References
Ewe colostrum quality on commercial Welsh sheep farms
Abstract
In advance of the 2020 lambing season, 147 Welsh farmers were engaged in active colostrum management through training and discussion groups. Sixty-four of these farmers returned data on 1295 ewes, including ewe age, breed, body condition score (BCS), number of live and dead lambs born, a description of udder condition, colour of colostrum and a Brix reading. Flock numbers were available from 43 farmers and information on late pregnancy ration from 30 farms.
Results were analysed using a Brix reading cut-off of 26.5% and showed that 76% of samples exceeded this level and were considered of good quality.
With an average of 20 ewe colostrum samples returned per flock, the greatest variation was found to be at the flock level with ewe nutrition considered to be the greatest driver. Concentrate feed space, silage crude protein and the supplementation of concentrates to twin and triplet-bearing ewes were all factors that indicated a potential flock level role in determining the colostrum quality.
Individual level ewe factors appeared to have a much smaller role in determining the quality of the colostrum, with the ease of stripping being the main significant factors. Colostrum quality was more likely to be inadequate if the ewe was reported to be hard to strip (OR 0.56). While not significant in the final regression model, other ewe factors appeared to have an impact on the colostrum quality, such as the BCS and number of lambs born; however, lack of significance in the model may mean they are not significant or that they reflect differences in management between different flocks.
As UK sheep farmers prepare for lambing 2022, and continue to optimise colostrum management and reduce levels of antibiotic given to neonatal lambs, this practical study has demonstrated how sheep farmers can be actively motivated to measure colostrum quality to determine how to optimally manage colostral antibody delivery to individual lambs.
Perinatal lamb mortality is a significant issue in terms of welfare and economics on sheep farms worldwide (Dwyer, 2008) and has been reported to have remained stable at 15–20% over the past four decades (Dwyer et al, 2016). A UK study reported an overall lamb mortality risk of 7% across 108 sheep farms (range 3.3–8.3%) (Binns et al, 2002), with most preweaning lamb deaths occurring within the first week of life (Hybu Cig Cymru Lamb Losses Project, n.d.; Nowak and Poindron, 2006). An increased risk of neonatal mortality has been associated with septicaemia as a result of inadequate colostrum intake, starvation and death caused by exposure hypothermia (Chaarani et al, 1991; Green and Morgan, 1993). The transfer of colostral antibodies to the lamb is vital because of the epitheliochorial placenta preventing the transfer of maternal antibodies in utero (Brambell et al, 1970; Wooding et al, 1986). The level of IgG in lamb blood is directly related to colostrum intake and quality (Shubber et al, 1979a, 1979b). Colostrum production occurs prior to parturition and contains both important immunoglobulins for the immunologically naïve lamb, as well as a high level of fat to prevent starvation (Banchero et al, 2015; Kessler et al, 2021). Colostrum yield is dependent on adequate supplies of both energy and protein in the last 3 weeks of gestation (Dwyer et al, 2016; Hinde and Woodhouse, 2019).
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