An investigation of micronutrient supplementation in weaner lambs to improve growth rates in southeast Australia.
field trials
micronutrient supplementation
producer survey
production impacts
weaner sheep
Journal
Australian veterinary journal
ISSN: 1751-0813
Titre abrégé: Aust Vet J
Pays: England
ID NLM: 0370616
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
Oct 2020
Oct 2020
Historique:
received:
25
07
2019
revised:
15
04
2020
accepted:
26
04
2020
pubmed:
28
5
2020
medline:
6
10
2020
entrez:
28
5
2020
Statut:
ppublish
Résumé
A producer survey by questionnaire assessed supplements used in sheep and reasons for use. This was followed by field trials on eight sheep properties in SE NSW to determine the effect of commonly used commercially available supplements on growth rates of Merino and crossbred lambs. On each property, 450 lambs were selected at weaning and randomly allocated to nine groups of 50 sheep (eight treatment and a control group). Supplements were applied as per manufacturer's recommendation every 6-12 weeks. At each application, all sheep were weighed and data on general flock health and management were collected. All but one of the survey respondents (n = 77) had used supplements in their sheep at some stage. The reasons for use were most commonly for general health and production benefits (n = 21; 26.9%) and to prevent or treat specific diseases/deficiencies (n = 7; 9.0%). The average daily weight gains (ADWG) of the lambs over the trial period varied from 0.074 kg to 0.213 kg/head/day. Statistical analysis showed that overall there was not a significant difference (P = 0.587) between ADWG among lambs that received supplements and lambs that did not. Results of this study show that application of supplements were not linked to improved growth rates in clinically normal crossbred and Merino lambs under the trial farm conditions between weaning and 15 months of age. Effects of supplements on health and production in adult sheep and how supplement response can be best measured in sheep flocks (especially in relation to health and welfare) and linked to productivity requires further investigation.
Substances chimiques
Micronutrients
0
Types de publication
Journal Article
Randomized Controlled Trial, Veterinary
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Pagination
478-485Subventions
Organisme : NSW DPI Sheep Industry Fund
ID : ROUT 15/3
Informations de copyright
© 2020 Australian Veterinary Association.
Références
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