 730 v. 475 g in single-bearing ewes and 1259 v. 631 g in twin-bearing ewes (P < 0.01). The colostrum in the supplemented ewes was also more liquid with a viscosity score of 5.8 compared with 5.7 and 4.5 in unsupplemented single- and twin-bearing ewes (P < 0.01). Supplemented ewes had higher concentrations of lactose in their colostrum at parturition (2.6% v. 1.8% in single-bearing ewes and 2.5% v. 1.4% in twin-bearing ewes; P < 0.01). The plasma concentrations of progesterone and growth hormone in supplemented ewes were lower, whereas those of IGF-I and insulin were higher, all consistent with a higher capacity to produce colostrum. It is concluded that a high-energy supplement, like maize, fed to ewes in the last week of gestation increases their capacity to produce colostrum for their lambs, particularly for ewes bearing twins.
在妊娠最后一周给母羊补充破碎玉米可为其提供葡萄糖底物，增强乳糖合成，从而提高初乳产量。30只单羔母羊和30只双羔母羊被饲喂苜蓿干草，每组中的一半母羊在妊娠最后一周每天每只补充0.75千克破碎玉米。对这些母羊的初乳产量和内分泌模式进行了研究。补充玉米使未补充玉米的母羊出生时可获得的初乳量增加了一倍多：单羔母羊中分别为339克和145克，双羔母羊中分别为536克和197克（P < 0.001）。补充玉米也显著增加了出生后10小时内产生的初乳总量：单羔母羊中分别为730克和475克，双羔母羊中分别为1259克和631克（P < 0.01）。补充玉米的母羊所产初乳也更稀，粘度评分为5.8，而未补充玉米的单羔和双羔母羊所产初乳的粘度评分分别为5.7和4.5（P < 0.01）。补充玉米的母羊分娩时初乳中的乳糖浓度更高（单羔母羊中分别为2.6%和1.8%，双羔母羊中分别为2.5%和1.4%；P < 0.01）。补充玉米的母羊血浆中孕酮和生长激素的浓度较低，而胰岛素样生长因子-I和胰岛素的浓度较高，所有这些都与更高的初乳生产能力相一致。得出的结论是，在妊娠最后一周给母羊饲喂像玉米这样的高能补充剂可提高它们为羔羊生产初乳的能力，尤其是对于双羔母羊。
