Effects of prenatal fish oil supplementation on the development and performance of female kids after weaning.

This study was performed to determine the influence of fish oil, an omega-3 fatty acids source, supplemented to diets of goats throughout all stages of gestation on the growth and milk production of weaned female kids. Eighty German Fawn (75%) x Hair (25%) crossbred goats were randomly assigned to treatment (fish oil, FiO group) and control (Rumen protected fat, RPF group) groups during the first half of pregnancy. Subsequently, the FiO group was further allocated into FiO-FiO and FiO-RPF subgroups and RPF group was further divided into RPF-FiO and RPF-RPF subgroups containing 20 goats in each during the second half of pregnancy. The growth and feed intake of 41 female kids (aged 75.1 ± 6.73 days, with a mean live weight of 11.6 ± 3.00 kg) were recorded for a 98 day post-weaning, In the continuation of the study, live weight changes, milk yield and composition of young female goats from mating to the second month of lactation and the growth of female kids until weaning were studied for a total of 210 days. Maternal nutrition slightly influenced the live weight gain of female kids over a 98-day investigation period (p = 0.070). When growth performance was considered, a higher feed conversion efficiency of female offspring was determined in RPF-FiO (5.52) treatment group compare to female kids in other treatment groups (p = 0.086). However, the maternal feeding system significantly affected live weight in the RPF-FiO treatment group during the mating period (P = 0.054). Concerning the feed intake, maternal nutrition significantly affected the feed intake of female kids (p < 0.01) with the highest feed consumption in the FiO-RPF group. The findings of this study have shown that fish oil enriched diet given to goats during gestation improved daily live weight changes and total live weight gain of female kids despite the initial disadvantage after weaning. At mating time, the live weight of young female goats in the RPF-FiO treatment group, which exhibited the highest feed conversion ratio during the 98-day study, was higher than the remaining treatment groups. Maternal nutrition had no effect on milk yield or milk components in young goats during lactation. Young female goats born to dams in the FiO-RPF group showed better performance than the other groups regarding live weight performance of their offspring on 56th day postpartum.

Fish Oil Supplementation as an Omega-3 Fatty Acid Source during Gestation: Effects on the Performance of Awassi Ewes and Their Offspring.

The primary aim of this research was to assess the impact of supplementing fish oil into the diet of pregnant Awassi ewes on various aspects of the dam's productive performance, offspring birth weight, colostrum yield and quality, milk production and composition, postpartum offspring performance, and the composition of fatty acids in milk. In this study, two different fat sources, namely palm oil (PO) and fish oil (FO), were utilized, with both being included at a rate of 2.4% of dietary dry matter (DM) during the initial 65 days of gestation (early gestation stage), and then at 2.1% DM from day 65 of gestation until lambing (late gestation stage). The study subjects were Awassi ewes with a body weight (BW) averaging 57 ± 1.5 kg and an age of 3.5 ± 1.2 years. These ewes were randomly assigned to one of four dietary treatments: (i) a diet containing only palm oil from day 0 to day 150 of pregnancy (PO, n = 15); (ii) a diet containing palm oil from day 0 to day 65 of pregnancy, followed by a diet containing fish oil from day 66 to day 150 of pregnancy (POFO, n = 16); (iii) a diet containing fish oil from day 0 to day 65 of pregnancy, followed by a diet containing palm oil from day 66 to day 150 of pregnancy (FOPO, n = 16); (iv) a diet containing only fish oil from day 0 to day 150 of pregnancy (FO, n = 16). Within each treatment, ewes were housed in three replicates, with each replicate further divided into three subgroups. The first two subgroups each contained eight ewes, while the third subgroup contained nine ewes. In addition, each treatment contained 10 primiparous and 15 multiparous ewes. The results indicated that the POFO treatment led to significant increases (p < 0.05) in birth weight, gestation length, and colostrum IgG concentration. However, it also resulted in a decrease (p < 0.001) in colostrum production and a reduction (p < 0.001) in the percentage of milk fat and milk protein. Furthermore, the milk from the POFO treatment exhibited higher levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) (p < 0.001) compared to the PO and FOPO treatments, while the milk saturated fatty acids (SFA) were lower (p < 0.001). In conclusion, the addition of fish oil at a rate of 2.1% DM during the late pregnancy period showed promise for enhancing birth weight, colostrum IgG concentration, and the PUFA content in the milk.

Fish oil supplementation as an omega-3 fatty acid source during gestation: effects on the performance of weaned male goat kids.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of fish oil supplementation, as an omega-3 fatty acids source, to ration of does in the different periods of pregnancy on the fattening performance of kids after weaning. Eighty German Fawn × Hair crossbred does were randomly divided into two groups; half were given fish oil in the first half of pregnancy (FO group), while the other half were given saturated fat (PF (control) group). Then, the goats in the FO and PF groups were randomly divided into two subgroups, and half of the goats were fed fish oil during the second half of pregnancy (FO-FO and FO-PF groups), while the other half was fed saturated fat (PF-FO and PF-PF groups). Thus, study groups of kids were formed according to the nutrition program of the does described above. Forty-seven male kids (84.6 ± 2.44 days old; 14.5 ± 3.09 kg live weight, mean ± standard deviation) were fed for 56 days after weaning, and their weight, feed consumption, serum biochemical parameters, carcass performance, and meat quality characteristics were evaluated. Maternal nutrition significantly affected live weight gain and serum AST, glucose, total protein, and globulin concentrations (P ≤ 0.050). The live weight gain of kids in the PF-PF and PF-FO groups was higher than that in the FO-FO and FO-PF groups. Maternal nutrition tended to affect the hot and cold carcass weights of male kids (P = 0.078 and P = 0.084, respectively). In conclusion, fish oil supplementation during gestation could negatively affect the fattening performance of kids after weaning, especially the daily live weight gain, although it tended to positively affect hot and cold carcass weights.

Post-mating diclofenac vs. carprofen treatment on serum progesterone levels and reproductive outcomes in Hungarian-Merino ewes during the non-breeding season.

The maternal recognition process is crucial for the establishment of healthy pregnancy. In this process, anti-luteolytic applications are one of the main reproductive strategies to manage the embryonic losses and maximize reproductive profitability in farm animals. The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of post-mating NSAID treatments on reproductive parameters (pregnancy rate, lambing rate, multiple birth rate, litter size) and serum progesterone levels in ewes stimulated with progesterone non-breeding season. For this purpose, two different experiments (diclofenac and carprofen) were conducted in the same ewe flock induced with short-term progestogen-based protocol in the non-breeding season for two consecutive years. In experiment 1 (n = 85), 42 ewes were injected with 2.5 mg/kg diclofenac on the 9th and 10th days post-mating, and the rest were not treated and served as control. In experiment 2 (n = 82), 40 ewes were injected with 1.4 mg/kg carprofen on the 9th days post-mating, and the rest were not treated as control. In both experiments, blood samples were collected from all ewes on days 9, 12 and 13 post-mating to measure serum progesterone levels. In both experiments, there were no differences both reproductive parameters and serum progesterone levels when compared to the control groups. It was concluded that post-mating diclofenac and carprofen treatments in the critical period have no significant effects on both reproductive parameters and serum progesterone levels in ewes in the non-breeding season.

Effects of different degrees of deacetylation and levels of chitosan on performance, egg traits and serum biochemistry of laying hens.

The present study was conducted to evaluate whether the deacetylation degree of chitosan (low: 70% vs. high: 90%) and its dietary level (0, 200, 400, 800, 1600 mg/kg diet) would affect laying performance, faeces viscosity, egg quality, egg and serum biochemistry of layers. For the experimental feeding period of 8 weeks, 140 four weeks old Hisex Brown layers were divided into 10 treatment groups, comprising 14 birds each. The birds were housed in individual cages in a complete randomised design. Performance was assessed by recording feed intake, egg weight, daily egg production, egg quality and egg biochemistry. Serum biochemistry parameters were determined at the beginning and end of the experiment and faeces viscosity at the end of the experiment. Feed conversion ratio and faeces viscosity were deteriorated by increased level of chitosan. Lightness of egg yolk was significantly increased in animals receiving high-degree deacetylated chitosan compared to low-degree deacetylated chitosan. Yellowness of egg yolk was affected by interaction of deacetylation degree and level of chitosan. Yolk cholesterol concentration was lower in groups receiving high deacetylated chitosan by increasing chitosan level, while laying hens fed low deacetylated chitosan had a higher level of yolk cholesterol. A significant interaction between degree of deacetylation and chitosan level was determined for serum glucose and calcium concentration. Serum total antioxidant content increased with higher levels of dietary chitosan. In conclusion, dietary level or different degrees of deacetylated chitosan may reduce yolk cholesterol and improve serum antioxidant status. However, feed conversion ratio and faeces viscosity were impaired by increasing levels of chitosan supplementation, and lightness of yolk was increased by supplementation of chitosan with a high degree of deacetylation.