Does offering concentrate supplement during late pregnancy affect twin‐ and triplet‐bearing ewe and lamb performance?

Abstract

Abstract This study investigated the effect of offering concentrate supplement during late pregnancy on twin‐ and triplet‐bearing ewe and lamb performance. Twin‐ ( n =40) and triplet‐bearing ( n =20) ewes were grazed on a 6 cm herbage height from day 70 of pregnancy until parturition. From pregnancy day 102, half of the ewes from each litter size were offered 400 g/ewe per day of concentrate sheep pellets. From day 102 until day 145 of pregnancy, ewes offered concentrate gained 60 g more liveweight per day than ewes offered pasture only ( P <0.01). Ewes offered concentrate were also under less metabolic stress in late pregnancy, as indicated by lower ( P <0.05) plasma beta‐hydroxybutyrate (BOH) and non‐esterified fatty acid (NEFA) concentrations. Offering concentrate increased lamb birth weight from 3.9 to 4.2 kg ( P <0.05) and tended to increase lamb plasma gamma‐glutamyl‐transferase (GGT) concentrations at age 24–36 h (P = 0.08). It had no effect, however, on lamb plasma glucose or immuno‐globulin G (IgG) concentrations within 24–36 h of age, lamb growth from birth until day 52 of lactation or lamb survival. Ewes offered concentrate reared a greater total weight of lamb to day 52 of lactation than ewes offered pasture only. The economic viability of offering a concentrate to these ewes grazing a 6 cm sward could not be established.